Possible to put the ESP8266 in bootloader mode without a FTDI?
The cable you point to is fine for programming the ESP8266. The only reason it's not "good" for an Arduino is the lack of a DTR signal to trigger a reset for you - which you can do manually anyway and still use it for an Arduino (if your reactions are fast enough).

You have no such problem with the ESP8266. Once you have it in bootloader mode it stays in bootloader mode until you tell it to exit bootloader mode.

First make sure that the ESP8266 is actually set up to run properly. That means:


Connect CH_PD to 3.3V, not GND, through a pull-up resistor.
Connect GPIO0 to 3.3V via a pull-up resistor.
Connect RST to 3.3V via a pull-up resistor.


Then for simplicity of programming:


Connect a button between RST and GND
Connect a button between GPIO0 and GND


To enter bootloader mode simply hold the GPIO0 button in, tap the RST button, then release the GPIO0 button.  When you have successfully uploaded your firmware just tap the RST button to exit bootloader mode.

ESP8266 boards with a built-in USB interface usually use both the DTR and the RTS pins to control both those buttons virtually. That's somewhat complex to arrange for an external USB to TTL UART adaptor, so it's simpler to just press the buttons manually.



Here's a link to a website that details the circuit and operation using an ESP-01 as an example.