The Cincinnati Bengals - Part 2

1980’s games of note

*     December 20th, 1981: The Bengals defeated the

       Atlanta Falcons 30 – 28 in the final regular season

       game. With their 12 – 4 record the Bengals won

       the AFC Central division title. Quarterback Ken 

       Anderson won his third NFL passing title.

*     January 3rd, 1982: Cincinnati hosted its first NFL

       playoff game as the Bengals defeated the Buffalo

       Bills 28 – 21 in Riverfront Stadium. It was the first

       postseason win in franchise history.

*     January 10th, 1982: “The Freezer Bowl”, The

       Bengals defeated the San Diego Chargers in the

       AFC Championship Game, 27 – 7, the coldest

       game ever played in NFL history. The wind chill

       factor brought the game-time temperature down

       to -56o oF (-49o oC). the Bengals’ offensive

       linemen were on the field with their standard

       sleeveless jerseys in an effort to intimidate a

       Charger team more accustomed to the warmer

       California weather. The game has entered NFL

       lore as the Freezer Bowl.

*     Super Bowl XVI: January 24th, 1982 –

       Cincinnati appeared in Super Bowl XVI facing

       the San Francisco 49ers. Played in Detroit’s

       Silverdome, it was the first Super Bowl north of

       the Mason-Dixon line. It was also the first Super

       Bowl since Super Bowl III to feature two teams

       who had never appeared in a Super Bowl before.

       (Super Bowl XX is the only game with this

       feature.) The Bengals hurt themselves early

       and often in the game. After recovering a fumble

       from the 49ers on the opening kickoff, the

       Bengals gave the ball right back to San Francisco

       by throwing an interception, which led to a

       49ers touchdown on their next possession.

       Later, a fumble cost the Bengals a sure score and

       another gave the 49ers a field goal. By halftime,

       the 49ers had built a 20 – 0 lead, the largest half

       time margin in Super Bowl history, at the time.

       The Bengals made a valiant comeback attempt

       in the second half, and managed to outscore San

       Francisco by 15 points, but committed even more

       costly turn-overs; another interception and a 

       turnover on downs when the 49ers stuffed an

       attempted fourth down conversion attempt on

       the San Francisco one-yard line. Cincinnati

       ended up losing the game 26 – 21 despite

       outgaining the 49ers in total yards 356 to 274

       and setting 3 Super Bowl records: most

       receptions by one player (11 by Dan Ross),

       most completions (25 by Ken Anderson), and

       highest completion percentage (73.5).

*     December 20th, 1982: On a Monday Night Foot-

       ball stage, Bengals’ quarterback Ken Anderson

       set a single-game team record by completing 40

       passes in a 50 – 34 shootout loss to the San

       Diego Chargers.

*     November 28th, 1982: Defensive back Ken

       Riley tied his own franchise record by

       intercepting 3 passes from Los Angeles Raiders

       quarterback Jim Plunkett, leading the Bengals

       to a 31 – 17 win.

*     January 2nd, 1983: In the regular season’s final

       game, the Bengals beat the Houston Oilers 35 –

       27. Cincinnati once again won the AFC Central

       division crown. Ken Anderson set an NFL record

       by completing 20 consecutive passes in the game

       and finished the season winning his second con

       secutive passing title. It was the second time in

       his career he had won the title in back-to-back

       seasons. Anderson finished the season 

       completing 70.55% of his passes, an NFL single

       season record.

*     January 9th, 1983: The New York Jets traveled to
       Cincinnati and beat the Bengals 44 – 17 in the first

       round of the NFL Playoffs.

*     October 28th, 1984: Bengals’ bruising fullback 

       Lenny Kinnebrew scored four touchdowns setting

       a team single game scoring record as the Bengals

       drilled the Houston Oilers 31 – 13.

*     December 21st, 1986: In the final game of the

       1986 season, Bengals’ quarterback Boomer

       Esiason set a team record by throwing five

       touchdown passes as Cincinnati shot down the

       New York Jets 52 – 21. It was also the last

       game for Bengals’ quarterback Ken Anderson.

*     October 16th, 1988: After leading Cincinnati

       to six straight wins to begin the season,

       Boomer Esiason set a single game team record

       throwing 5 interceptions in a 27 – 21 loss to

       the New England Patriots.

*     November 6th, 1988: Bengals wide receiver

       Eddie Brown set a single-game tam record

       with 216 receiving yards as the Bengals

       defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 42 – 7 in

       Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium.

*     December 17th, 1988: In the regular season

       finale, Bengals place kicker Jim Breech

       kicked a short field goal in overtime to edge the

       Washington Redskins 20 – 17. The win brought

       the team to 12 – 4 and locked up the

       organization’s fifth AFC Central division title.

       Quarterback Boomer Esiason finished the

       season as the NFL’s top-rated passer.

*     December 31, 1988: Cincinnati hosted its

       fourth NFL playoff game. A sellout crowd at

       Riverfront Stadium watched the Bengals beat

       the Seattle Seahawks 21 – 13.

*     January 8th, 1989: The Cincinnati Bengals shut

       down the Buffalo Bills 21 – 10 to win the

       organization’s second AFC Championship.

*     Super Bowl XXIII January 22nd, 1989: The

       Bengals earned a rematch with the 49ers in

       Super Bowl XXIII but lost 20 – 16 in Miami’s

       Joe Robbie Stadium. The Bengals boasted the

       highest-scoring offense in 1988 and rebounded

       from a 4 – 12 record in 1987. But a few un

       fortunate events prevented the team from

       capturing the world championship. The night

       before the game, Bengals fullback Stanley

       Wilson suffered a “cocaine relapse”, and did

       not participate in the game. Head coach Sam

       Wyche was forced to alter the game plan only

       hours before the opening kickoff. Bengals All-

       Pro nose tackle Tim Krumrie broke his leg in

       three places while tackling Roger Craig early

       in the first quarter. At the start of the fourth

       quarter, Bengals cornerback Lewis Billups

       dropped a sure interception in the end zone

       which would have sealed a Cincinnati win.

       The 49ers Jerry Rice scored on the next play.

       Despite all the adversity, the game remained

       close and the Bengals led the 49ers in the

       waning minutes of the game until the

       memorable drive late in the game, capped by

       a touchdown pass from Joe Montana to John 

       Taylor with only 34 seconds left in the contest,

       which erased a Bengals lead and put the 49ers

       ahead for good.

*     October 29th, 1989: Boomer Esiason tied his

       own record for touchdown passes in a game

       as the Bengals beat the Tampa Bay

       Buccaneers 56 – 23. The Bengals tied a team

       record with eight touchdowns in the game.

The 1990’s: the Bengals become the “Bungles”

*     Paul Brown, legendary NFL personality and

       innovator, died in 1991. He had already

       transferred control to his son, Mike Brown,

       but was reported to still influence the daily

       operations of the team. Shortly after his

       death, the Bengals’ fortunes changed for the

       worse for a long time. During the decade,

       the team was nicknamed the “Bungles” by

       detractors, as the team began a lengthy

       playoff drought that lasted until 2005.

       Wyche, David Shula, Bruce Coslet, and

       Dick LeBeau coached the Bengals in the

      ‘90’s.

Memorable players from the 1990’s

*     Lee Johnson (1988 – 1998): was the

       Bengals punter for 11 seasons. Set a

       Super Bowl record for longest punt with a

       63-yard punt in Super Bowl XXIII. Overall,

       Johnson played 18 seasons in the NFL and

       recorded a career total of 51,979 punting

       yards, the third most in NFL history when

       he was cut from the team. During the

       dismal decade Johnson made a bitter

       comment about team management

       (referring to individuals higher than the

       coaches) and was suspended, fined and

       then cut from the team before the Pickens

       incident. Johnson was one of the more

       recognizable and veteran players.

*     Carl Pickens (1992 – 1999) and Darnay

       Scott, both wide receivers along with

       quarterback Jeff Blake (1994 – 1999): The

       trio rekindled the Bengals’ identity as a

       high-powered offense. Pickens was a fast

       and elusive receiver; he was well

       disciplined in running routes, displaying

       excellent hands. Scott complimented him

       with his own amazing speed. Pickens was

       the more favored target of Blake and when

       Pickens left, Scott was unable to fill the

       vacancy. Pickens, with other teams, was

       nowhere near as successful without Blake

       as his quarterback. The three worked

       excellently together and when one wasn’t

       there the chemistry was gone for them as a

       team or individual. Pickens made the Pro

       Bowl twice with the Bengals and held the

       team record for most receptions in the

       regular season until 2007. He left the team

       due to personality conflicts (which led to

       some fines as well as a new player

       contract clause for later players nicknamed

       the “Pickens Clause” which penalizes

       players for disparaging remarks about the

       club or management).

       Scott recorded over 800 receiving yards in

       all of his 7 seasons with the Bengals, with

       the sole exception of 1997, when he recorded

       797 yards.

       Blake was the only other quarterback, other

       than Esiason in 1997, to lead the team to a

       non-losing record (8 – 8) during the string of

       bad seasons. He was famous for his short

       stature and his “moon ball” (nicknamed such

       for its high arc) which was a very successful

       play to Carl Pickens and Darnay Scott. He

       was drafted by the Jets under their head coach

       of the time, Coslet, and came over as a backup

       to David Klingler when Coslet arrived. He got

       the start due to injuries and was never

       challenged for the quarterback position by

       Klingler again. He was benched after the

       drafting Akili Smith. Blake remained in the

       league as starter and backup beyond 2005

       whereas neither of his favorite receivers

       remained in the league for another 2 years

       after they left the Bengals.

*     Corey Dillion (1997 – 2003): Controversial

       but highly talented running back. He broke

       many league rookie records (which were

       subsequently broken in the next year) and

       Bengal franchise records (which were broken

       by his replacement Rudi Johnson). He left the

       Bengals prior to the 2004 campaign and won

       Super Bowl XXXIX with the New England

       Patriots. Left the Bengals with insulting

       statements which many Bengals’ fans reacted

       to with anger. He holds Bengals records for

       most career rushing yards (8,061) and rushing

       yards in one game (278).

*     Takeo Spikes (1998 – 2002): Fast, strong

       (tackled hulking and lumbering RB Jerome

       Bettis with one hand by the neck collar from

       behind), emotional and talented inside line

       backer. Coupled with Brian Simmons, he was

       a powerful force and emotional leader for the

       maligned defense. He left Cincinnati for the

       Buffalo Bills after the 2 – 14 2002 season

       under Dick LeBeau, believing Cincinnati

       would not turn itself around under rookie head

       coach Marvin Lewis. The Bengals went 27 –

       21 over the next three season, including an 11

       – 5 AFC North Division Championship

       season in 2005. The Bills went 20 – 28 over

       the same period with no postseason

       appearances.

       Ki-Jana Carter, Dan Wilkenson, Akili Smith,

       and David Klingler were four players drafted

       during this period touted as “franchise-saving”

       individuals. Whether it was a lack of talent,

       poor coaching, bad luck with injuries, each of

       these draft proved to be an astoundingly

       horrible selection. Dan Wilkinson, the first

       pick of the 1994 draft, is the only one who

       remained in the league with other teams but

       never had the “breakout season” to justify his

       1st-round draft status, high paying initial

       contract, or being the number one overall

       draft pick.

1990’s games of note

*     October 7th, 1990: Bengals’ quarterback Boomer

       Esiason threw for 490 yards (a single game team

       passing record) in a 34 – 31 victory over the Los

       Angeles Rams.

*     December 30th, 1990: The Bengals won the

       Battle of Ohio, beating the Cleveland Browns

       21 – 14. The victory made the team once again

       AFC Central division champs.

*     January 13th, 1991: In the organization’s sixth

       home game playoff game, Sam Wyche and the

       Bengals again drilled the Houston Oilers 41 – 14.

*     January 13th, 1991: A week after the victory

       over the Oilers, the Los Angeles Raiders

       knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs by a

       20 – 10 score. During the game, All-Pro

       running back Bo Jackson suffered a career

       ending hip injury on a routine tackle by

       linebacker Kevin Walker.

*     December 17th, 1995: The Bengals lose

       to their interstate rival, the Cleveland Browns

       26 – 10, in the last game played in the 

      “Battle of Ohio” series for the next four

       years, as the Browns relocated to Baltimore

       following the ’95 season and became the

       Baltimore Ravens.

*     December 4th, 1997: Running back Corey

       Dillon rushed for 246 yards on 39 carries,

       breaking the NFL rookie record of 237 yards

       set by Jim Brown in 1957. This mark would

       later be eclipsed by Mike Anderson of the

       Denver Broncos.

*     December 21st, 1997: Bengals’ quarterback

       Boomer Esiason played his last NFL game. 

       His last play was a 79-yard touchdown play-

       action pass to wide receiver Darnay Scott.

       Cincinnati won the game 16 – 14 against the

       Baltimore Ravens. Boomer finished the

       season with a 107-quarterback rating.

*     October 10th, 1999: The Browns return to

       the NFL and host their interstate rivals, with

       the Bengals winning 18 – 17.

2000’s: Return to relevance

Intensification of rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bengals have played the Steelers more than any

other team in the NFL (the Browns missed keeping

pace by being out of the league for three years, the

Oilers/Titans was moved from the division, and the

Baltimore Ravens are considered a “new” franchise

as Cleveland retained its rights to the name and

history). LeBeau and Marvin Lewis coached the

Bengals in the 2000’s.

Memorable players from the 2000’s

*     Carson Palmer: 2002 Heisman Trophy Award

       winner, was the first Bengals quarterback to

       have a 100+ passer rating for the season and

       broke several team passing records in his year

       as a starter (attempts, completions, and touch

       downs). He also tied the NFL record for

       consecutive games with a 100+ rating during

       the same season. He holds the Bengals’ Single

       Season Passing Yards with 4,035 yards (2006),

       as well as the record for touchdown passes in

       a season (32) and single game (6).

*     The Johnsons: Wide receiver Chad Johnson,

       tailback Rudi Johnson, and fullback Jeremi

       Johnson formed an offensive trio that

       propelled the Bengals’ offense into its high-

       standing. Chad Johnson broke the team record

       for reception yards in consecutive years (’04 &

       ’05 season, 1,400+ yards), also first Bengal to

       ever lead the NFL in receiving yards in 2006.

       In 2007, he became the team’s all-time leader

       in receptions and receiving yards. Rudi 

       Johnson broke the team record for rushing

       yards in consecutive years (’04 &’05 season).
       Jeremi Johnson, while used primarily as a

       blocking fullback, is a very capable receiver

       and elusive in the open field.

*     Willie Anderson and Levi Jones: they are the

       left and right tackles. Willie Anderson has

       started a franchise record number of

       consecutive games.

*     Deltha O’Neal and Tory James: alternated

       leading the Bengals in interceptions, where

       one or both gained yearly recognition by

       making it into the Pro Bowl. In 2005, O’

       Neal set a franchise record with 10

       interceptions.

*     Shayne Graham: Signed by the Bengals

       after being cut from 2 other teams,

       Graham set a Bengals record by making

       88% (22 of 25) of his field goals in his

       first season with them. He made the Pro

       Bowl in 2005.

*     T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Was a collegiate

       teammate of Chad Johnson’s at Oregon

       State and, like Johnson, had a troubled

       history. Originally a third and fourth

       receiver, Houshmandzadeh overcame

       hamstring problems that plagued him in

       his second year, shed some weight to

       improve his performance and was

       promoted to the starting lineup in 2004

       with the release of Peter Warrick. While

       not quite as fast as Johnson,

       Houshmandzadeh has proven himself a

       dependable possession receiver who’s

       willing to make the tough short and

       medium range catches in traffic where is

       prone to taking hard hits. In 2007, he set

       the team record for receptions in a season.

*     Peter Warrick: Was another Bengals

       first-round pick that didn’t pan out.

*     Linebacker Odell Thurman and wide

       receiver Chris Henry: Were both high

       draft picks in 2005 and they made

       immediate positive impacts on the field

       for the Bengals. Odell was a candidate for

       NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Chris

       Henry provided a second deep threat

       alongside Chad Johnson and bolstered the

       offense tremendously. Both, however, had

       off-field issues involving league substance

       violations and legal troubles. During their

       short careers, they had a limited amount of

       playing time before being released between

       the 2007 – 2008 season. Their non-football

       related troubles are often considered to be

       the most visible incidents giving the Bengals

       a stigma of being in trouble with the law

       and the league.

Part 3 of this article will be

 posted  on October 8, 2024