DallasCowboys.com is showing a video with Emmitt Smith’s 22 greatest runs as part of the celebration for Smith’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not surprisingly, several of the runs featured in the clip show Smith running wild against the Washington Redskins.
Emmitt Smith averaged more than 100 yards per game against the Redskins during his career with Dallas.
During Smith’s 13 seasons in Dallas from 1990 to 2002, Smith faced the Redskins 24 times. In those 24 games, he had a total of 528 rushing attempts for 2431 yards and 23 TDs. That’s an average of 22 attempts, 101.3 yards, and .96 touchdowns per game. He gained at least 100 yards in 12 of those 24 games.
Against all other opponents while he was with the Cowboys, Smith averaged 19.9 attempts, 83.2 yards, and .73 TDs per game.
The Cowboys went 17-7 against the Redskins in the 24 games that Smith played against Washington. Smith missed the season opener in 1993 while holding out during a contract dispute. He also missed the season finale in 1996 when the team was resting its starters. Dallas lost both games.
His final game with the Cowboys was also against the Redskins, and it is the one game he probably would like to forget. He needed only 38 yards in the season finale to surpass 1,000 for the 12th year in a row. Instead, Washington held him to just 13 yards in 18 carries, as he finished with 975 yards for the year.
Here’s a summary:
9/23/1990 (Wash. 19, Dal. 15): 17 att., 63 yds., 1 TD.
11/22/1990 (Dal. 27, Wash. 17): 23 att., 123 yds., 2 TD
9/9/1991 (Wash. 33, Dal. 31): 11 att., 112 yds., 1 TD
11/24/1991 (Dal. 24, Wash. 21): 34 att., 132 yds., 1 TD
9/7/1992 (Dal. 23, Wash. 10): 27 att., 140 yds., 1 TD
12/13/1992 (Wash. 20, Dal. 17): 25 att., 99 yds., 0 TD
9/6/1993: DNP
12/26/1993 (Dal. 38, Wash. 3): 21 att., 153 yds., 1 TD
10/2/1994 (Dal. 34, Wash. 7): 16 att., 48 yds., 2 TD
11/20/1994 (Dal. 31, Wash. 7): 21 att., 85 yds., 2 TD
10/1/1995 (Wash. 27, Dal. 23): 22 att., 95 yds., 0 TD
12/3/1995 (Wash. 24, Dal. 17): 21 att., 91 yds., 1 TD
11/28/1996 (Dal. 21, Wash. 10): 29 att., 155 yds., 3 TD
12/22/1996: DNP
10/13/1997 (Wash. 21, Dal. 16): 17 att., 61 yds, 0 TD
11/16/1997 (Dal. 17, Wash. 14): 21 att., 99 yds., 0 TD
10/4/1998 (Dal. 31, Wash. 10): 28 att., 120 yds., 1 TD
12/27/1998 (Dal. 23, Wash. 7): 10 att., 67 yds., 2 TD
9/12/1999 (Dal. 41, Wash. 35): 23 att., 109 yds., 1 TD
10/24/1999 (Dal. 38, Wash. 20): 24 att., 80 yds., 1 TD
9/18/2000 (Dal. 27, wash. 21): 24 att., 83 yds., 1 TD
12/10/2000 (Dal. 32, Wash. 13): 23 att., 150 yds., 1 TD
10/15/2001 (Dal. 9, Wash. 7): 25 att., 107 yds. 0 TD
12/2/2001 (Dal. 20, Wash, 14): 25 att., 102 yds, 1 TD
11/28/2002 (Dal. 27, Wash. 20): 23 att., 144 yds., 0 TD
12/29/2002 (Wash. 20, Dal. 14): 18 att., 13 yds., 0 TD
Emmitt overall was the most complete back Dallas ever had.Not as fast as Dorsett,but fast enough.Besides his good hands ,the one overlooked talent Smith does’nt get enough credit for was his blocking.I can’t think of a better one year after year that a Cowboys quarterback could depend on.Another overlooked attribute.Smart football player.You don’t last that long,and rush for that many yards after 30 years old without an incredible physical gift,and good fortune,but also knowing the right time to take it to the defense,and knowing when not to.Thanks for the memories Emmitt.
My favorite Emmitt/Redkins game was the Thanksgiving day game in ’96. Emmitt had 155 yards and 3 TDs. I was at that game.. as I was so many of Emmitts and Cowboys during the early to mid 90s!