Welcome to Flashback Friday, where we take a trip down memory lane to revisit yesteryear moments in Washington football history. From jaw-dropping plays to nail-biting finishes, Washington football has provided its fans with countless memories throughout the years. Today, we turn our attention back to a game of epic significance – albeit not a pleasant one. We are going way back to December 8, 1940, when the Washington Redskins took on the Chicago Bears and suffered the worst defeat in NFL history. Unlike most Fridays, we don’t want to relive the events that unfolded on that historic day – but we must.
Each #FlashbackFriday, we’ll uncover performances and milestones that are part of the franchise’s storied history. So, grab your virtual time machine, fasten your seat belts, and get ready to embark on a captivating journey through the annals of franchise history. Let’s relish in the nostalgia, as we honor the past and pay tribute to the legends who’ve donned the burgundy and gold.
On This Day
Washington Redskins 0 Chicago Bears 73
Date: December 8, 1940
Venue: Griffith Stadium
Attendance: 36,034
They were two legendary coaches in Ray Flaherty and George Halas that were meeting for the second time that season. Their first encounter was just three weeks previous. There wasn’t much between the two sides in that one, and the Redskins came away with a narrow 7-3 victory. There was absolutely nothing to suggest that the most lopsided score in NFL history was coming.
So what exactly happened?
The Game
It’s hard to say exactly why the game got so ridiculous, but there were a few glaring problems for Washington.
One thing that went against them was their own owner’s comments in the press. George Preston Marshall provided what may have been one of the best / worst examples of bulletin board material in the history of sports. Less than a month earlier when the Redskins had beat the Bears in the regular season, Marshall told the press corps that Chicago were a bunch of quitters and cry babies. Bears Coach Halas used that extensively to fire up his players before the contest.
Wether true or not, it was reported that when the final gun went off to end the game, a sports writer yelled, “Marshall just shot himself.”
Pick-y
The second most obvious thing that went wrong were the 8 interceptions that Washington gave up. That’s incredible considering they only threw the ball 20 times. Chicago scored three defensive touchdowns on interceptions in the third quarter alone – Hampton Pool had a pick six of 19 yards, George McAfee returned an one 34 yards, and Bulldog Turner returned another one 24 yards to pay dirt. All tolled, the Bears had 117 yards on interception returns alone.
Redskins Quarterback Frank Filchock had one of the worst stat lines ever. He threw the ball 7 times, and 5 of them were intercepted. Even the great Sammy Baugh was intercepted twice in the game.
With stats like that, it’s a bit easier to understand why teams didn’t throw the ball much back then. They ran the ball. Chicago ran all over Washington on that day too. In fact, the Bears rushed the ball 53 times for 382 yards. They scored 7 rushing touchdowns – still an NFL postseason record for TWO teams. So that was definitely another one of the issues. The Redskins had zero answers for the T-Formation.
The whole thing was a mess from Washington’s point of view.
It was 54-0 after three quarters, and that must have completely sucked the wind out of the Redskins’ sails. Even after Halas pulled the starters – the Chicago backups kept scoring touchdowns – three more in the fourth quarter.
Statistics?
One of the craziest things about the debacle, is that not a single Bears player had what anyone would consider an outrageous game statistics-wise.
The most awesome statistic might have been that twelve different Bears players ran with the ball that day.
Ten different players scored touchdowns for the Bears – seven from the offense and three from the defense. Clarke was the only person to score more than one touchdown.
Another statistical anomaly is that somehow both teams had the same number of first downs (17).
What It Meant
The eighth title game of the NFL became known simply as “73-0”. The Bears avenged their loss to the Redskins in the 1937 title game, which was the last time that both teams had made it to the Championship.
It was broadcast on the radio by Mutual Broadcasting System, and was the first NFL title game ever to go out to the entire country.
The sellout crowd generated a record $102,000 which translated to $874 for each Bears player, and $606 for each Redskins player. For reference sake, that represented about 16% of the cost of a house in Chicago at the time.
Fun Fact
It was the last NFL game that featured a player who didn’t wear a helmet (Dick Plasman).
Flashback Fridays
Thank you for joining us as we step back in time and celebrate the rich heritage of Washington football. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the team, this series aims to ignite your passion and deepen your appreciation for the remarkable moments that have defined our beloved franchise.
Stay tuned each week for a new Flashback Friday article, and be transported back to the unforgettable moments that have defined our beloved team.
Feel free to hit up the Twitter account at @TheHogsdotNetv2 and give your thoughts on the match-up.
