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Redskins Offseason 2018

Gladiator

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There has been some talk that Kirk Cousins padded his passing statistics in 2017.

The logic for that is that with a Cowboys game, the Redskins were far behind in the score, and instead of throwing far down the field, to get the quick scores needed to win the game, Cousins threw shorter passes to receivers the Cowboys had left open. Of course Gruden does not mention that he said it was OK to lose the long threat receivers in the 2016, off-season, Redskins' veteran wide receivers, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, and did not object o spending big money on Defense.

The offensive line did not score very high marks for 2017 either, another element in passing the long ball. Washington's Line was 24th in Pass Protection, and 21st in run protection,


FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2017 OFFENSIVE LINES


I argued last year for more focus on the Offensive Line.


https://www.debatepolitics.com/spor...e-agency-draft-picks-acquisitions-2017-a.html


Redskins General Manager Scot Mcloughlin was fired because George Allen wanted to spend more money on Defense.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...grievance-over-firing/?utm_term=.6c5eacacf8c7

"Stephen A. Smith is right: The Redskins are kind of blah

"Everything is just average,” Smith went on, continuing to sort of make sense. “You got the quarterback, you got the receivers, you got a suspect running game, you got a suspect offensive line [even though that’s due to injuries]. Their defense: suspect. … And then you got Jay Gruden. I don’t know about this guy. He’s not terrible. But there’s nothing special about this man.”



https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...kins-are-kind-of-blah/?utm_term=.baa9657539e9


Actually the Redskins Offensive line was below average in 2017.



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The Washington Redskins gave up on quarterback Kirk Cousins -- and did so at a steep price. Trading for Kansas City's Alex Smith makes sense, knowing Cousins wasn't likely to sign a long-term deal with Washington. And if he did, it would be costly.

But trading for Smith comes at a cost as well. A steep one. Giving the Chiefs a third-round pick isn't bad; Washington will get a pick in the same round in 2019 as compensation when Cousins signs with someone in free agency. "



"Smith gives the Redskins experience, not to mention more athleticism. He's adept at bootlegs and rollouts and comfortable going off-schedule. The Redskins were burned by that last attribute in a Week 4 loss to Kansas City, as Smith, using his legs to keep plays alive, led a last-minute drive. While Cousins has improved in that area, Smith is more adept. That appeals to coach Jay Gruden, whose offense favors dropback passers, but it's not confined to that style.

Gruden also wanted more from Cousins, saying he needed to put more trust in his receivers. He wanted Cousins to take more shots downfield. Since 2015, Cousins ranked sixth in number of passes that traveled 20 or more yards in the air; Smith ranked 22nd. But there's no doubt Smith is a good quarterback."

Washington Redskins swing big for quarterback Alex Smith - Washington Redskins Blog- ESPN



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'"One of the surprises of the season, Smith became the league’s most efficient deep thrower, finishing first in adjusted completion percentage and yards while tying for first with 12 touchdowns. After generally ranking near the bottom in deep passing attempts in year’s past, a more aggressive approach had Smith ranked 11th with 12.3 percent of his attempts going deep this season. All told, it helped to pay off as he posted career-high PFF grade."



"With Gruden's offensive philosophy putting a premium on the deep ball, trading for Smith in hopes improving that production makes sense. Cousins struggled at time with his accuracy during his career in Washington, and his big play production fell following the departures of DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.

Still, the Redskins will have to tailor their offense to fit Smith's strengths."



"Not only will the Redskins have to slightly adjust schematically, they will also have to show that they're committed to providing Smith the personnel to be successful. Cousins never had the full faith of the Redskins front office, and with Smith now in the fold, improvements will need to be made at wide receiver, running back and left guard if they're to stand any chance of improving upon 2017's disappointing 7-9 season."


https://247sports.com/nfl/washingto...-best-deep-ball-quarterback-in-2017-114456636

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Where will Cousins end up?

"{ Cousins} Winning is everything, especially at this stage of my career — I’m going into Year 7,” he said. “Because I’ve been franchise-tagged twice, I’ve been in a position where it’s not about the money so much; it’s about winning..."

"The Pro Bowl QB also said offensive system, coaching staff, general manager, receivers and offensive line would factor into his decision."


Kirk Cousins On WFAN: Winning Would Be Top Priority In Free Agency « CBS New York


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Where will Cousins end up?

"{ Cousins} Winning is everything, especially at this stage of my career — I’m going into Year 7,” he said. “Because I’ve been franchise-tagged twice, I’ve been in a position where it’s not about the money so much; it’s about winning..."

"The Pro Bowl QB also said offensive system, coaching staff, general manager, receivers and offensive line would factor into his decision."


Kirk Cousins On WFAN: Winning Would Be Top Priority In Free Agency « CBS New York


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Looks like the Vikings to me.
 
Looks like the Vikings to me.

That seems to be the popular wisdom.


Other factors might be how much money is guaranteed, up front, on the barrelhead.


Another factor could be indebtedness. Some people have helped out Kirk Cousins, along the way. Cleveland may have the most money guaranteed up front, and Scot McLaughlin may call in some favors, with Kirk ending up in Cleveland.


I think Scot put his Redskins GM job on the line to keep his word to Cousins that Scot would keep some good receivers, and improve the offensive line. Defensive minded President Bruce Allen stepped in, pulled rank.


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That seems to be the popular wisdom.


Other factors might be how much money is guaranteed, up front, on the barrelhead.


Another factor could be indebtedness. Some people have helped out Kirk Cousins, along the way. Cleveland may have the most money guaranteed up front, and Scot McLaughlin may call in some favors, with Kirk ending up in Cleveland.


I think Scot put his Redskins GM job on the line to keep his word to Cousins that Scot would keep some good receivers, and improve the offensive line. Defensive minded President Bruce Allen stepped in, pulled rank.


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If the Browns were going to make serious bid for Cousins then they would not have signed Tyrod Taylor.
 
If the Browns were going to make serious bid for Cousins then they would not have signed Tyrod Taylor.

See your logic.


Paul "Richardson snagged two of seven targets for 18 yards during Sunday's 42-7 loss to the Rams.

Richardson has thrived on the long ball this season, and it should be no surprise that he's struggled in two of his last three games when he's been unable to get open deep. Richardson snagged 10 passes of at least 20 yards through the first nine games of the year, but he has just three such plays in the last five weeks. He gets a tough draw down the stretch. The Seahawks take on a Dallas defense ranked third in the league at suppressing opponent yardage per reception before finishing up with an Arizona team that held him to one, albeit 43-yard, catch in Week 10."

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/seahawks-paul-richardson-held-to-two-catches/


Since the Skins don't have many good receivers, it may be easy for opposing teams to give Richardson double coverage, and fewer receptions.


Is Alex Smith planning to carry the Redskins offensive line on his back? A few injuries and it is hurry-up time.



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Good luck with PRich. He ran a 4.2something and can make defenses respect that. Really good ball hawky hands too. Most fans I've seen wanted him back. Hope he stays healthy for you.
 
See your logic.


Paul "Richardson snagged two of seven targets for 18 yards during Sunday's 42-7 loss to the Rams.

Richardson has thrived on the long ball this season, and it should be no surprise that he's struggled in two of his last three games when he's been unable to get open deep. Richardson snagged 10 passes of at least 20 yards through the first nine games of the year, but he has just three such plays in the last five weeks. He gets a tough draw down the stretch. The Seahawks take on a Dallas defense ranked third in the league at suppressing opponent yardage per reception before finishing up with an Arizona team that held him to one, albeit 43-yard, catch in Week 10."

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/seahawks-paul-richardson-held-to-two-catches/


Since the Skins don't have many good receivers, it may be easy for opposing teams to give Richardson double coverage, and fewer receptions.


Is Alex Smith planning to carry the Redskins offensive line on his back? A few injuries and it is hurry-up time.



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My guess is other moves will be coming.
 
Gladiator, what's your opinion on the whole Cousins affair?

The Skins are not my team, but I live in the D.C. area so I sort-of follow them a little more than most teams not named the Seahawks.

From what I've seen, ever since he won the start over Colt McCoy, he's been a solid QB. He goes through his progressions instead of zeroing in on the hot read, and does a good job protecting the ball with smart decisions and quick, accurate throws. What more could they want?

Now I'm reading that Gruden wanted him to roll out more and be able to go "off-schedule" (i.e. scramble around because the play broke down). That's the reason they didn't pull the trigger on a long-term deal for the last 3 years? Because he's not a dual-threat running QB?!? I'm just flabbergasted by that. Am I missing something?
 
See your logic.

Paul "Richardson snagged two of seven targets for 18 yards during Sunday's 42-7 loss to the Rams.

Richardson has thrived on the long ball this season, and it should be no surprise that he's struggled in two of his last three games when he's been unable to get open deep. Richardson snagged 10 passes of at least 20 yards through the first nine games of the year, but he has just three such plays in the last five weeks. He gets a tough draw down the stretch. The Seahawks take on a Dallas defense ranked third in the league at suppressing opponent yardage per reception before finishing up with an Arizona team that held him to one, albeit 43-yard, catch in Week 10."

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/seahawks-paul-richardson-held-to-two-catches/

Since the Skins don't have many good receivers, it may be easy for opposing teams to give Richardson double coverage, and fewer receptions.

Is Alex Smith planning to carry the Redskins offensive line on his back? A few injuries and it is hurry-up time
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Gladiator, what's your opinion on the whole Cousins affair?

The Skins are not my team, but I live in the D.C. area so I sort-of follow them a little more than most teams not named the Seahawks.

From what I've seen, ever since he won the start over Colt McCoy, he's been a solid QB. He goes through his progressions instead of zeroing in on the hot read, and does a good job protecting the ball with smart decisions and quick, accurate throws. What more could they want?

Now I'm reading that Gruden wanted him to roll out more and be able to go "off-schedule" (i.e. scramble around because the play broke down). That's the reason they didn't pull the trigger on a long-term deal for the last 3 years? Because he's not a dual-threat running QB?!? I'm just flabbergasted by that. Am I missing something?

Kurt Cousins was 26-30 as the starting quarterback of the Redskins. Overall, he lacked the "it" factor necessary for a star quarterback.

He's not a top 5 quarterback in the NFL, probably not even a top 10 quarterback.

The amount of money these quarterbacks are getting is absolutely ridiculous. The NFL is about navigating and maneuvering through the salary cap. A team serious about sustained long-term success cannot give average-above average quarterbacks these mega-guaranteed deals. You have too many other positions to field a competitive team.

If you asked the Ravens now, if they should have given Joe Flacco a record contract in 2014, the answer would be an emphatic, "NO!"

They had a quarterback on the roster in Tyrod Taylor who could have done the EXACT same thing Flacco did at the fraction of his salary. The money saved from Flacco could have gone into strengthing other parts of that roster.

Cousins doesn't impact a team's roster like a Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady. Give me a healthy Aaron Rodgers with his mediocre teammates and I'll take the Packers over the Vikings next year. Easy money.

Cousins is a low-energy uninspiring type QB that was largely a product of Jay Gruden/Sean McVay's offense. He doesn't really make his teammates better and his leadership skills are non-existent. A QB in D.C. needs to be able to capture the minds and hearts of its fanbase. Just like when Obama or Trump were elected President, they came in with a defined swagger. They set a tone.

Even RG3 came in with a bang before he got injured. Cousins didn't do that. He lacked signature wins. I would bet money the Redkins will have a better record under Alex Smith next year. Not necesarily because Alex Smith is a much better quarterback, but because they can field a more competitve team with Smith under QB than Cousins.

FYI Smith had better number than Cousins last year, yet Cousins becomes the highest paid QB??? And Cousins replaces Case Keenum, who also had better numbers yet Keenum got a lesser contract than Cousins?

Kurt Cousins is overhyped and overrated. In no way should he be the highest paid QB in the NFL.
 
Smith & Cousins are pretty much the same QBs as far as talent goes.

Actually Cousins is much younger, really never understood why Washington wasnt ever sold on Cousins.

Having a QB that is serviceable is really hard to find. Even if Cousins isnt a top 5 or top 10 - doesnt make him trash. Hes a below average QB and thats still good to have in your team.
 
Kurt Cousins was 26-30 as the starting quarterback of the Redskins. Overall, he lacked the "it" factor necessary for a star quarterback.

He's not a top 5 quarterback in the NFL, probably not even a top 10 quarterback.

The amount of money these quarterbacks are getting is absolutely ridiculous. The NFL is about navigating and maneuvering through the salary cap. A team serious about sustained long-term success cannot give average-above average quarterbacks these mega-guaranteed deals. You have too many other positions to field a competitive team.

If you asked the Ravens now, if they should have given Joe Flacco a record contract in 2014, the answer would be an emphatic, "NO!"

They had a quarterback on the roster in Tyrod Taylor who could have done the EXACT same thing Flacco did at the fraction of his salary. The money saved from Flacco could have gone into strengthing other parts of that roster.

Cousins doesn't impact a team's roster like a Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady. Give me a healthy Aaron Rodgers with his mediocre teammates and I'll take the Packers over the Vikings next year. Easy money.

Cousins is a low-energy uninspiring type QB that was largely a product of Jay Gruden/Sean McVay's offense. He doesn't really make his teammates better and his leadership skills are non-existent. A QB in D.C. needs to be able to capture the minds and hearts of its fanbase. Just like when Obama or Trump were elected President, they came in with a defined swagger. They set a tone.

Even RG3 came in with a bang before he got injured. Cousins didn't do that. He lacked signature wins. I would bet money the Redkins will have a better record under Alex Smith next year. Not necesarily because Alex Smith is a much better quarterback, but because they can field a more competitve team with Smith under QB than Cousins.

FYI Smith had better number than Cousins last year, yet Cousins becomes the highest paid QB??? And Cousins replaces Case Keenum, who also had better numbers yet Keenum got a lesser contract than Cousins?

Kurt Cousins is overhyped and overrated. In no way should he be the highest paid QB in the NFL.
"Cousins is second in the NFL at 3,038 passing yards, ranking only behind Tom Brady. He's third in the NFL in passing yards per game, again behind Brady as well as Carson Palmer (who only played five games before a season-ending injury). In fact, looking at QB stats around the NFL this season, Cousins' name is near the top of almost every key metric. (snip) Pro Football Focus ranks Cousins as the 11th best QB this season, behind players like Tyrod Taylor and Marcus Mariota. Football Outsiders, using either their DYAR or DVOA metric, also rank Cousins 11th in the league."

How many QBs are definitively better than Kirk Cousins? The list isn't that long | NBC Sports Washington

That's damn near top-10 if not within. While the QB position has more impact on the team's success than any other single position, it makes me crazy when people say things like, "He only has X wins and Y playoff appearances." Sorry, but why do people think the QB is somehow supposed to be a one-man army? There are at least 21 other guys on the team who contribute to that W/L column as well. It's neither fair nor accurate to saddle the QB with ALL the team's wins and losses. Gladiator's references even mention the lack of receiving talent on the team. Is Cousin's expected to throw AND catch the ball?

And speaking of overpriced contracts, the Redskins set themselves up for that by dragging their feet and franchise tagging him two years in a row. Back in '16 they could've locked him up for 4 years, $17m per year. Instead they tagged and paid him $24m fully guaranteed. Now the Vikes have him for $28m per year and the Skins are starting over with someone new. I can't see anything even beginning to resemble "smart" in that whole sequence.
 
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Kurt Cousins was 26-30 as the starting quarterback of the Redskins. Overall, he lacked the "it" factor necessary for a star quarterback.

He's not a top 5 quarterback in the NFL, probably not even a top 10 quarterback.

The amount of money these quarterbacks are getting is absolutely ridiculous. The NFL is about navigating and maneuvering through the salary cap. A team serious about sustained long-term success cannot give average-above average quarterbacks these mega-guaranteed deals. You have too many other positions to field a competitive team.

If you asked the Ravens now, if they should have given Joe Flacco a record contract in 2014, the answer would be an emphatic, "NO!"

They had a quarterback on the roster in Tyrod Taylor who could have done the EXACT same thing Flacco did at the fraction of his salary. The money saved from Flacco could have gone into strengthing other parts of that roster.

Cousins doesn't impact a team's roster like a Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady. Give me a healthy Aaron Rodgers with his mediocre teammates and I'll take the Packers over the Vikings next year. Easy money.

Cousins is a low-energy uninspiring type QB that was largely a product of Jay Gruden/Sean McVay's offense. He doesn't really make his teammates better and his leadership skills are non-existent. A QB in D.C. needs to be able to capture the minds and hearts of its fanbase. Just like when Obama or Trump were elected President, they came in with a defined swagger. They set a tone.

Even RG3 came in with a bang before he got injured. Cousins didn't do that. He lacked signature wins. I would bet money the Redkins will have a better record under Alex Smith next year. Not necesarily because Alex Smith is a much better quarterback, but because they can field a more competitve team with Smith under QB than Cousins.

FYI Smith had better number than Cousins last year, yet Cousins becomes the highest paid QB??? And Cousins replaces Case Keenum, who also had better numbers yet Keenum got a lesser contract than Cousins?

Kurt Cousins is overhyped and overrated. In no way should he be the highest paid QB in the NFL.

The Vikings will play in the next Super Bowl. You heard it here first.
 
The Vikings will play in the next Super Bowl. You heard it here first.
Between Kirk Cousins and Sheldon Richardson, they're certainly in the hunt for winning the offseason.
 
"It has been almost eight years since the then-Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid sent franchise quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a second-round draft pick."

"McNabb lost his job as a starter in his first season with the Redskins under Mike Shanahan and was traded to the Vikings in July 2011."


Andy Reid Has Previous for Fleecing the Redskins in Quarterback Trades

Andy Reid seems to know when a Quarterback is getting too old.


How many years left for Alex Smith?

Am I missing some improvements for the depth of the Redskins Offensive Line?


Brad Jonson, QB, won the 2002 super bowl for the Tampa Bay. Brad Johnson was traded from the Redskins because Dan Snyder that the Brad Johnson did not throw enough deep balls.

Sounds similar to reasons for not keeping Kirk Cousins.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Tampa_Bay_Buccaneers_season

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Between Kirk Cousins and Sheldon Richardson, they're certainly in the hunt for winning the offseason.

“He didn’t have a lot of sacks, but as I’ve said before, sacks are not our No. 1 goal. It’s about disrupting the quarterback and getting him off his spot and getting him off timing.”

"Sheldon was a guy that has been, and even was this last past season, one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the NFL in order to get the quarterback off the spot,” Zimmer said. Richardson had one sack in 2017 but totaled 44 tackles, 28 hurries and seven quarterback hits, according to Pro Football Focus. The numbers don’t always tell the story of how effective a player can be. What the defensive tackle provides for a line that is expected to feature a front four of Danielle Hunter, Joseph, Richardson and Everson Griffen is not measured by stats alone"

Sheldon Richardson further boosts Minnesota Vikings' Super Bowl hopes - Minnesota Vikings Blog- ESPN

//
 
Gladiator, what's your opinion on the whole Cousins affair?

The Skins are not my team, but I live in the D.C. area so I sort-of follow them a little more than most teams not named the Seahawks.

From what I've seen, ever since he won the start over Colt McCoy, he's been a solid QB. He goes through his progressions instead of zeroing in on the hot read, and does a good job protecting the ball with smart decisions and quick, accurate throws. What more could they want?

Now I'm reading that Gruden wanted him to roll out more and be able to go "off-schedule" (i.e. scramble around because the play broke down). That's the reason they didn't pull the trigger on a long-term deal for the last 3 years? Because he's not a dual-threat running QB?!? I'm just flabbergasted by that. Am I missing something?


Dan Snyder, owner, likes the deep ball. George Allen, 70's Redskins Coach, liked QB Billy Kilmer, because he would pass long. Sonny, QB, passed short, possession passes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Kilmer


Bruce Allen likes to spend money on defense, and not get more depth on the offensive line. Then Bruce complains about injuries, when the offensive line can't hold for the deep ball. So Coach Gruden needs a scrambling QB, because the offensive line can't hold long enough for the long ball, after more than 3 or 4 games, depending on OL injuries, suspensions, etc.


I have been rooting for the Redskins for a while, now, but I also like to complain a lot,





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Dan Snyder, owner, likes the deep ball. George Allen, 70's Redskins Coach, liked QB Billy Kilmer, because he would pass long. Sonny, QB, passed short, possession passes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Kilmer


Bruce Allen likes to spend money on defense, and not get more depth on the offensive line. Then Bruce complains about injuries, when the offensive line can't hold for the deep ball. So Coach Gruden needs a scrambling QB, because the offensive line can't hold long enough for the long ball, after more than 3 or 4 games, depending on OL injuries, suspensions, etc.


I have been rooting for the Redskins for a while, now, but I also like to complain a lot,





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Dysfunction. :(
 
Dan Snyder, owner, likes the deep ball. George Allen, 70's Redskins Coach, liked QB Billy Kilmer, because he would pass long. Sonny, QB, passed short, possession passes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Kilmer

Bruce Allen likes to spend money on defense, and not get more depth on the offensive line. Then Bruce complains about injuries, when the offensive line can't hold for the deep ball. So Coach Gruden needs a scrambling QB, because the offensive line can't hold long enough for the long ball, after more than 3 or 4 games, depending on OL injuries, suspensions, etc.

O
I have been rooting for the Redskins for a while, now, but I also like to complain a lot,





//

Hmmm. I'm old enough to remember Billy vs Sonny, and I think you have it wrong. George Allen didn't really care for passing of any kind, long or short. He was a defensive-minded coach who liked to chew up the clock with the ground game.
Sonny was the deep bomber. Billy threw a lot of end-over-end balls, whether long or short.
 
Hmmm. I'm old enough to remember Billy vs Sonny, and I think you have it wrong. George Allen didn't really care for passing of any kind, long or short. He was a defensive-minded coach who liked to chew up the clock with the ground game.
Sonny was the deep bomber. Billy threw a lot of end-over-end balls, whether long or short.

Here is what Dan Snyder remembers, a Billy Kilmer deep pass.


"Sometimes, Billy Kilmer's throws were of the wobbly variety, and that's putting it mildly.

But not on Dec. 31, 1972 in the NFC title game at RFK Stadium.

That day, Kilmer hoisted a 45-yard touchdown pass to Charley Taylor that took down the Dallas Cowboys. The play has to rank as one of the best throws, if not the best, of Kilmer's 16-year NFL career.

And it's certainly one of the most memorable plays in Redskins history.

Taylor hauled in touchdown catches of 15 and 45 yards from Kilmer as the Redskins beat Dallas 26-3 in the NFC title game.

It was perhaps the key game in the careers of Kilmer and Taylor, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984.

Taylor has referred to the 45-yard touchdown pass that day from Kilmer as the quarterback's best pass ever.

The Redskins were holding onto a shaky 10-3 lead early in the fourth quarter. Dallas cornerback Mark Washington, subbing for an injured Charley Waters, was the victim on the play as Taylor slipped behind him far down the right sideline."




Flashback: Kilmer's Greatest Throw
 
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