NFL Old School Game of the Week: Boomer's 522 Yards Leads Cards To Win over Skins

Boomer Esiason(7) threw for the 4th most yards in a NFL game in the Cardinals' win over the Redskins in 1996.

Most old school NFL fans think of Boomer Esiason as quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1980s and leading them to the Super Bowl during his MVP 1988 season.

Some might also happen his time in New York, where he spent three seasons with the Jets.

But most probably do not remember his one season with the Arizona Cardinals, which included the most prolific game of the left-hander’s 14-year NFL career.

Esiason was released by the Jets following the 1995 season and signed with the Cardinals and was named the Opening Day starter for the 1996 season.

However, Esiason was benched by first-year head coach Vince Tobin after three games, which the Cardinals all lost, in favor of Kent Graham.

Graham was respectable as he lead the Cardinals to wins in three of their next five games, but in a Week 9 meeting with the New York Giants, Graham tore the PCL in his knee, allowing for Esiason to return to the starting job for the next several games, which started with a trip to Washington D.C. to face their division rivals, the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins entered the game just having their seven-game winning streak snapped as they stood with a 7-2 record and seemed to be in good position for their first trip to the playoffs since head coach Joe Gibbs’ retirement following the 1992 season.

The Redskins were under the direction of third-year head coach Norv Turner and quarterback Gus Frerotte as they were favorites over the 3-6 Cardinals.

The game got off to a sloppy start as both teams traded turnovers during the first four possessions of the game.

The first turnover came on the fifth play of the game when Esiason was intercepted by Washington free safety Stanley Richard on a deep pass intended for Rob Moore, to give the Redskins the ball at their own’ 32-yard-line.

But two plays later, running back Terry Allen fumbled the ball at the end of a seven-yard run which was recovered by the Cardinals’ Ronnie Bradford, giving Arizona the ball at the Redskins’ 41-yard-line.

However on 3rd-and-4 at the 35-yard-line, Esiason threw his second interception of the game, this time the culprit being Darryl Pounds who made the pick at the Washington 21-yard-line.

But once again, the Redskins would give the ball right back to the Cardinals as Kwamie Lassiter intercepted a Frerotte pass and returned it 20 yards to the Washington 27-yard-line.

This time, the Cardinals held on to the ball as they were able to convert the turnover into points as Kevin Butler made a 26-yard field goal to put Arizona on top 3-0.

After both teams went three-and-out on their ensuing possessions, the Redskins were able to get on the scoreboard as Scott Blanton made a 53-yard field goal to tie the game with 56 seconds to go in the first quarter.

The Redskins’ defense would force the Cardinals to punt on their ensuing possession, giving the Washington offense the ball at their 19-yard-line, where it took them six plays to get into the end zone as fullback Marc Logan ran in for a 36-yard touchdown to give the Redskins their first lead of the game at 10-3, almost five minutes into the second quarter.

The Cardinals would respond with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that ended with a 39-yard field goal by Butler that cut the Redskins’ lead to 10-6 with 4:48 left before halftime.

Gus Frerotte's numbers were tame compared to Esiason's as he threw for 212 yards and an touchdown on 18-of-36 passing.

Then after forcing the Redskins to punt, the Cardinals would get their first touchdown of the game as Esiason connected with Marcus Dowdell for a 64-yard touchdown to put Arizona back in the lead at 13-10 with 1:12 left in the first half.

With only 72 seconds and two timeouts, Frerotte and the Redskins went to their two-minute offense to try and get some more points before halftime.

It worked as Frerotte was able to complete five of nine passes for 60 yards to set up Blanton’s 24-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, tying the game at 13.

The Redskins got the ball to start the second half and drove 64 yards in eight plays as Frerotte went 4-for-4 on the drive for 56 yards, including the 17-yard touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook which put Washington back on top 20-13.

The Redskins would be given another scoring opportunity when on the second play after Westbrook’s touchdown, defensive tackle Marc Boutte intercepted Esiason to give Washington the ball at the Cardinals’ 37-yard-line.

However, the Arizona defense would rise up and force a three-and-out, denying the Redskins the chance to extend their lead temporarily as the Washington defense forced the Cardinals to punt on their ensuing possession to get the ball back at the Arizona 46-yard-line.

This time, the Redskins would get in the end zone as Allen carried the ball five times for 21 yards and scored on a one-yard touchdown run to push the Washington lead to 27-13 with 2:47 left in the third quarter.

The Cardinals took over at their 32-yard-line, but were facing a 3rd-and-26 as the 4th quarter began.

Up to this point, Esiason had been held in check as he completed 12 of 24 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown, but had thrown three interceptions.

However, Esiason would connect with Rob Moore for 40 yards on the 3rd-and-26, putting Arizona at the Washington 33-yard-line.

Then after the next two plays lost two yards, Esiason connected with Moore again, this time for 34 yards to set up a 1st-and-goal at the one-yard-line where Larry Centers would punch it in to bring the Cardinals to within a touchdown, 27-20 just 85 seconds into the 4th quarter.

But the Cardinals could not keep the Redskins out of the end zone on Washington’s ensuing possession which began with a 31-yard pass interference penalty on Bradford that gave the Redskins a 1st down at the Arizona 39-yard-line.

From there, it took the Redskins five plays to drive for the touchdown, another one-yard run by Allen, to push the Washington lead back to 14 points at 34-20 with 10:37 remaining.

The Cardinals took over at their own 20 and were faced with a 3rd-and-7 when Esiason hit Anthony Edwards for a 31-yard gain, only to have Edwards fumble the ball at the end of the run.

But the Cardinals averted disaster as Centers recovered the ball five yards downfield, giving Arizona a 1st down at the Washington 41-yard-line.

The next five plays were all passes as Esiason completed three of them, the last one being a 13-yard touchdown to Johnny McWilliams to cut the Cardinals’ deficit down to seven points again, 34-27 with still over half of the fourth quarter to play.

The Cardinals would force a three-and-out giving the red-hot Esiason the ball back at his own 30-yard-line.

Terry Allen carried the ball 31 times for 124 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Esiason completed four passes, two of them to Frank Sanders for a total of 34 yards, that helped give Arizona a 1st-and-10 at the Redskins’ 20-yard-line.

But after a sack of Esiason and a short run by Leeland McElroy, the Cardinals were faced with a 3rd-and-15 at the two-minute warning.

That is when Esiason was intercepted for the fourth time in the game, this time by Pounds(his 2nd of the game)on pass intended for Moore, which he returned 11 yards to the Cardinals’ 17-yard-line, giving the Redskins a chance to run out the clock with 1:52 left.

Two runs by Allen gained five yards causing the Cardinals to burn two of three timeouts and leading to a 3rd-and-5.

But instead of handing the ball off to Allen, Turner called for a pass, which backfired as Frerotte’s pass intended for Westbrook fell incomplete, forcing the Redskins to punt the ball back to Arizona, who took over at their own 34-yard-line with 1:24 left and one timeout in their pocket.

The drive began with Esiason completing a 15-yard pass to Dowdell, which was followed by two straight incomplete passes, setting up a 3rd-and-10 where Esiason hit Centers for 17 yards and a 1st down at the Redskins’ 34-yard-line with 55 seconds left.

But it seemed the game ended on the very next play when Esiason was picked off by Redskins linebacker Marvcus Patton at the Washington 34-yard-line, only to have the turnover negated because defensive end Rich Owens jumped offsides, giving the Cardinals new life and a 1st-and-5 at the 29-yard-line.

After his next pass fell incomplete, Esiason hit Moore for 17 yards and a 1st down at the Redskins’ 12-yard-line.

That is when Esiason found Edwards open at the four-yard-line, who made the catch and then ran in untouched for the touchdown that with Butler’s extra point, tied the game at 34 with 20 seconds left in regulation.

The Redskins could not mount any drive in the final seconds of regulation, forcing the game into overtime, where the Cardinals won the coin toss and elected to receive, giving the ball to Esiason, who went 14-of-24 for 252 yards in the 4th quarter alone.

Esiason’s left arm was still hot as the Cardinals started the extra period at their 20-yard-line as Boomer was perfect on a 10-play, 65-yard drive as he hit all six of his passes for 46 yards to set up Butler’s potential game-winning field goal from 32 yards out.

But Butler, who had been signed by Arizona only one week earlier after being cut by the Chicago Bears, missed the kick, keeping the game going and a chance for the Redskins to win.

Though they would punt the ball back to Arizona on their next possession, the Redskins would be given a chance to win the game when on after Leshon Johnson fumbled the ball at the end of a 16-yard reception, which was recovered by Washington strong safety Darryl Morrison, who returned it nine yards to the Cardinals’ 27-yard-line with over six minutes left in the overtime period.

Already in field goal range, the Redskins decided to be conservative and keep it on the ground as three straight runs gained six yards, setting up Blanton’s potential game-winning 38-yard field goal.

The Cardinals called their timeout in an attempt to ice Blanton, but it didn’t work as Blanton’s kick sailed through the uprights, giving the Redskins an apparent win.

But Washington tight end Scott Galbraith was called for holding, negating the field goal and pushing the Redskins 10 yards back, meaning Blanton had to try and kick the game-winning field goal, this time from 48 yards out.

Blanton’s kick was long enough, but it sailed wide left and no good, keeping the game tied, and giving the Cardinals the ball at their 39-yard-line with 3:58 left in overtime.

On the first play of the drive, Esiason went over the 500-yard mark as he hit Pat Carter for 24 yards to put the Cardinals at the Redskins’ 37-yard-line.

Then after his next two passes fell incomplete, Esiason hit Dowdell for 13 yards, giving Arizona a 1st down at the Washington 24-yard-line.

Centers ran the ball on the next two plays for six yards, which was followed by Esiason falling in the middle of the field, to set up another chance for Butler to kick the game-winning field goal, this one from 37 yards out.

But once again, Butler missed as his kick hit the left uprights, as the game seemed destined to end in a 34-34 tie with under 40 seconds left in overtime.

However, the Cardinals would be given another chance as Morrison, who made the fumble recovery earlier in overtime to set up Blanton’s chance to win the game, was called for offsides, giving Arizona a 1st down at the 14-yard-line.

Despite a new set of downs, Tobin called on Butler to attempt the game-winning field goal on 1st down.

This time, Butler would sail the kick through the uprights as his 32-yard field goal with 33 seconds left in overtime, gave the Cardinals a 37-34 win, thanks to Esiason who finished the day with 522 yards on 35-of-59 passing and threw three touchdown passes despite his four interceptions.

The third time was the charm for Kevin Butler, as his third attempt at a game-winning field goal was successful.

Five weeks later, the two teams would meet again, this time in Arizona, and again the Cardinals would win as Butler made a 28-yard field goal as time expired to give Arizona a 29-27 win and a season sweep of the Redskins.

Ironically, Esiason did not play in that game as Graham returned to the starting job as he came back from injury.

The two losses to the Cardinals proved costly to the Redskins as they finished with a 9-7 record and out of the playoffs as they lost the final playoff spot to the Minnesota Vikings on the conference record tiebreaker(Minnesota finished 8-4 in the NFC while Washington went 6-6).

Esiason thought about retiring after the 1996 season but decided to play one more season, as he returned to Cincinnati to backup Jeff Blake.

But after Blake went 3-8 over the Bengals’ first 11 games, Esiason took over the starting job and lead the Bengals to wins in four of their last five games, before Boomer decided to hang up his cleats after 14 NFL seasons.