WEEK TWO CRYSTAL BALL - THURSDAY: Remembering Monday Night Mayhem
Published continually since 1994
My friends, THE GURU is ready for tonight’s action with My Beloved Commies visiting the Packers and both teams off to a 1-0 start. You can catch the action at 8:15 pm ET - the only time zone that matters - on Amazon Prime.
The Green Bay and Washington franchises are two of the NFL’s oldest1, founded in 1919 and 1932, respectively, and they share some interesting history as well. Indeed, Packers coaching legends Earl “Curly” Lambeau - yes, that Lambeau - and Vince Lombardi patrolled the sidelines in DC after leaving Wisconsin.
Still, surprisingly, these squads haven’t faced off often as tonight marks just their 41st meeting2, including the postseason. That said, their most memorable game remains on the shortlist of the league’s greatest, a 1983 Monday night affair that featured 10 future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
I was just 13 years old and enjoying the high life - all 5,280 feet of it - in Denver. I’d discovered something called nachos when we left central Illinois for the Rockies and that, as they say, was a gamechanger. And not in a good way.
Meanwhile, FATBACK HOBBS was living off the fat of the land in Hertford, NC, and had never experienced a meal that didn’t include a hoof or a snoot. And my late, great friend PIGHEART JEFF was surely drinking bottomless glasses of Burgundy & Gold Kool-Aid somewhere.
The date was October 17th and the defending Super Bowl champion Skins entered the game with a 5-1 record, the only blemish a one-point, opening-night loss to Dallas. To prove that was a fluke, head coach Joe Gibbs and the boys steamrolled their next five opponents by an average of 12 points, led by Joe Theismann, the eventual 1983 NFL MVP.
The Pack, coached by legendary Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr, entered at 3-3 and needed a win to keep pace in the NFC Central. Lynn Dickey, their strong-armed QB, who was on his way to leading the league in passing yardage for the season.
With the stage set, THE CHIEF and I settled in for an evening of remarkable football, and it was a night that neither of us - and the rest of the viewing public - would ever forget.
The action was furious from the start as normally sure-handed DC running back Joe Washington fumbled on a hit from linebacker Mike Douglass, who scooped it up and dashed 22 yards to the house. Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud added the extra point, and it was 7-0, Green Bay.
Washington responded quickly when John Riggins fumbled the ball into the Packers’ end zone and tight end Clint Didier recovered, pouncing like yours truly on a freshly made Bundt cake. Reigning NFL MVP - and future Five Guys burger executive - Mark Moseley added the PAT and, with only 4:25 elapsed, it was 7-7.
Stenerud and Moseley traded field goals later in the period before the second period turned into the Paul Coffman show. The program lasted for a full 15 minutes of game time which, it should be said, eclipses the running time of the Magic Johnson Hour and the John McEnroe Show, combined.
The star Green Bay tight end caught touchdown passes of 36 and 9 yards from fellow Kansas State alum Dickey while the Skins added a Riggins one-yard rushing score and a 28-yarder from Moseley to make it 24-20, Green Bay, at the break. THE CHIEF and I grabbed ice cream to tide us over while the MNF crew ran through the highlights and it was time for more fireworks.
Packers running back Gerry Ellis started the second-half scoring with a 24-yard run early in the third quarter, but Washington pulled ahead with two more Moseley field goals and a six-yard TD pass from Theismann to Joe Washington. It was 33-31, DC, after three periods, and the best was yet to come.
In the wild fourth quarter, Packers tight end Gary Lewis scored on a two-yard reverse - the only rushing TD of his career - but Riggins answered with his second one-yard plunge, one of 52 scores from that distance in his HOF career. The best short-yardage back that ever lived.
Green Bay’s Mike Meade then notched his first pro TD on a 31-yard catch before Theismann and Joe Washington connected for a second TD. The score was 47-45, Skins, with 2:50 to go and fingernails were in short supply at Chez Williams.
Predictably, Dickey drove the Pack for a Stenerud chip shot and the 48-47 lead with 57 seconds left. Not to be outdone, Theismann responded and drove the visitors 55 yards for a chance at redemption, but Moseley's 39-yarder for the win sailed wide right. Mr. Clutch with the rare big-moment miss.
In addition to the Monday Night-record 95 points, the results were staggering:
1,025 combined yards, including 552 by Washington
33 Washington first downs
17 combined scores, including 11 TDs
8.9 yards per Green Bay offensive play
It was also a clean game with just six combined penalties - three by each team - and only two turnovers, one apiece. And each team punted only once as well.
There were also, astonishingly, two Mark Murphys.
Green Bay’s Murphy played his entire 12-year career with the Pack and led the team in tackles four times. The Washington version was a 1983 All-Pro who led the NFL in picks. He later became athletic director at two universities - his alma mater, Colgate, and Northwestern - and, ironically, president and CEO of the Packers for 18 seasons (2007-2025).
Two hearty Italian fellas.
For 35 years, the game stood as the highest-scoring Monday Night Football contest and is now second only to the 105-point Rams-Chiefs shootout in 2018. And, it is appropriately celebrated as one of the greatest games in NFL annals.
A game for the ages - even though the two teams went in opposite directions after that historic evening3 - and one always worth the re-watch. Hit this YouTube link for the condensed version, featuring Frank Gifford and O.J. Simpson - two more HOFers - on the call with Dandy Don Meredith.
Fast forward to tonight and, of course, I’m rolling with DC. Yes, the Pack are at home and, sure, Micah Parsons moving to Green Bay has a “Reggie White” feel to it, but I trust in Jayden and Daniel Patrick Quinn. Call it for Washington, 24-23.
The Week One record was 9-7 (.563) but the sun still came out this week. Enjoy the game, folks, and I’ll be back later this week. God bless!
Unless noted, all data and information is courtesy of the good folks at Pro Football Reference and/or Wikipedia. I know the latter casts a wide net of sources but, if you’re going to catch 260 pounds of LE GURU the net better be sizable.
Green Bay holds the edge with a 22-17-1 mark, including playoffs, though MBC took the latest matchup in 2022.
Despite Dickey’s heroics, Green Bay fell out of the playoff race, finished 8-8 and cost Starr his coaching job. Theismann and Washington bounced back to win 11 straight, including two playoff games, breaking the NFL single-season scoring record and cruising to Super Bowl XVIII (a loss to the LA Raiders). Note: that Washington team also set an astounding plus-43 turnover margin that may never be seen again. Historically, the next closest is +28 (2010 Pats and 2011 Niners).