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===Second quarter===
In the second quarter, the Redskins began to take over the game. On their next possession, a 19-yard run by running back [[Earnest Byner]] and a 41-yard completion from Rypien to wide receiver [[Ricky Sanders]] set up Lohmiller's 34-yard field goal to give Washington a 3–0 lead. The Redskins' defense then forced the Bills to a [[three-and-out]] on their ensuing possession, and [[Chris Mohr]]'s 23-yard punt sailed out of bounds at the Washington 49-yard line. The Redskins then drove 51 yards in 5 plays, which included a 16-yard reception by wide receiver [[Gary Clark (American football)|Gary Clark]] and a roughing the passer penalty on Buffalo linebacker [[Cornelius Bennett]]. The drive ended with Rypien's 10-yard touchdown pass to Byner, increasing the Washington lead to 10–0. On the Bills' next drive, Green intercepted a pass from Kelly at the Washington 45-yard line. Three plays later, Rypien completed a 34-yard pass to Clark to reach the Buffalo 15. A 14-yard run by running back [[Ricky Ervins]] then set up Riggs' 1-yard touchdown run to extend the Redskins' lead to 17–0.
After the next three possessions ended in punts, Buffalo had a chance to score with 1:46 left in the half. Bills wide receiver [[Steve Tasker]] downed Mohr's 48-yard punt at the Redskins 1-yard line. Washington did not gain any net yards during the possession, but narrowly avoided a safety on second down when Wright appeared to tackle Byner in the end zone. However, Byner managed to stretch the ball outside of the end zone before his knee hit the ground, ensuring that the Bills would be kept off the board. After Rypien threw an incomplete pass on third down, Buffalo got the ball back after cornerback [[Cliff Hicks]] returned [[Kelly Goodburn]]'s 42-yard punt 2 yards to the Washington 41-yard line. From there, Kelly completed a 21-yard pass to tight end [[Keith McKeller]] to reach the 20. But after an incomplete pass and an 8-yard sack on Kelly by linebacker [[Wilber Marshall]], Edwards broke up a third-down pass intended for Reed in which Edwards hit Reed before the ball got to him; however, no flag for pass interference was thrown. In disgust, Reed threw his helmet to the ground, drawing a mandatory 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that took the Bills out of field goal range and forced them to punt. As the teams ran off the field at halftime, Bills head coach [[Marv Levy]] confronted field judge Ed Merrifield, whom Levy thought missed the pass interference call and then threw the unsportsmanlike conduct flag against Reed.
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