As the lowest seeded division champ, the Redskins hadn't expected to host a playoff game, especially with the powerful 49ers lurking in the NFC West. Minnesota changed that by upsetting San Francisco while the Skins defeated the Bears, and the NFC Championship ended up at RFK Stadium.
Washington and Minnesota had played a close game to end the season, and there was little reason to expect anything different. The teams played to a 7-7 tie at halftime, with Washington's offense struggling but the defense clamping down on the Vikings.
The Redskins added a field goal to re-take the lead in the third quarter. Minnesota answered with a drive deep into Washington territory, but chose to tie with a FG of their own rather than gamble for the lead. The Redskins offense responded with a fourth quarter drive capped by a Gary Clark TD catch. The Skins had to endure another Minnesota threat deep into their territory, but they had a pass into the end zone tipped away as time expired with Gibbs on his knees asking for a little help from above.
