Humphries Leads Redskins Over Cardinals : NFC: Third-year quarterback completes 20 of 25 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns in his first NFL start.

The Washington Redskins were not expecting much from quarterback Stan Humphries when the third-year pro from Northeastern Louisiana was thrust into the lineup in place of the injured Mark Rypien.

Humphries, however, established a high standard for himself in his first NFL start Sunday night against the Phoenix Cardinals.

Humphries completed 20 of 25 passes for 257 yards and connected with Gary Clark on two 42-yard touchdown pass plays in the second half as the Redskins beat the Cardinals, 38-10.

The Redskins’ victory was their 12th in 13 games against Phoenix and second this month. Washington won, 31-0, in the season opener at RFK Stadium on Sept. 9.

“I was nervous at first but after I took a few shots and got the nerves worked out, then I started having fun out there,” said Humphries, who was playing in his fourth regular-season game. “I think the reason our passing game worked out so well was that our line started opening holes and that got the running game going.

“Phoenix was trying to stop the run and play man-on-man on Gary. When you play man-on-man with a guy like Gary Clark, you’re looking for trouble.”

Clark caught eight passes for 162 yards and now has 11 career touchdowns in 11 games against the Cardinals.

Clark’s first touchdown on Sunday came with 6:57 left in the third quarter after he caught an arching pass at the two then went into the end zone to give the Redskins a 17-10 lead.

Humphries scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard sneak 12 seconds into the fourth quarter to cap an 11-play, 84-yard drive.

Humphries, who completed 11 of 12 passes for 183 yards in the second half, then hit Clark on another 42-yard bomb for a 31-10 lead with 11:12 left in the game.

Earnest Byner scored on a one-yard run with 3:10 left for the final margin.

“We didn’t simplify our game plan,” Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs said. “It was just a matter of making plays in the second half and doing a good job of protecting Stan. That’s the best we’ve ever played in the second half.”

Cardinal Coach Joe Bugel agreed.

“They just got roaring in the second half and we just fell apart,” said Bugel, who was an assistant with the Redskins for nine years before being hired by Phoenix on Feb. 6. “I don’t think Washington can play any better than they did in the second half tonight.”

Washington (3-1) had tied the score 10-10 on Chip Lohmiller’s 26-yard field goal with 9:38 left in the third quarter. Lohmiller pushed his streak of kicking at least one field goal to 24 consecutive games, third-longest in history behind Fred Cox (31) and Jim Turner (28).

Phoenix (1-3) led, 10-7, at halftime after Timm Rosenbach hooked up with Roy Green on a 12-yard touchdown pass play with 1:09 left in the second quarter.