The Redskins pulled out a dramatic come-from-behind victory in Detroit in one of the wildest games in team history.

In the first quarter, each team scored an opening TD for a 7-7 tie. In the second, Detroit came to life, scoring two offensive TDs and adding a score on an interception return. Washington's offense could only answer with a single score, and the Skins were trailing 28-14 at halftime.

Things looked bleak as Barry Sanders scored to open the third quarter, giving the Lions a commanding 35-14 lead. Gibbs replaced Stan Humphries with Jeff Rutledge, who normally only held for FG attempts. Rutledge got the offense moving, driving the Skins down the field to a Riggs TD run. Detroit followed that up with FG, and the score was still a daunting 38-21 at the end of the third quarter.

But things had changed on the Detroit side of the ball. Starting QB Rodney Peete had been knocked out of the game, and the Lions offense suddenly seemed out of synch. Meanwhile, Rutledge was driving Washington up and down the field. A Lohmiller FG opened the fourth quarter, making it 38-24. On the next drive, Rutledge hit Gary Clark for a TD, and suddenly the Skins were only trailing by one score, 38-31. A Washington drive near the end of the fourth quarter ended with Rutledge running the ball in on a QB draw, tying the game just before the end of regulation.

The teams traded punts in overtime before the Redskins drove into position for Lohmiller's game winning FG.