1988 Washington Redskins season

The 1988 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 57th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 53rd in Washington, D.C. They failed to improve on their 11–4 record from 1987, when they won Super Bowl XXII, and finished 7–9. The Redskins failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1985. They were the seventh team in NFL history to enter a season as the defending Super Bowl champion and miss the playoffs.^[1]

1988 Washington Redskins season
Owner	Jack Kent Cooke
President	John Kent Cooke
General manager	Bobby Beathard
Head coach	Joe Gibbs
Offensive coordinator	Joe Bugel
Defensive coordinator	Richie Petitbon
Home stadium	RFK Stadium
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	3rd NFC East
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	DE Charles Mann RG/RT Mark May
← 1987 Redskins seasons 1989 →

The Week 8 meeting against Green Bay at Lambeau Field would be the two teams' final meeting for 13 years.

The 7–9 finish would be the only time during Gibbs' first stint with the Redskins that the team finished with a losing record.

Offseason

NFL draft

Roster

1988 Washington Redskins roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 11 Mark Rypien 17 Doug Williams Running backs (RB) 29 Reggie Branch 22 Jamie Morris 25 Mike Oliphant 36 Timmy Smith Wide receivers (WR) 89 Anthony Allen 84 Gary Clark 81 Art Monk 83 Ricky Sanders 80 Derrick Shepard Tight ends (TE) 88 Joe Caravello 32 Craig McEwen 86 Ron Middleton 87 Terry Orr 85 Don Warren

Offensive linemen (OL) 53 Jeff Bostic C 68 Russ Grimm G 66 Joe Jacoby T 79 Jim Lachey T 73 Mark May G/T 63 Raleigh McKenzie C/G 76 Ed Simmons T 69 R.C. Thielemann G Defensive linemen (DL) 65 Dave Butz DT 77 Darryl Grant DT 78 Dean Hamel DT 64 Steve Hamilton DE 72 Dexter Manley DE 71 Charles Mann DE

Linebackers (LB) 50 Ravin Caldwell OLB 51 Monte Coleman OLB 54 Kurt Gouveia MLB 55 Mel Kaufman OLB 91 Greg Manusky 58 Wilber Marshall OLB 52 Neal Olkewicz MLB Defensive backs (DB) 23 Todd Bowles FS 37 Travis Curtis FS 48 Steve Gage SS 31 Clarence Vaughn SS 40 Alvin Walton SS 45 Barry Wilburn CB 46 Dennis Woodberry CB Special teams (ST) 15 Greg Coleman P 59 Dave Harbour LS  8 Chip Lohmiller K

Reserve 14 Tommy Barnhardt P (IR) 95 Dan Benish DT (IR) -- Brian Bonner LB (IR) 24 Kelvin Bryant RB (IR) -- Dale Chipps WR (PUP) 56 Eric Coyle C (IR) 34 Brian Davis CB (IR) 75 Mark Duckens DT (IR) 28 Darrell Green CB (IR) 62 Ray Hitchcock C (PUP) 16 Stan Humphries QB (NF-Ill.) 61 Rick Kehr G (IR) 74 Markus Koch DE (IR) 39 Darryl McGill RB (IR) -- Carl Mims CB (NF-Inj.) -- Blake Peterson LB (IR) 38 Willard Reaves RB (IR) 47 Johnny Thomas CB (IR) -- Eric Yarber WR (IR) 47 active, 19 inactive Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 5	at New York Giants	L 20–27	0–1	Giants Stadium	76,417	Recap
2	September 11	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 30–29	1–1	RFK Stadium	54,083	Recap
3	September 18	Philadelphia Eagles	W 17–10	2–1	RFK Stadium	53,920	Recap
4	September 25	at Phoenix Cardinals	L 21–30	2–2	Sun Devil Stadium	61,973	Recap
5	October 2	New York Giants	L 23–24	2–3	RFK Stadium	54,601	Recap
6	October 9	at Dallas Cowboys	W 35–17	3–3	Texas Stadium	63,325	Recap
7	October 16	Phoenix Cardinals	W 33–17	4–3	RFK Stadium	54,402	Recap
8	October 23	at Green Bay Packers	W 20–17	5–3	Lambeau Field	51,767	Recap
9	October 30	at Houston Oilers	L 17–41	5–4	Astrodome	48,781	Recap
10	November 6	New Orleans Saints	W 27–24	6–4	RFK Stadium	54,183	Recap
11	November 13	Chicago Bears	L 14–34	6–5	RFK Stadium	52,418	Recap
12	November 21	at San Francisco 49ers	L 21–37	6–6	Candlestick Park	59,268	Recap
13	November 27	Cleveland Browns	L 13–17	6–7	RFK Stadium	51,604	Recap
14	December 4	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 20–19	7–7	Veterans Stadium	65,947	Recap
15	December 11	Dallas Cowboys	L 17–24	7–8	RFK Stadium	51,526	Recap
16	December 17	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 17–20 (OT)	7–9	Riverfront Stadium	52,157	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	6	7	0	7	20
• Giants	0	3	10	14	27

• Date: September 5
• Location: Giants Stadium
• Game start: 8:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C)
• Referee: Dick Jorgensen
• TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf

Week 2

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	10	6	10	29
• Redskins	7	3	7	13	30

• Date: September 11
• Location: RFK Stadium
• Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 54,083
• Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C)
• Referee: Gene Barth
• TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Merlin Olsen

Week 14

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Redskins	7	0	3	10	20
Eagles	3	13	3	0	19

• Date: December 4
• Location: Veterans Stadium
• Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C)
• Referee: Ben Dreith
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Dan Fouts

Standings

NFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Philadelphia Eagles(3)	10	6	0	.625	6–2	8–4	379	319	W2
New York Giants	10	6	0	.625	5–3	9–5	359	304	L1
Washington Redskins	7	9	0	.438	4–4	6–6	345	387	L2
Phoenix Cardinals	7	9	0	.438	3–5	6–6	344	398	L5
Dallas Cowboys	3	13	0	.188	2–6	3–9	265	381	L1

1988 Team Starters

Offense

17 Doug Williams     QB
32 Craig McEwan      RB
36 Timmy Smith       FB
81 Art Monk          WR
84 Gary Clark        WR
85 Don Warren        TE

66 Joe Jacoby        LT
63 Raleigh McKenzie  LG
53 Jeff Bostic       C
73 Mark May          RG
79 Jim Lachey        RT

Defense

71 Charles Mann     LDE
65 Dave Butz        LDT
77 Darryl Grant     RDT
72 Dexter Manley    RDT

51 Monte Coleman    LB
52 Neal Olkewicz    LB
58 Wilber Marshall  LB

45 Barry Wilburn    LCB
28 Darrell Green    RCB
40 Alvin Walton     SS
23 Todd Bowles      FS

8 Chip Lohmiller    K
15 Greg Coleman     P
80 Derrick Shepherd PR
22 Jamie Morris     KR

Awards and honors

• Charles Mann, Pro Bowl selection