Rams Miss Their Chance and Oilers Slip Away : After Lansford Misfires, Zendejas Kicks Houston to 20-17 Overtime Victory
For some reason, the Houston Oilers take exhibition games seriously, so it was no surprise that Saturday night’s game against the Rams was colored with flags and fights.
The score here wasn’t as important as getting out with your kneecaps.
And the Rams, for the most part, escaped with their hip bones connected to their thigh bones.
The game, though, was won by Houston, 20-17, on a 47-yard field goal by Tony Zendejas with 9:19 left in overtime before what began as a crowd of 38,352 at Anaheim Stadium.
The Rams had a chance to win the game in regulation. With 1:46 left, a 42-yard field goal attempt by Mike Lansford sailed wide to the left. It wouldn’t have counted anyway, because the Rams were lined up illegally.
The Rams had a chance to win the game when a 16-yard Houston punt left the Rams with the ball at their 47-yard line with eight seconds left. Quarterback Hugh Millen quickly threw 26 yards to Aaron Cox, setting up a 44-yard attempt by Lansford. This time, Lansford’s attempt was short and wide right, sending the game to overtime.
Houston tied the game, 17-17, with 7:55 remaining on a 1-yard touchdown run by Lorenzo White on fourth down.
The Oilers went 63 yards in 11 plays on the final drive. Houston won the flip to start overtime, and reserve quarterback Cody Carlson threw 20 yards to receiver Hayward Jeffries and then 9 yards to Curtis Duncan, setting up the winning field goal.
For the Rams, quarterback Jim Everett continued his hot summer, but the more important find was running back Greg Bell, who was subbing for Charles White and his bruised ribs.
Bell, presumably fighting for a roster spot, gained 57 yards and scored a touchdown in the first half. The performance had to make the Rams consider carrying three tailbacks--White, Gaston Green and Bell--and just two fullbacks into the season.
Most figured it would end up the other way around--three fullbacks and two tailbacks.
Bell, obtained from Buffalo in the Eric Dickerson trade last year, missed most of the 1987 season with a fractured left shoulder.
Everett played into the third quarter for the first time this season and completed 10 of 20 passes for 155 yards with 1 touchdown and an interception.
The Rams took a four-point lead into halftime and increased it to 17-10 early in the third quarter on a 31-yard field goal by Lansford.
The score came after Mickey Sutton blocked Greg Montgomery’s punt, with the Rams’ Michael Stewart recovering at the Houston 18. The Rams could only move 4 yards and settled for the field goal.
The Oilers blew a scoring opportunity on the next series when a 35-yard field goal attempt by Zendejas was wide left.
The Rams and Oilers traded interceptions, though neither team took advantage.
The first was by Houston, when safety Domingo Bryant intercepted Everett’s deep pass intended for Willie Anderson. Bryant returned the ball 46 yards to the Oilers’ 47.
But Carlson’s first pass was intercepted by Ram linebacker Mark Jerue, who returned it 16 yards to the Houston 41. The drive was halted after an 11-yard run by Green on second down was called back when guard Tony Slaton was called for holding.
The Rams took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 9-yard scoring pass from Everett to Aaron Cox, who broke free deep in the end zone after the original play was busted. Cox caught the ball while straddling the back line. Cox’s left foot appeared to kick up chalk on the back line, but an appeal to the instant replay booth was upheld.
Cox’s catch was nice, if not tainted, but nothing compared to the 34-yarder Anderson made on third down to set up the touchdown.
Anderson was running stride for stride with cornerback Steve Brown down the right sideline when Everett threw a pass that came up far shorter than intended. Anderson slowed down, freezing Brown, and then reached over and made a one-handed catch while keeping his feet inbounds at the Houston 11-yard line.
It looked for a while like the Rams and their new-fangled defense would make the score stand up. Later in the quarter, the Rams sacked Warren Moon twice and deflected a pass in the same series.
Kevin Greene got the first sack, for 9 yards, Stokes the second for 6. On third down, Greene batted down Moon’s pass to end the drive. Greene had three tips and a sack in the first half alone.
The Rams made their first big mistake early in the second quarter when Vince Newsome was called for defensive holding on a Houston punt that would have given the Rams possession.
Instead, the Oilers got an automatic first down and new life on their 41. Moon quickly hit Drew Hill for 21 yards, and two plays later found Givens open for a 24-yard gain to the Ram 11.
After an incomplete pass, Mike Rozier found a big hole and ran 11 yards for the touchdown, tying the score, 7-7, with 10:02 left in the half.
The game turned ugly on the next drive, when several shoving matches led to two personal fouls, the second after linebacker Robert Lyles sacked Everett and knocked the ball loose, Houston recovering at the Ram 47.
The play led to Zendejas’ 24-yard field goal to give the Oilers a 10-7 lead late in the quarter.
The Rams came right back on the next series, driving 63 yards in 9 plays to take the lead, 14-7, after a 1-yard plunge by Bell.
Key plays on the drive were Everett’s 14-yard pass to Henry Ellard, his 11-yard pass to Damone Johnson, a 13-yard run by Bell and Everett’s 21-yard pass to Ellard that gave the Rams a first down at the Houston 4-yard line. Bell ran 3 yards on first down and scored on the next play.
The Oilers had a chance to cut into the lead before the half, but a bad snap fouled up a 43-yard field goal attempt by Zendejas.
Bell was the leading rusher at the half, with 57 yards in 12 carries. He also had 2 catches for 29 yards.
After another slow start, Everett warmed up and finished the half 10 of 16 for 155 yards. Moon completed 15 of 24 passes for 187 yards.
