Being in the NFC East, both Washington and Philadelphia have only met once in NFL playoff history despite a 90-year history of playing one another.
It was the 1990 season. The Redskins were coached by Joe Gibbs, who had played in four NFC Championship games, winning three and winning two of three Super Bowls, since Gibbs had arrived in 1981.
Buddy Ryan, the defensive coordinator for the 1985 Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears, became the Eagles’ head coach in 1986.
The 1990 games were brutally physical. Washington won in RFK (13-7) and then lost 28-14 on MNF in Veterans Stadium in what Ryan called “the body bag game.”
On this day in 1990, the #Eagles took out three Washington quarterbacks and six other players en route to a 28-14 win that would come to be known as The Body Bag Game. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/jMPsheqNvD
— Birds and Beers Podcast (@BirdzAndBeerz) November 12, 2023
Eagle fans loved that description and reminder of how several Redskins players were severely injured in the game. However, Gibbs and his Redskins had to live with that description for the next seven weeks.
Both teams would finish 1990 at 10-6 and were scheduled to meet on January 5, 1991, in the first round of the playoffs. The game would be played in Philadelphia.
#1 #5
(1)/(5)/19(91) #Redskins only meeting with @Eagles in playoffs. 20-6 in the #1990 wild card.
(1)/(26)/2025 #1 age (26) @KlutchSports @JalenHurts vs #5 age (24) @JayD__5 . @Commanders at #FlyEaglesFly on the (5) year anniversary of #24 @kobebryant reported by media 🚁… pic.twitter.com/alXS6gYjcr
— Martin Brian Ansah (@DaAnsahonSports) January 20, 2025
Roger Ruzek kicked two early field goals, providing the Eagles an early 6-0 lead. But Washington would have Mark Rypien find Art Monk from 16 yards, and Chip Lohmiller’s field goal gave the Redskins a 10-6 halftime lead.
The third quarter was all Washington, as Chip Lohmiller’s field goal and Rypien’s short TD pass to Gary Clark extended the Redskins lead to 20-6.
The Eagles, who were a 4.5-point favorite, did not score again as the Redskins dominated the second half to win by that 20-6 margin. Washington’s offensive line protected Rypien, as he was never sacked. While the Redskins’ defense sacked Randall Cunningham five times, and Darrell Green intercepted him once. Cunningham had a miserable day, finishing with a passer rating of only 60.3.
The Redskins got their revenge for Ryan’s “body bag game” boast. Ryan cowardly would not face Joe Gibbs for a postgame handshake, fleeing in embarrassment.
Perhaps the icing on the cake was hearing three days later that Eagles owner Norman Braman had seen and heard enough of Buddy Ryan’s antics and fired him, having never won a playoff game for the Eagles.
