1978 Washington Redskins season explained

Team:Washington Redskins
Year:1978
Record:8–8
Division Place:3rd NFC East
Coach:Jack Pardee
Owner:Edward Bennett Williams
President:Edward Bennett Williams
Off Coach:Joe Walton
Def Coach:Doc Urich
General Manager:Bobby Beathard
Stadium:RFK Stadium
Playoffs:Did not qualify
Shortnavlink:Redskins seasons

The Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 42nd in Washington, D.C. The team failed to improve on their 9–5 record from 1977, finishing 8-8.

This was the first of Jack Pardee's three seasons as head coach of the Redskins. This was also the first season in which the NFL expanded from a 14-game season to a 16-game schedule. The Redskins started the season 6-0 and got to 8-3, but ended the season with a five-game losing streak and missed the playoffs. The losing streak began with a loss to a Cardinals team which had started 0-8. The Cardinals would not win again at RFK Stadium until 1993, their sixth season in Arizona. Quarterback Billy Kilmer, who served as backup to Joe Theismann, retired following the season.

Offseason

NFL Draft

See main article: 1978 NFL draft.

1978 Washington Redskins Draft
Round Selection Player Position College
6 159 RB Florida
8 202 Walker Lee WR North Carolina
8 219 LB Washington State
9 243 John Hurley QB Santa Clara
10 270 Scott Hertenstein DE Azusa Pacific
11 297 Mike Williams DB Texas A&M
12 324 Steve McCabe G Bowdoin

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecap
1September 3at New England PatriotsW 16–141–0Schaefer Stadium55,037Recap
2September 10Philadelphia EaglesW 35–302–0RFK Stadium54,380Recap
3September 17at St. Louis CardinalsW 28–103–0Busch Memorial Stadium49,282Recap
4September 24New York JetsW 23–34–0RFK Stadium54,729Recap
5Dallas CowboysW 9–55–0RFK Stadium55,031Recap
6October 8at Detroit LionsW 21–196–0Pontiac Silverdome60,555Recap
7October 15at Philadelphia EaglesL 10–176–1Veterans Stadium65,722Recap
8October 22at New York GiantsL 6–176–2Giants Stadium76,192Recap
9October 29San Francisco 49ersW 38–207–2RFK Stadium53,706Recap
10at Baltimore ColtsL 17–217–3Memorial Stadium57,631Recap
11November 12New York GiantsW 16–138–3RFK Stadium53,271Recap
12November 19St. Louis CardinalsL 17–278–4RFK Stadium52,460Recap
13November 23at Dallas CowboysL 10–378–5Texas Stadium64,905Recap
14December 3L 0–168–6RFK Stadium52,860Recap
15December 10at Atlanta FalconsL 17–208–7Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium54,178Recap
16L 10–148–8RFK Stadium49,774Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 2

It was an exciting contest, and the fireworks began early as the Eagles' Wilbert Montgomery opened the scoring with a great 34-yard touchdown run in the first period, but back came the Redskins as Joe Theismann who was to have another good game scores from the 4 to even the game. But the Eagles came back as a field goal by Nick Mike-Mayer from 32, but then it was the Redskins offensive show as the Redskins scored 21 unanswered points to take a commanding 28-10 lead. For the day Theismann passed for 226 yards and 3 touchdown passes. Then both teams traded touchdowns to make it a 35-16, the last one was a flea flicker touchdown pass from 37 yards from Joe Theismann to Jean Fugett. But back came the Eagles who in the 3rd year of the Dick Vermeil era became a competitive team. Just after the Skins scored the Eagles came back as Montgomery first scored from 8 yards and then on the next possession scored from 5 yards. The Eagles also drove deep as Montgomery scored form 5 yards but was brought back due to a holding penalty and on the next play Mike Curtis intercept a Ron Jaworski pass ending the drive and with it the Redskins come away with a win and sole possession of first place in the NFC East.