2003 RetroSkins Highlights: New York Jets vs Washington Redskins

Are you ready for some Monday Night Football... played on a Thursday? Whatever.
We go back to 2003 for the NFL's much-hyped and painfully over-produced Thursday Night Kick-Off Special on opening night from FedEx Field. The NFL tapped the Jets and Redskins to lead off the 2003 season and, frankly, to this day no one knows why.
The Jets were coming off back-to-back playoff seasons, but with their starting QB injured in the preseason, New York had to crowbar Vinny Testaverde out of mothballs for this one. Meanwhile, the Redskins went with 2002 first-rounder Patrick Ramsey, seemingly poised to assume the starting role for the long-term.
For a minute, it all looked good. Ramsey led the Skins to a 3-1 start to the '03 season, and was particularly good in the first half here (12 for 13, 144 yards - not bad, kid). But in the second half, Ramsey went cold and gifted the Jets a couple of turnovers to keep the game close. Thankfully, 'Skins defense was up to the task, limiting the New York to a mere 158 total yards (most of which they got on their first drive) to secure the victory. It shoulda been an easy win for the 'Skins but close games make for better highlights, so enjoy!
The loquacious Al Michaels alongside RetroSkins royalty John Madden from a roaring FedEx Field on this picture-perfect night from Washington(ish).
HD captured at 60 FPS directly from the VHS tape - right off the shelf to your screen! If you have old Skin's VHS tapes laying around, they could look this good too! You know what to do: [e-mail] (don't be shy!)

[@XavierQ25]

Seeing 85000 at FedEx Field is a beauty!

[@jeremyspangler4264]

Aside from being a seemingly-rare primetime win for Washington, this one was memorable because the team featured FOUR players who had been on the Jets the previous season (WR Laveraneus Coles, G Randy Thomas, RB / KR Chad Morton, K John Hall). I believe this game was also the first contest for which Washington wore white on white.

[@rockymvvrcianu6846]

Ah yes "Jetskins". I mistake this for being Gibbs 2.0's first year back.

[@XavierQ25]

Seeing Santana Moss in a different uniform feels weird.

[@zacchaeuswilson6116]

We traded Coles back to the Jets for him.

[@chrislogan4280]

BACK WHEN TRADITION AND FOOTBALL WERE AWESOME 😊

[@donaldtruax2839]

This game was very emotional for our family we lost a really close friend a few months before and 2 days before my friend kieth passed a way suddenly at the ER all he could talked about was comimg over /o watch the game so he had his favortie chair and doctor pepper so we did that for the whole season in remembering himremember of him RIP my friend

[@httrtaylor21]

I remember watching this game in person!!! Ramsey!! and a rare W in the primetime!! We need 80k at FedEx this season too!!

[@GoBlue_yanks42]

No more Snyder!!! Hopefully means more fans and renewed energy!!!

[@Clinton_Gore96]

Lol on both.. "commanders" is the reason people stop coming

[@ssgogeta29]

Great game! Thank you for uploading this. Would love a return to Redskins football.

[@raymondsmith2040]

"Awright we finished 5 and 11 not very good"

[@rustyshackleford1114]

Can you post the Bucs and Redskins game from 1995 ? That was the infamous 120 degree temperature game. I was there at that one. Wore no sunscreen. My earlobe burst after getting bad sun burn. But it was a "cool" 90 degrees outside the stadium.

[@eliarbaiza]

Good game can you do the season opener of the 2004 season (Gibbs' first game back) when we beat the Buccaneers? That was an awesome game

[@tonedawg1983]

I remember this game form 2003 :-)

[@BURNTDURDEN]

I was only year out of high school yet now this seems like a distant fictional past or future

[@gatienlaurol5793]

This was the last Season Opener in which the defending Super Bowl champion did not host or play in the game.

[@johannespiket4355]

oh wow, how did the skins and jets even end up playing in a nfl season opener😂

[@gatienlaurol5793]

@@johannespiket4355 I have no idea but I can try to guess: 1. Former UF coach Steve Spurrier on the national stage in his second season coaching after a not so good 2002. 2. The Jets advanced to the AFC Divisional round the season before. 3. Current Redskins WR Lavarrunes Coles, former Jet, playing against his old team? That’s really all I got lol

[@spongebelt]

We had a thing for signing old jet players. Lol

[@freeshabazz8033]

I think we picked Trunge up because of the games he has against us

[@gregharmon3797]

Didn’t Coles come from the Jets, then we traded him back for Moss?

[@tfunk1829]

yes

[@earlyreed357]

Trumg Candidate......🤦SMDH!!!!! WHY?

[@GoBlue_yanks42]

Right? What made it more annoying was watching Stephen Davis go to the SB with Carolina