Favorable Wind Pushes Bengals to Division Title : After Redskin Kick Hits Post, Cincinnati Wins in Overtime

Contrary to all those playoff scenarios, the Cincinnati Bengals did need help to win their first American Football Conference Central Division championship in 7 years.

The Bengals caught a break when Washington’s Chip Lohmiller hit the right upright on a 29-yard field-goal attempt with 5 seconds left Saturday, then got a 20-17 victory over the Redskins when Jim Breech kicked a 20-yard field goal 7:01 into overtime.

“It’s called Divine Providence,” Breech suggested of Lohmiller’s miss. “That’s what it was. I’m fortunate to get that opportunity. I think we’re all fortunate.”

Regaining control of their destiny, the Bengals (12-4) forced Washington quarterback Doug Williams to fumble in overtime, setting up Breech’s kick. Safety Barney Bussey hit Williams while he was back to pass, forcing a fumble that was recovered by David Grant at the Redskin 18.

A 17-m.p.h. wind swirled in the stadium, dropping the wind-chill to about zero. The wind pushed Lohmiller’s kick into the post but didn’t affect Breech’s kick.

“Obviously, somebody is watching over us and making sure we win those games,” quarterback Boomer Esiason said. “Whoever was not watching over us last year (when Cincinnati was 4-11) is watching over us this year.”

The Bengals will play host to a playoff game New Year’s weekend at Riverfront Stadium, where they are unbeaten in 8 games this season. If the Indianapolis Colts beat the Buffalo Bills today, Cincinnati will have the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Redskins (7-9) became the fourth team since 1970 to follow a Super Bowl championship with a losing season. It is their first losing record since 1980, the season before Joe Gibbs took over as head coach.

“Our year kind of finished up the way it started for us--a field goal bounces off an upright and we can’t get it to go through,” Gibbs said. “I kind of felt sorry for our team.”

Washington dominated the game with a rejuvenated running attack led by rookie Jamie Morris, who carried a National Football League-record 45 times for 152 yards.

Morris surpassed the NFL record of 43 shared by the New York Giants’ Butch Woolfolk and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ James Wilder.

Morris was the workhorse on a drive that put victory within the Redskins’ grasp. He carried 10 times for 29 yards as Washington held the ball for 8:15 in a drive to the Bengals’ 12-yard line with the score tied, 17-17.

Then Lohmiller’s kick hit high off the right goalpost.

“There was more crossing wind. Hey, I misjudged the wind. I hit it well,” Lohmiller said.

Cincinnati rookie Ickey Woods gained 115 yards and became the 22nd rookie in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

The Redskins took a 10-0 lead when Lohmiller kicked a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter and Williams hit Gary Clark on a 20-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

But the Bengals rallied to tie it on Lee Johnson’s 50-yard field goal and Esiason’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Tim McGee in the second quarter.

Williams and Ricky Sanders connected on a 44-yard touchdown pass play early in the third quarter to give the Redskins a 17-10 lead.

Then Esiason hit Eddie Brown on a 69-yard touchdown pass play to get the Bengals even again.