Despite being blown out in the Super Bowl, the Redskins had high hopes of continuing their dominant play. The first game of 1984 served up a reminder that there were other talented teams that could play the game at a high level.

Miami's young Dan Marino was already a phenomenon, and this game would be the opening salvo in his year-long arial assualt. The Dolphins scored the first points, but Washington answered to take a 10-7 lead. Marino and Miami answered almost instantly with a long bomb for a TD, and they led 14-10 at halftime.

The Dolphins took control in the third quarter, with Marino adding three more TDs. Washington's offense sputtered, only managing another FG to close out the game. This performance instantly brought back concerns about the secondary, dubbed the 'Pearl Harbor Crew' for their vulnerability to deep 'bomb' throws.