The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 76

76 THE BOSTON GLOBE FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1991 ROUND 1 Houston at Cincinnati Sundav. 12:30 D.m. Inside football Channels 4, 10 L-JE Jfli eran lis with Bengal passing hurting Esiason's sore wrist hampering offense FROM WIRE SERVICES XT ft V' AV y- chance Starting this year, White is happy to be an Oiler By Ron Borges GLOBE STAFF I i -mifrtii ir AP PHOTO Having gotten his shot, Lorenzo White is now coming out of the Houston backfield like a shot. MOUSTON Lorenzo White knew it was time to run last summer. He just didn't know in what direction.

"I thought I was out of here," uJ LJ the Oilers' leading rusher said this week of his failed but persistent six-month effort to be shipped out of Houston. "I asked to be traded last year right after we lost in the playoffs. General manager Mike Holovak said he'd do all he could. All I ever said was I wanted to be in a position to show somebody I'm capable of playing for them. I just thought it was going to be somewhere else.

"But, as things turned out, I'm here and they're gone." Quite often in recent weeks, however, Lorenzo White also has been gone. Gone for 125 yards against Buffalo. Gone for 116 yards and four touchdowns against Cleveland. Gone for 90 yards and a score against Pittsburgh. Gone for 702 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year, the most by an Oiler running back since Earl Campbell scored 12 in 1983.

Gone, most of all, from Holovak's office. "For the last two years, there has been so much talk about him being traded," quarterback Warren Moon said. "Yet he handled those situations in a mature manner. He didn't get down. He continued to work hard.

"For him to have handled it the way he did, he's got to feel real proud. Now he's been given the opportunity. That's all a player wants. It's all White wanted." Of coursea player, as Mick Jagger once said, can't always get what he wants, but if you try sometime, you just might find you get What you need. Which both Lorenzo White and the Oilers finally got this season.

When Lorenzo White came to Houston three years ago, he was an All-America run-, ning back from Michigan State who had known nothing but carrying a football. In his time at East Lansing, White carried the ball a Big Ten-record 991 times for 4,513 yards, the second-highest total in conference history. He had been a rushing machine since his first collegiate season when he gained a school freshman-record 513 yards, 412 of which came in the last four games when he finally got his opportunity. After that, it was just a matter of time before White became a No. 1 draft choice (the 22d player taken in 1988) and, he assumed, got another opportunity to run free as a professional.

Not so fast, Buster. "When I first came here, I just didn't get a chance," White said. "Last year I was named MVP of training camp and I still didn't play. There had never been a time when I didn't run." Never until he met a coach named Jerry Glanville and a backfield of runners named Mike Rozier and Alonzo Highsmith and Allen Pinkett. After that," White seldom walked ex-s cept to pace the sidelines In two seasons, White carried just 135 times for 464 yards.

It had taken him less than four collegiate games to gain that much ground, but as White could see, this was not college and the Oilers were not about to let him run things as long as Glanville was running things. "I never doubted myself," White insisted. "Never once from the first day I came here. I knew I could play football but if Glanville was still here, I'd be playing football somewhere else today." Perhaps, but although Detroit, the New York Giants and Phoenix all expressed interest in him, it is Glanville and Rozier who are gone to Atlanta and Highsmith who was shipped out to Dallas. And Lorenzo White? He's gone every weekend right here in Houston.

"Before this year, I never knew what was going to happen," White said. "I never knew when I would play or when I would get car-" ries. Eventually, I got used to not starting, but I never liked it. "When you just get a couple of carries, you don't really get a feel for the offense. When you get the ball and you know you're going to get it again) you start to feel more confident.

When they announced me as the starter in the season opener at Atlanta, that was the first time I felt like an Oiler." Yet even after new coach Jack Pardee named White his starter, it was a slow climb to where he'd been at Michigan State. Skills not used begin to erode, and in the season's early weeks, White found his skills as wasted away as a Dust Bowl wheat field. He was unsure of what steps to take and in which direction. Sometimes there were holes he didn't see until they were in a film projector. Other times there were cuts to be made that never were made until it was too late.

But gradually, the game slowed down for him again. He could see what was coming before it happened. Yardage began to be added to his name until, over the regular season's final six weeks, Lorenzo White was back on the move. "I started coming on at the end of the sea: son," White said. "I had a slow start.

If not, I'd have been a Pro Bowl-type back. Now look at those backs with 250 carries and be-, lieve I'd have 1,000 yards if I ran the ball that much. But personal goals will be my motivation next year." Just having someplace to run free was enough this season. f- CINCINNATI CINCINNATI Pos. Ht.

Wt. Jim Breech 5-6 161 EhkWilbelm QB 6-3 217 Boomer Esiason QB 6-5 220 Att. Com. Pel ..402 224 55.7 Todd Philcox QB 6-4 210 Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Esiason attempted fewer passes this season than last year and was inter- Scoutins cepted twice 38 acuuuilg many times, but he repOlt got the Bengals into the playoffs. "If Boomer gets us to the playoffs, he's done his job," assistant general manager Mike Brown said.

Esiason completed 224 of 402 passes for 2,931 yards, 24 touchdowns and a career-high 22 interceptions as' Cincinnati finished 9-7 and won the AFC Central title. Last year, when the Bengals missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record, Esiason completed 258 of 455 passes for 3,525 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Bengals entertain the Houston Oilers Sunday in a first-round playoff game. This is the second time the Bengals have won the AFC Cen- traT crown during Esiason's seven- IJ year NFL career. The first was dur- ing the team's 1988 Super Bowl sea- son.

i Esiason has been bothered by a sore wrist this season, but has avoid- ed using that as an excuse. 1 In the final five games, he aver- aged only 17 passes. He threw more than 30 passes only twice in the final 11 Wide receiver Tun McGee thinks the lack of passing has hurt Esia- son's rhythm, as the Bengals have emphasized their running game in 2 recent weeks. i i "It sure hasn'jt helped," McGee saidTou give him 30 throws, youll I 1 get 10 big playsj I don't care how much warming lip he does on the sidelines, he's not in the flow of the game. If like a running back.

You don't get into the flow by blocking, arid he can't get into the flow by 'j handing the ball off. "I look at him and I think he's ready to explode, he's' holding it all in. They're caging in his talents. But making the playoffs is the bottom line." Coach Sam Wyche minimized Esiason's wrist problem. "I don't think; he had an injured wrist.

I just think it was sore. I no- ticed him grabbing it and maneuver-, ing it near the end of the road trip," Wyche said, referring to a stretch of five consecutive away games during October. "The last month, his passes have been crisper, the spirals have 1 been tighter." i Here's what to look for in Sun-day's game: When the Bengals have the ball With problems besetting their passing game, the Bengals have gone to the run, and they rank fifth. They were ninth overall, 15th in passing. Esiason, though not up to par of late, is still very effective in third-down situations.

James Brooks is a true weapon, both rushing (he finished fifth in the AFC with 1,004 yards) and receiving. 1 When the Oilers have the ball Houston does one thing a lot pass. The Oilers' run-and-shoot offense ranked first in passing and their of-fense was first overall, despite standing 24th in rushing. Last week, in re- lief of the injured Warren Moon, Cody Carlson had his best game, hitting 22 of 29 passes for 247 yards with an in-terception. And Houston, against a Pittsburgh defense that hadn't allowed a touchdown in three weeks, scored 34 points, i The Bengals on defense Since they ranked 26th against the pass and 25th overall, it could be a long day for Cincinnati's defenders.

Last week against lowly Cleveland, they surren- dered 345 yards and 19 first downs. Rookie linebacker James Francis and safety Barney Bussey will have to play big. The Oilers on defense Houston was good against the rush, ranking eighth, 14th against the pass and 11th overall. Defensive end Sean Jones of Northeastern had 12V sacks. His fel-', low end, Ray Childress, is also a key, as is rookie linebacker Lamar Lathon.

Cornerbaek Richard 'Johnson's career- best eight interceptions led the AFC. .19 Lee Johnson P-K 6-2 200 James Brooks RB 5-10 182 Esiason Willwlm Ptiilcox James Johnson Totals Opponents -2 1 1 ..425 12 63.2 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 100.0 237 55.8 300 55.2 ..543 PASSIM Avg. Pet. Pet Yds. Att.

TD TO Int. Int. LG Rating 3031 7.54 24 6 0 22 5.5 53 77.0 117 6.16 0 0.0 0 0.0 19 80.4 0 0.00 0 0.0 1 50.0 0 0.0 0 0.00 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 39.6 4 4.00 1100.0 0 0.0 t4 122.9 3152 7.42 25 5.9 23 5.4 53 76.5 3725 6.86 24 4.4 15 2.8 75 79.9 SACKS TD Francis 8.0; Tuatagaloa 4.5; Bussey 2.0; 5 Hammerstein 2.0; Krumrie 2.0; McClendon 1 2.0; Fulcher 1.0; Grant 1.0; walker 1.0; 6 White 1.0; Buck 0.5; Totals 25.0; Oppo- 2 rents 33.0. 0 PUNTINQ 1 1 No. Yds.

Avg. 20 LG 0 Johnson 64 2705 42.3 12 70 0 Breech 1 34 34.0 0 34 0 Totals 65 2739 42.1 12 70 16 Opponents 63 2634 41.8 19 65 15 PUNT RETURNS Eric Thomas CB 5-10 181 Lewis Billups CB 5-11 182 Rod Jones CB 6-0 185 Barney Bussey 6-0 210 Harold Green RB 6-2 222 Ickey Woods RB 6-2 232 Mitchell CB 5-9 181 David Fulcher 6-3 238 Stanford Jennings RB 6-1 212 Solomon Wilcots CB 5-11 195 Eric Ball RB 6-2 214 RUSHlNQ Att. Yds. Avg. LG ..195 1004 5.1 t56 ....83 353 4.3 39 ....64 268 4.2 32 ....51 216 4.2 24 3.1 21 ..50 157 ..22 72 3.3 15 Brooks Green Woods Taylor Esiason Ball Jennings James Wilhelm Barber Totals .12 ...1 46 3.8 13 11 11.0 11 Carl Carter CB 5-11 180 James Francis LB 6-5 252 1.0 ....6 HOUSTON No.

Pos. Ht. Wt. 1. Warren Moon QB 6-3 212 8.

Teddy Garcia 5-9 172 9. Greg Montgomery 6-4 215 10. Reggie Slack QB 6-1 221 14. Cody Carlson QB 6-3 202 20. Allen Pinkett RB 5-9 196 21.

Leander Knight 6-1 192 23. Richard Johnson CB 6-1 195 24. Steve Brown CB-S 5-11 190 25. Bubba McDowell 6-1 198 26. Bo Orlando 5-10 180 27.

Terry Kinard 6-1 196 28. Cris Dishman CB 6-0 178 29. Patrick Allen CB 5-10 182 37. Victor Jones RB 5-8 212 38. Dee Thomas CB-S 5-10 176 44.

Lorenzo White RB 5-11 222 51. Eric Paris 6-3 244 52. Jay Pennison 6-1 274 53. Eugene Seale LB 5-10 253 54. Al Smith LB 6-1 244 56.

Scott Kozak LB 6-3 222 57. Lamar Lathon LB 6-3 244 59. John Grimsley LB 6-2 238 63. Mike Munchak 6-3 284 64. Erik Norgard 6-1 278 68.

Doug Dawson G-C 6-3 288 70. Dean Steinkuhler 6-3 287 73. David Williams 6-5 292 74. Bruce Matthews 6-5 291 76. Jeff Aim DT 6-6 289 78.

Don Maggs T-G 6-5 290 79. Ray Childress DT-DE 6-6 272 80. Curtis Duncan WR 5-1 1 184 81. Ernest Givens WR 5-9 172 82. Tony Jones WR 5-7 139 83.

Leonard Harris WR 5 8 162 84. Haywood Jeffires WR 6-2 201 85. Drew Hill WR 5-9 172 88. Bernard Ford WR 5-10 171 89. Gerald McNeil WR 5-8 142 90.

Ezra Johnson DE 6-4 257 91. Johnny Meads LB 6-2 226 94. Glenn Montgomery 6-0 266 95. William Fuller DE 6-3 265 96. Sean Jones DE 6-7 264 99.

Doug Smith DT 6-6 314 No. FC Yds. Avg. LG TO Price 29 14 251 8.7 t66 1 Smith 1 0 4 4.0 4 0 Totals 30 14 255 8.5 t66 1 Opponents ....36 11 352 9 8 179 1 ....1 -13 -13 485 2120 4.4 156 442 2065 4.7 88 RECEIVINS No. Yds.

Avg. LG ..44 706 16.0 t50 ..43 737 17.1 52 ..40 596 14.9 53 ..26 269 10.3 35 ..20 162 8.1 22 ..14 196 14.0 28 ..12 90 7.5 22 ..11 145 13.2 31 ....8 79 9.9 21 KKKOFF RETURNS 777 JH -A 't v-- ....2 jui Yds. Avg. LG TD 584 20.1 33 0 No. Jennings 29 16 366 22.9 38 Price 10 Smith 2 191 19.1 33 35 17.5 20 14 14.0 14 43 43.0 43 10 10.0 10 7 7.0 7 7 4 3 Leon White LB 6-3 242 Craig Ogletree LB 6-2 236 Leo Barker LB 6-2 230 Ed Brady LB 6-2 236 Bernard Clark LB 6-2 248 Kevin Walker LB 6-3 244 Mike Brennan 6-4 274 Joe Walter 6-7 292 Bruce Kozerski 6-4 287 Paul Jetton 6-4 288 Tim Krumrie NT 6-2 274 Mike Hammerstein 6-4 272 Skip McClendon DE 6-7 287 Ken Mover 6-7 297 Bruce Reimers 6-7 298 Kirk Scrafford 6-6 255 Anthony Munoz 6-6 284 Lynn James WR 6-0 191 Eddie Brown WR 6-0 185 Rodney Holman TE 6-3 238 EricKattus TE 6-5 251 Tim McGee WR 5-10 183 Mike Barber WR 5-11 172 Jim Riggs TE 6-5 245 Carl Zander LB 6-2 235 Natu Tuatagaloa DE 6-4 274 David Grant NT 6-5 278 Jason Buck DE 6-5 264 45 6.4 11 23 5.8 13 36 12.0 16 22 7.3 20 46 23.0 148 Barber 1 James 1 Kattus 1 Riggs 1 Taylor 1 ..3 .2 16 16.0 16 McGee Holman Brooks Woods Barber Green Kattus Riggs Smith Jennings James Taylor Ball Totals Bussey Fulcher Billups White Francis Zander Price Totals Opponents 237 3152 13.3 53 Totals 62 1266 20.4 43 Opponents 43 945 22.0 64 .300 3725 12.4 75 rNTEKEPTIONS No.

Yds. Avg. LG 4 4 3 1 1 1 SCORE BY PERIODS 1 2 3 4 OT Tot. Totals 79 110 78 90 3 360 Opponents 70 115 101 63 3 352 FIELD GOAL SUCCESS 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50 Breech 00 66 56 69 00 Johnson 00 00 00 00 01 Totals 00 66 56 69 01 11 1111 77 27 13 37 9.3 18 20 5.0 18 39 13.0 29 21 21.0 21 17 17.0 tl7 12 12.0 12 0 0.0 0 .1 15 146 9.7 29 23 233 10.1 130 AP PHOTO Coach Sam Wyche's Bengals split with -the Oilers this season. Att.

Com. 584 362 55 37 639 399 460 267 RUSHING Att. Yds. Avg. ..168 702 4.2 ....66 268 4.1 ....55 215 3.9 ....14 75 5.4 Moon Carlson Totals White Pinkett Moon V.Jones Givins Carison Rozier T.

Jones Totals 65 21.7 52 4.7 ....3 ..11 ..10 Bengals' Barney Bussey breaks up pass intended for Houston's Haywood Jeffires in the last meeting between the two teams. 4.2 2.0 42 -2 ..1 ..328 1417 4.3 ..392 1575 4.0 I HOUSTON PASSING Avg. Pet. Pet. Pet.

Yds. Att. TD TD Int. Int. LG Rating 62.0 4689 8 03 33 5.7 13 2.2 t87 96.8 67.3 383 6.96 4 7.3 2 3.6 153 96 3 62.4 5072 7.94 37 5.8 15 2.3 t87 96.7 58.0 3332 7.24 18 3.9 21 4.6 t78 74.7 T9 SACKS 22.

8 S.Jones 12.5; Childress 8.0; Fuller 8.0; 19 0 E. Johnson 2.5; Meads 2.5; D. Smith 2.0; 17 2 A. Smith 1.0; Aim 0.5; Gl. Montgomery 0.5; 14 0 McDowell 0.5; Totals 38.0; Opponents 39.0.

31 0 PUNTIKG 16 0 11 0 No. Yds. Avg. 20 LG -2 0 Gr. Montgomery.

34 1530 45.0 7 60 31 10 Totals 34 1530 45.0 7 60 ,56 12 Opponents 62 2402 38.7 20 55 PUNT RETURNS LG TD -No. FC Yds. Avg. LG TD 187 8 McNeil 30 20 172 5.7 26 0 57 5 Dune, 0 1 0 0 0 180 9 Totals 30 21 172 5.7 26 0 37 1 Opponents ....23 0 186 81 tS2 1 29 4 KKKOFF RETURNS 47 6 No. yds.

Avg. LG TD 42 3 McNeil ,27 551 20.4 64 0 18 0 Ford lit 219 15.6 23 0 24 1 pinkett 4 91 22.8 28 0 0 Norgard 2 0 0.0 0 0 24 0 Totals 47 861 18.3 64 0 87 37 Opponents 71 1329 18.71101 1 18 SCORE BY PERIODS 1 2 3 4 OT Tot. LG TD Totals 83 152 70 100 0 405 35 1 Opponents 54 95 71 84 3 307 47 0 FIELD GOAL SUCCESS 42 0 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50 1' 0 Garcia V0 55 45 57 03 32 0 Zenaeias 00 23 35 24 00 27 0 Totals 00 78 710 711 03 0 0 Opponents ...11 56 88 24 12 47 1 t82 2 SERIES: Cincinnati leads, 24-19-1. CINCINNATI (9-7) HOUSTON 19-7) 25 )et 20 27 at Atlanta 47 21 at San Diego 16 at Pittsburgh 20 41 New England 7 24 InrHanapolhl 10 16 at Seattle 31 17 it San Diego 7 34 at Rams 31 21 San Francisco 24 17 at Houston 48 48 Cincinnati 17 34 it Cleveland 13 23 New Orleans 10 17 at Atlanta 38 12 tote 17 7 Hew Orleans 21 13 at Rama 17 27 Pittsburgh 3 35 at Cleveland 23 20 Imrianapolhl 34 27 Buffalo 24 16 atPlttsbargh 12 10 at Seattle 13 17 San Francisco 20 58 Cleveland 14 7 at Raiders 24 27 at Kansas City 10 40 Houston 20 20 at Cincinnati 40 21. CtewlaiMl 14 34 Pittsburgh 14 CmmmiM tptMMMtB hi koM RECEIVING No.

Yds. Avg. ....74 1048 14.2 74 J019 13.8 ....72 979 13.6 ....66 785 11.9 ....39 368 9.4 ....30 409 13.6 ....13 172 13.2 ....11 85 7.7 ....10 98 9.8 5 63 12.6 5 46 9.2 ..399 5072 12.7 267 3332 12 5 INTERCEPTIONS No. Yds. Avg.

8 100 125 4 75 188 4 50 12.5 2 11 5.5 1 32 32.0 1 27 27.0 1 0 00 ...21 295 14.0 .,..15 37 15.8 Jeffires Hill Givins Duncan White T. Jones Harris Pinkett Ford McNeil Rozier Opponents R.Johnson... Kinard Dishman McDowell Meads Allen Knight Totals RECENT MEETINGS: Oilers won, 48-17, Oct. 15 at Houston; Bengals won, 40-20, Dec 23 at Cincinnati. HIGHLIGHTS: In the first game, Warren Moon threw a career-high five touchdown passes as Houston beat the Bengals in the Astrodome for the sixth straight year.

Moon completed 21 of 33 passes for 369 yards, which put him over the mark for his career. Trailing, 10-7, the Oilers ran off 31 straight points. The romp avenged a 61-7 loss at Riverfront Stadium last year. The Bengals turned the tables in the rematch as James Brooks ran 20 times for a club-record 201 yards and a touchdown. The game was tied, 13-13, in the third quarter before Cincinnati ran off 27 consecutive points on rushes by Ickey Woods and Brooks and a pair of Boomer Esiason touchdown passes to Eric Kattus.

With less than two minutes remaining, Moon, the NFL'second-rated passer, dislocated (his right thumb and will miss Sunday's game..