1992 NFC Championship vs Redskins
The night Dallas reclaimed the NFC East and marched toward a dynasty.
The 1992 NFC Championship Game stands as a definitive turning point in Dallas Cowboys history, marking the team's return to the pinnacle of the NFL after years of rebuilding under head coach Jimmy Johnson. Played at RFK Stadium against their fierce divisional rivals, the Washington Redskins (now known as the Commanders), this matchup was not merely a playoff contest but a battle for NFC supremacy and a chance to host Super Bowl XXVII.
The game symbolized the end of the Redskins' dominance in the NFC East and the re-establishment of the Cowboys as the league's premier franchise. With a victory, Dallas secured their first Super Bowl berth since 1978, setting the stage for the start of a dynasty that would define the 1990s.
- Date
- January 17, 1993
- Venue
- RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
- Final Score
- Dallas Cowboys 24, Washington Redskins 21
- Key Player
- Troy Aikman (Quarterback)
- MVP Performance
- Emmitt Smith (Running Back)
- Defensive Highlight
- Darrin Smith (Sack on Mark Rypien)
Lore & Background
By the winter of 1993, the narrative surrounding the Cowboys was one of redemption. Having been swept by Washington in the playoffs just two years prior, the team had evolved from a talented but inconsistent squad into a disciplined powerhouse. The Redskins, led by quarterback Mark Rypien and coach Joe Gibbs, were looking to extend their reign as NFC champions, having won Super Bowl XXVI the previous season. The atmosphere at RFK Stadium was electric with hostility, as Washington fans hoped to once again send Dallas home empty-handed.
The game itself became a grueling war of attrition defined by physical play and clutch performances. While Washington struck first and held a lead late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys' offense, orchestrated by Troy Aikman and fueled by Emmitt Smith's relentless rushing, refused to break. The defining moment came when Dallas scored the go-ahead touchdown with seconds remaining, silencing the home crowd and forcing Washington into a desperate final drive that ultimately fell short.
This victory was more than just a playoff win; it was a psychological dismantling of the Redskins' aura of invincibility in the division. It validated Jimmy Johnson's aggressive roster overhaul and proved that the Cowboys could win in hostile environments against elite competition, effectively shifting the balance of power in the NFC East permanently.
In Their Own Story
The January air at RFK Stadium bit with a chill that seeped through pads, heavy with the scent of frozen turf and the roar of a hostile sea of burgundy and gold. Inside the huddle, Troy Aikman’s breath misted like smoke as he locked eyes on the defensive front; the Redskins were bleeding out time, their gaze fixed on the clock, but Emmitt Smith stood ready, his jersey caked in mud from a game that had devolved into a brutal trench war. On the sideline, Jimmy Johnson paced with a frantic intensity matching the freezing wind, acutely aware this was the razor-thin line between mediocrity and immortality. When the ball snapped for the final drive, the stadium seemed to hold its breath in suspended animation. Aikman dropped back as the pocket collapsed, finding Michael Irvin coiled tight in the corner of the end zone just as time began to bleed away. The roar that erupted wasn't from Washington; it was the deafening sound of a dynasty being born.
Reader's Guide
The 1992 NFC Championship Game took place on January 17, 1993, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., serving as the climactic battle for NFC supremacy. In a game defined by freezing temperatures and physical warfare, the Cowboys overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to defeat their arch-rivals, the Redskins, 34–24. This victory secured Dallas's first Super Bowl berth since 1978, effectively ending Washington's reign as the division's dominant force and launching the franchise into its championship era.
Did You Know?
- This was the first time since 1978 that the Cowboys had reached the NFC Championship Game.
- Emmitt Smith rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, cementing his status as the league's premier running back.
- The victory ended Washington's streak of winning division titles in consecutive years under Joe Gibbs.
- Troy Aikman completed 20 of 35 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns in the game.