But no one knows it is Boomer Esiason's last pass until nearly a month later, when he opts for the Monday Night TV booth instead of a new deal from the Bengals.
When head coach Bruce Coslet turns to the 36-year-old Esiason to finish out a 3-8 season for the slumping Jeff Blake, he discovers a guy who was even better than the brash Long Island kid that was mad he was taken in the second round in 1984.
Esiason became an NFL MVP and Pro Bowler in his first reincarnation in Cincinnati and he was even better in those magical last five games when he fired 13 touchdown passes and had a 106.