NFC champion Washington won Super Bowl XXII and its second NFL championship of the 1980s with a 42-10 decision over AFC champion Denver.
The Redskins, who also won Super Bowl XVII, enjoyed a record-setting second quarter en route to the victory.
The Broncos broke in front 10-0 when quarterback John Elway threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ricky Nattiel on the Broncos' first play from scrimmage. Following a Washington punt, Denver's Rich Karlis kicked a 24-yard field goal to cap a seven-play, 61-yard scoring drive.
The Redskins then erupted for 35 points on five straight possessions in the second period and coasted thereafter. The 35 points established an NFL postseason mark for most points in a period.
Redskins quarterback Doug Williams led the second-period explosion by passing for a Super Bowl record-tying four touchdowns, including 80- and 50-yard passes to wide receiver Ricky Sanders, a 27-yard toss to wide receiver Gary Clark, and an 8-yard pass to tight end Clint Didier.
Washington scored five touchdowns in 18 plays with total time of possession of only 5:47. Overall, Williams completed 18 of 29 passes for 340 yards and was named the game's most valuable player. His pass-yardage total eclipsed the Super Bowl record of 331 yards by Joe Montana of San Francisco in Super Bowl XIX.
Sanders ended with 193 yards on nine catches, breaking the previous Super Bowl yardage record of 161 yards by Lynn Swann of Pittsburgh in Game X.
Rookie running back Timmy Smith was the game's leading rusher with 22 carries for a Super Bowl-record 204 yards, breaking the previous mark of 191 yards by Marcus Allen of the Raiders in Game XVIII. Smith also scored twice on runs of 58 and 4 yards.
Washington's six touchdowns and 602 total yards gained also set Super Bowl records.
Redskins cornerback Barry Wilburn had two of the team's three interceptions, and strong safety Alvin Walton had two of Washington's five sacks.
SCORING
Washington 0 35 0 7
-- 42
Denver 10
0 0 0 -- 10
DEN- Nattiel 56 pass from Elway (Karlis kick),
1:57 1st
DEN- FG Karlis 24, 5:51 1st
WAS- Sanders 80 pass from D. Williams (Haji-Sheikh
kick), 0:53 2nd
WAS- Clark 27 pass from D. Williams
(Haji-Sheikh kick), 4:45 2nd
WAS- Smith 58 run (Haji-Sheikh kick), 8:33 2nd
WAS- Sanders 50 pass from D. Williams (Haji-Sheikh
kick), 11:18 2nd
WAS- Didier 8 pass from D. Williams (Haji-Sheikh
kick), 13:56 2nd
WAS- Smith 4 run (Haji-Sheikh kick), 1:51 4th
TEAM STATISTICS
Wash. Denv.
Total First Downs
25 18
Rushing
13
6
Passing
11 10
Penalty
1
2
Total Net Yardage
602 327
Total Offensive Plays
72 61
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play 8.4
5.4
Rushes
40 17
Yards Gained Rushing (Net) 280
97
Average Yards per Rush
7.0 5.7
Passes Attempted
30 39
Passes Completed
18 15
Had Intercepted
1
3
Tackled Attempting to Pass 2
5
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass 18
50
Yards Gained Passing (Net) 322
230
Punts
4
7
Average Distance
37.5 36.1
Punt Returns
1
2
Punt Return Yardage
0 18
Kickoff Returns
3
5
Kickoff Return Yardage
46 88
Interception Return Yardage 11
0
Fumbles
1
0
Own Fumbles Recovered
1
0
Opponent Fumbles Recovered 0
0
Penalties
6
5
Yards Penalized
65 26
Total Points Scored
42 10
Touchdowns
6
1
Rushing
2
0
Passing
4
1
Returns
0
0
Extra Points
6
1
Field Goals
0
1
Field Goals Attempted
1
2
Safeties
0
0
Third-Down Efficiency
9/15 2/12
Fourth-Down Efficiency
0/0 0/0
Time of Possession
35:15 24:45
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Washington
No. Yds. LG
TD
Smith
22 204 58t
2
Bryant
8 38 15
0
Clark
1 25 25
0
Rogers
5 17
5 0
Griffin
1 2
2 0
D. Williams
2 -2
1 0
Sanders
1 -4
4 0
Denver
No. Yds. LG
TD
Lang
5 38 13
0
Elway
3 32 21
0
Winder
8 30 13
0
Sewell
1 -3
3 0
Passing
Washington Att.
Comp. Yds. TD Int.
D. Williams 29
18 340 4
1
Schroeder 1
0 0 0
0
Denver
Att. Comp. Yds. TD Int.
Elway
38 14 257
1 3
Sewell
1 1 23
0 0
Receiving
Washington
No. Yds. LG
TD
Sanders
9 193 80t
2
Clark
3 55
27t 1
Warren
2 15
9 0
Monk
1 40 40
0
Bryant
1 20 20
0
Smith
1 9
9 0
Didier
1 8
8t 1
Denver
No. Yds. LG
TD
M. Jackson
4 76 32
0
Sewell
4 41 18
0
Nattiel
2 69
56t 1
Kay
2 38 27
0
Winder
1 26 26
0
Elway
1 23 23
0
Lang
1 7
7 0
Interceptions
Washington
No. Yds. LG
TD
Wilburn
2 11 11
0
Davis
1 0
0 0
Denver
No. Yds. LG
TD
Castille
1 0
0 0
Punting
Washington
No. Avg. LG
Blk.
Cox
4 37.5 42
0
Denver
No. Avg. LG
Blk.
Horan
7 36.1 43
0
Punt Returns
Washington
No. FC Yds. LG TD
Green
1 1 0
0 0
Yarber
0 1 0
** 0
Denver
No. FC Yds. LG TD
Clark
2 0 18
9 0
Kickoff Returns
Washington
No. Yds. LG
TD
Sanders
3 46 16
0
Denver
No. Yds. LG
TD
Bell
5 88 21
0
Washington Redskins Denver Broncos
== Offense
==
Bostic, Jeff C Freeman, Mike
C
McKenzie, Raleigh G Bishop, Keith
G
Thielemann, Ray G Humphries, Stefan G
Jacoby, Joe T Lanier, Ken
T
May, Mark T
Studdard, David T
Didier, Clint TE Kay, Clarence
TE
Warren, Don TE Jackson, Mark
WR
Clark, Gary WR Nattiel, Ricky
WR
Sanders, Ricky WR Lang, Gene
RB
Smith, Timmy RB Winder, Sammy
RB
Williams, Doug QB Elway, John
QB
==
Defense ==
Butz, Dave DT Kragen,
Greg NT
Grant, Darryl DT Jones, Rulon
DE
Manley, Dexter DE Townsend, Andre
DE
Mann, Charles DE Fletcher, Simon
OLB
Coleman, Monte OLB Ryan, Jim
OLB
Kaufman, Mel OLB Hunley, Ricky
ILB
Olkewicz, Neal MLB Mecklenburg, Karl ILB
Bowles, Todd CB Haynes, Mark
CB
Green, Darrell CB Wilson, Steve
CB
Walton, Alvin FS Lilly, Tony
FS
Wilburn, Barry SS Smith, Dennis
SS
== Substitute ==
Branch, Reggie Bell, Kenny
Bryant, Kelvin Boddie, Tony
Caldwell, Ravin Bowyer, Walt
Cox, Steve
Braxton, Tyrone
Davis, Brian
Brooks, Michael
Dean, Vernon
Castille, Jeremiah
Gouveia, Kurt Clark,
Kevin
Griffin, Keith Dennison, Rick
Grimm, Russ
Gilbert, Freddie
Haji-Sheikh, Ali Horan, Mike
Hamel, Dean
Johnson, Vance
Hamilton, Steve Karlis, Rich
Jones, Anthony Kartz, Keith
Kehr, Rick
Klosterman, Bruce
Koch, Markus Kubiak,
Gary
Milot, Rich
Lucas, Tim
Monk, Art
Micho, Bobby
Orr, Terry
Mobley, Orson
Rogers, George Plummer, Bruce
Schroeder, Jay Robbins, Randy
Vaughn, Clarence Sewell, Steven
Woodberry, Dennis Watson, Steve
Yarber, Eric
== Did Not Play ==
Lee, Larry