3 Moon Shots Down Cardinals : Oilers Win, 38-20, on Scoring Passes to Givins, Hill

HOUSTON — Ernest Givins broke down the defense of the Phoenix Cardinals with two touchdown catches, but he wouldn’t break his vow of silence.

Givins caught touchdown passes of 30 and 13 yards from Warren Moon Sunday as the Oilers to scored a 38-20 victory over the Cardinals.

“I’ve got bad news for you guys, I’m not talking to the media,” Givins said as reporters gathered around him after the game.

Givins stopped talking to the news media when he was criticized for several dropped passes earlier in the season.

Fellow Houston wide receiver Drew Hill, who scored on a 50-yard touchdown pass play from Moon, did the talking for both players.

“Ernest had a great day,” Hill said. “We got him the ball early in the game and he always plays better when that happens.”

Hill caught 5 passes for 100 yards and Givins finished with 118 yards in 5 catches as the receivers gained 100 yards each in the same game for the first time.

Hill’s touchdown came on a streak pattern.

“I got through the zone and Warren threw a great pass,” Hill said.

Moon, who completed 17 of 31 passes for 266 yards, threw 3 touchdown passes and also ran 1-yard for a touchdown on a naked reverse which gave Houston (8-4) a 24-7 halftime lead.

The Oilers took a 17-0 lead on Alonzo Highsmith’s 7-yard run, Zendejas’ 37-yard field goal and Moon’s 50-yard pass to Hill.

“When Moon has that much time, he’s going to kill you,” Phoenix Coach Gene Stallings said. “Givins and Hill are a very talented pair of receivers and they showed that over and over today.”

The loss left the Eagles (7-5) tied for first place in the NFC East with the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cardinals didn’t get their initial first down until 4:16 remained in the half and finally scored on the first of Cliff Stoudt’s three touchdown passes--a 52-yard play to Robert Awalt.

Stoudt, who hit J.T. Smith with a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and found Ernie Jones for a 14-yard score with 3:26 left in the game, completed 19 of 29 for 249 yards in replacing injured Neil Lomax. Stoudt was sacked five times.

“I didn’t feel rusty at all, actually I felt pretty good,” Stoudt said.

Oiler linebacker Robert Lyles intercepted 2 of Stoudt’s passes to set up Zendejas’ 37-yard field goal and Givins’ 13-yard touchdown.