Redskins Simply Let’er Ryp : Super Bowl: Washington quarterback passes for two touchdowns in 37-24 victory. Riggs runs for two touchdowns and Lohmiller adds three field goals.

The Washington Redskins continued the dominance of the National Football Conference on Sunday with a 37-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI before a crowd of 63,130 at the Metrodome.

It was the eighth consecutive Super Bowl victory for the NFC conference. The last AFC team to win a Super Bowl was the Raiders after the 1983 season, when they defeated the Redskins, 38-9, in Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium.

The Redskins jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the third quarter after a Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly pass was intercepted for the third time, this on the Bills’ first play from scrimmage in the second half. Feeling pressure from a blitz by linebacker Andre Collins up the middle, Kelly’s pass was intercepted by Kurt Gouveia and returned 23 yards to the Buffalo two.

From there, Gerald Riggs scored on first down and the game appeared over.

But the Bills rallied. With 11:59 left in the third quarter, a 21-yard field goal by Scott Norwood cut the lead to 24-3.

The Bills made it 24-10 with 5:58 left in the quarter on a one-yard run by Thurman Thomas.

But the Redskins came right back and extended their lead to 31-10 with 1:24 left in the quarter on a 30-yard scoring pass from Mark Rypien to Gary Clark.

The lead became 37-10 on field goals of 25 and 39 yards by Chip Lohmiller early in the fourth period before Buffalo came back yet again.

The Bills cut the lead to 37-17 on a two-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Pete Metzelaars on a fourth down play, then recovered an on-sides kick.

Kelly hit Don Beebe on a four-yard touchdown pass to cut the score to 37-24. Yet another try at an on-sides kick failed, leaving the Redskins in control.

The Redskins led, 17-0, at the half, but the Bills were lucky it wasn’t 31-0. Washington dominated from the outset but took a while to turn power into points.

Art Monk believed he scored in the first quarter on a two-yard pass from Rypien, but after a review of several replays of the apparent touchdown, it was ruled that Monk’s right foot was out of bounds.

The Redskins had to settle for a field goal attempt, but that chance collapsed when holder Jeff Rutledge bobbled the center snap and Bill linebacker Cornelius Bennett pounced on kicker Chip Lohmiller at the 14.

Washington got the ball right back, though, when a Kelly pass on first down was intercepted by safety Brad Edwards at the 12.

Again, the Redskins couldn’t take advantage. On third down from the 11, a Rypien pass that was tipped on the line of scrimmage was intercepted by Buffalo corner Kirby Jackson.

Then came the onslaught. Chip Lohmiller made it 3-0 with 13:02 left in the half with a 34-yard field goal.

After a 23-yard punt by Chris Mohr gave Washington the ball back at its own 49, the Redskins drove 51 yards in five plays for the game’s first touchdown, a 10-yard pass from Rypien to Ernest Byner with 9:54 remaining in the half to make it 10-0.

Kelly’s miseries continued on Buffalo’s next drive, when his pass, intended for James Lofton, was intercepted by Darrell Green at the Washington 45.

On third and nine at the 49, Rypien threw a 34-yard pass to Gary Clark to the Buffalo 15. Rickey Ervins then ran 14 yards to the one. From there, Gerald Riggs scored on a one-yard run to make it 17-0 with 7:12 remaining in the half.

The Bills had their chances, but things didn’t go their way from their first possession, when star runner Thurman Thomas missed the first two plays from scrimmage because he could not find his helmet.

Buffalo finally got a break late in the half when a Mohr punt was downed by Steve Tasker at the Washington one-yard line.

The Bills defense held and, after a Washington punt, Buffalo had the ball at the Redskins’ 41-yard line.

On first down, Kelly found tight end Keith McKeller on a 21-yard gain to the 20. From there, receiver Don Beebe dropped a pass at the one after absorbing a big hit from safety Edwards.

On second down, Kelly was sacked for an eight-yard loss by Wilbur Marshall.

On third down from the 28, a Kelly pass intended for Andre Reed was knocked away by Edwards. Reed was so infuriated that pass interference was not called on the play that he slammed his helmet to the carpet and was called for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The penalty pushed the Bills back 15 yards and prevented what would have been a 45-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood.

The Redskins dominated the half, out-gaining the Bills in total yards, 266 to 78. The Redskins had more first downs, 15 to 6. Rypien outclassed the more celebrated Kelly, completing 12 of 21 passes for 206 yards and one touchdown.

Kelly completed only nine of 21 passes for 99 yards and was intercepted twice in the first half. He finished with a Super Bowl record 58 passes and completed 28 for 275 yards.

The Bills, playing without starting strong safety Leonard Smith, who missed the game with a staph infection, lost starting inside linebacker Shane Conlan early in the first quarter with strained left knee ligaments.