First and 10, do it again: The Washington Redskins tied an NFL record for first downs in one game Sunday by recording 39 in a 41-38 come-from-behind overtime victory over Detroit. Washington had 20 first downs after three quarters before racking up 19 more in the fourth quarter and 9:10 of overtime. The New York Jets set the record of 39 first downs Nov. 27, 1988, against Miami.
How do you really feel, Boomer?: ”I don`t think I`ve ever felt this low as a professional athlete,” said Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason after completing only 15 of 32 passes for 132 yards in the Bengals` 21-7 loss to New Orleans. ”Today it`s right on my shoulders. I feel that if I play 10 percent better than I did, we probably win the game. I have no excuses.”
Temper, temper When Jets tight end Doug Wellsandt was
penalized for tripping Dallas defensive end Jim Jeffcoat early in the second quarter, Jeffcoat went nuts, screaming that Wellsandt was going for his knees. The word is out around the league: The Jets are developing a reputation as a cheap-shot, cut-blocking team. As the Cowboys and Jets headed to the locker room at halftime, Jeffcoat went looking for Jets coach Bruce Coslet. ”I told him I was going to kick his butt,” Jeffcoat said. After the game, about 15 Jets escorted Coslet for his midfield handshake with Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson. ”I don`t know why they did that,” one Jet said. ”The coach knows karate.”
Quotes: Steelers coach Chuck Noll on the Bengals` upset loss to New Orleans:
”We`re tied for the division lead? Cincinnati lost? Good. You can quote me on that.”
Deion Sanders says the Falcons are better than their 3-5 record: ”We`ve lost only one or two games all year. The other ones we won. (The other games), they just had more points than we did.”
Streaking: The Redskins` Art Monk caught at least one pass for the 108th straight game. Monk tied his career-high with 13 receptions for 168 yards. . . . The Chiefs` Stephone Paige caught an 11-yard pass in the third quarter, the 72nd straight game in which he has caught a pass. . . . The Jets` Al Toon stretched his pass-catching streak to 71 games with 2 receptions for 16 yards. Miami`s Pete Stoyanovich made field goals of 19, 21 and 19 yards to extend his streak without a miss to 13. He`s 12 for 12 this year, and has made all 19 extra-point attempts.
While Atlanta was losing its 14 straight road game, dating to a 12-6 victory over the Los Angeles Raiders in 1988, the 49ers were winning their 14th straight regular-season road game.
Jim Breech`s extra point extended his NFL-record consecutive-game scoring streak to 158 games. The Bengal kicker missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt wide right in the second quarter, ending a streak of 13 straight field goals. Extra points: The New England Patriots, who lost 48-20 to the Philadelphia Eagles, haven`t beaten an NFC East team since they beat the Eagles in 1978.
Randall Cunningham`s 124 yards rushing Sunday was the third best by a quarterback in NFL history. Jack Concannon of the Eagles gained 128
against Pittsburgh Dec. 24, 1966, and Bobby Douglass of the Bears gained 127 against the Oakland Raiders Dec. 17, 1972.
Kansas City blocked its fifth punt of the season, a team record. The old mark of four was set in 1987.
Brad Baxter`s fourth-quarter TD run was his fifth of the season, tying the Jets` rookie mark, set by Matt Snell in 1964 and tied by Emerson Boozer in 1966.
Warren Moon`s 43 pass attempts increased his career total to 2,815, breaking a Houston Oilers` club record of 2,784 set by Hall of Famer George Blanda.
The 42-point difference in the Buffalo-Cleveland game was well out of the ordinary for the teams. The previous six games between the Bills and Browns were decided by 10 points or less, and four of the previous five by a touchdown or less.
Key injury: Cincinnati strong safety David Fulcher separated his right shoulder late in the first half and is expected to be out four to six weeks.
Milestones: Cleveland tight end Ozzie Newsome caught three passes, moving him past Charley Taylor into fourth place on the NFL`s all-time reception list with 651 catches.
Nick Lowery`s first field goal for the Chiefs gave him 1,076 points for his career, moving him past Garo Yepremian into 13th place on the NFL`s all-time list.
Jim Everett`s 2-yard touchdown flip to Damone Johnson in the second quarter was the five-year Ram veteran`s 100th touchdown pass in the NFL, including seven in the playoffs.
