Redskins 14, Cowboys 13

In 1999 there was the blown 21-point 4th quarter lead. In 2001 we suffered through the Stephen Davis fumble. Last year the heartbreak came in the form of a long bomb in the closing minutes.

But last night, we got to do it to them.

With less than 4 minutes remaining in the game, the most noble and virtuous team in all of sports, the Washington Redskins, trailed the epitome of putridity and unholiness, the Dallas Cowboys, by a score of 13 to 0. With the Redskin offense sputtering all night, my loyalty to see things through to the bitter end was the only thing keeping me half awake on the couch. On fourth down, Mark Brunell finally found Santana Moss in the end zone, at which point I was confident the Skins were giving me just enough renewed hope that I would have something left to squash when time expired.

That hope grew larger when the defense did what it has been doing largely without reward for the past 13 months and stonewalled the ensuing Cowboy drive. Rocking back in forth in my seat, I watched as Brunell and Moss hooked up again, this time for an explosive 70 yarder that gave Washington the go-ahead score. This couldn't be happening! The next 15 minutes were a rush of exuberation as intense as a man could exhibit without waking his roommate upstairs. The defense held again. Final score: Washington 14, Dallas 13. The fans in Texas Stadium (who at halftime had observed a ceremony honoring the Trio of Evil, Troy Aikman, Emmett Smith, and Michael Irvin) were left to drown in their own tears as Joe Gibbs and team rushed onto the field in a celebration unlike any seen by the Redskins in the last 10 years.

Perhaps the Redskin offense will continue to struggle in the weeks to come, and maybe the Redskins won't win another significant game all season. But if that happens, none of it will be able to undo the joy of victory that those who hail the Redskins were able to feel last night.