Bengals Do a Number on Oilers, Win, 61-7

Boomer Esiason threw four touchdown passes in single-digit temperatures as the Cincinnati Bengals tied a club scoring record in a 61-7 victory over the Houston Oilers Sunday.

The victory didn’t keep Cincinnati (8-7) in title contention in the AFC Central--Cleveland’s 23-17 overtime victory over Minnesota means the Bengals can only win a wild-card berth. And they’re a longshot for that.

But by scoring 61 points and preventing Houston (9-6) from clinching the division title, the Bengals got a sense of satisfaction from beating a team they have traded harsh words with over the last few years.

“It’s like playing against the bully in your high school,” Esiason said. “You finally reach up and slug him in the teeth and he runs away.”

Coach Sam Wyche said: “We don’t like this team. We don’t like their people. When you get a chance to do it (run up the score), you do it. I wish today this was a five-quarter game.”

The Oilers’ loss sets up a showdown for the AFC Central title next Saturday against Cleveland (8-6-1) in the Astrodome. A victory would give the Oilers their first outright Central title.

“We know what it takes to bounce back from a loss,” quarterback Warren Moon said. “We’ll just have to be more focused next week.”

The Oilers let a chance to clinch the title slip off their icy fingertips, turning the ball over five times as Cincinnati took command, 31-0, at halftime.

Cincinnati didn’t let up. When they were ahead, 45-0, the Bengals recovered an onside kick and kept throwing the ball. They even padded their lead with 21 seconds left on Jim Breech’s 30-yard field goal.

The 61 points equaled the club record, set in a 61-17 victory at the Astrodome in 1972. The Bengals’ 589 yards of offense was the second-highest total in team history.

“Our only real regret there is that Lee Johnson missed that extra point (after a fourth-quarter touchdown),” Wyche said.

The drubbing didn’t humble the Oilers, who enjoy their reputation for talking on the field and leading the NFL in penalties.

“They ain’t no good team,” cornerback Cris Dishman said of Cincinnati. “We were just playing bad. They got some breaks. They were trying to embarrass us and run up the score.

“It’s their style of play. Yeah, we’re bitter. The guy (Wyche) could have run the ball. Instead, he kept throwing the ball.”

Esiason completed 20 of 27 passes for 326 yards without an interception, hitting on 11 straight during one stretch in the first half.

Eddie Brown caught six passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns and Tim McGee had six catches for 147 yards, including a 74-yard pass play in the third quarter.