1988 Cincinnati Bengals season
Encyclopedia
The 1988
Cincinnati Bengals
season was the team's 21st year in professional football and its 19th with the National Football League
.
The Bengals were a team on the rebound. During the 1987 strike-shortened season, quarterback Boomer Esiason and head coach Sam Wyche had openly feuded, and the team finished with a miserable 4–11 record. A lot of Bengals fans would have been happy to see them both leave the team, but they worked out their differences in the off-season and Esiason ended up having the best season of his career en route to Super Bowl XXIII
. During the regular season, he threw for 3,572 yards and 28 touchdown passes with only 14 interceptions, while also rushing for 248 yards and a touchdown on 43 carries. Esiason's performance made him the top rated quarterback in the league with a 97.4 passer rating and earned him the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Cincinnati had a number of offensive weapons, boasting 6 Pro Bowl selections. Wide receiver Eddie Brown was the top receiver on the team, with 54 receptions for 1,273 yards and 9 touchdowns, setting franchise records for most receiving yards in season, highest yards per catch average in a season (24.0) and most receiving yards in a single game (216 against the Pittsburgh Steelers
). Wide receiver Tim McGee
and Pro Bowl tight end Rodney Holman
were also major threats, combining for 75 receptions, 1,213 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Rookie fullback Ickey Woods
was their top rusher with 1,066 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 199 yards. Woods gained a lot of media attention with his "Ickey Shuffle", a dance routine he did in the end zone to celebrate his touchdowns. Multi-talented running back James Brooks was also a key contributor, gaining a total of 1,218 combined rushing and receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. And the Bengals' offensive line was led by such Pro Bowl players as right guard Max Montoya
and left tackle Anthony Muñoz
. Muñoz was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year the third time in his career, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the 8th season in a row. The Bengals' pioneering use of the Hurry-up offense
was perfected that year, making it difficult for defenders to respond to plays. With all these weapons, Cincinnati's offense led the NFL in scoring (448 points), rushing yards (2,710), and total yards (6,302).
The Bengals defense ranked 17th in the league, allowing 5,556 yards and 329 points during the regular season. Cincinnati had a superb defensive line, led by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tim Krumrie
, along with linemen Jim Skow
(9.5 sacks), David Grant
(5 sacks), and Jason Buck
(6 sacks). Pro Bowl defensive backs Eric Thomas and David Fulcher
combined for 12 interceptions. The team ended up winning the AFC Central with a 12 – 4 record.
Bengals were to play the San Francisco 49ers
. On the evening of January 21, 1989, the night before the game, Stanley Wilson told the coaching staff that he had left his playbook in his hotel room before a team meeting. When he was fifteen minutes late, his position coach, Jim Anderson, looked for him. He found Wilson crumpled on the bathroom floor of his hotel room with cocaine next to him. Later that night, he slipped away from a Bengal staffer who was watching him and got more cocaine. No one from the Bengals heard from him again until the day after the game.
Tim Krumrie may perhaps be best known for suffering one of the most dramatic football injuries ever televised, a shattered leg during Super Bowl XXIII
against the San Francisco 49ers. Although it was reported at the time and widely believed that his foot caught in the grass, causing the break, a Cincinnati videographer had the best angle, and the breaks to Krumrie's leg occurred when Roger Craig's knee smashed through both lower leg bones. Krumrie suffered two breaks in his tibia and another in his fibula.
It has been argued that the loss of Stanley Wilson and Tim Krumrie suffering a broken leg may have contributed to the Bengals' loss to the 49ers. The field at Joe Robbie Stadium was somewhat muddy that night, but Wilson usually excelled in these conditions.
, the NFL's top rated quarterback and MVP during the season, limiting him to just 7 of 19 completions for 108 yards. But they were unable to contain Cincinnati on the ground. The Bengals recorded 254 rushing yards (126 of them and a touchdown from fullback Ickey Woods
), while holding the Seahawks to 22.
Cincinnati jumped to a 21–0 halftime lead with Woods' score and two from running back Stanley Wilson
. Meanwhile, the Seahawks could only manage 47 total yards in the first half. But after a scoreless third quarter, Seattle attempted a comeback. First, quarterback Dave Krieg
threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to John L. Williams, who finished the game with 11 receptions for 137 yards. Then Krieg scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. However, Norm Johnson
missed the extra point attempt and the Seattle was unable to score again.
completed only 14 of 30 passes for 161 yards and 1 touchdown, with 3 interceptions. Just like their previous game, the Bengals didn't get much of a performance from NFL MVP Boomer Esiason
, who completed only 11 of 20 passes for 94 yards, with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. But once again, their running game was able to pick up the slack, gaining 175 yards on the ground, 102 yards and 2 touchdowns coming from fullback Ickey Woods
.
Cincinnati took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter after defensive back Eric Thomas' interception set up Woods' 1-yard touchdown. Kelly led the Bills back with 4 consecutive completions, the last one a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Reed
. Then after forcing a punt, Buffalo drove to the Bengals 26-yard line, only to have Scott Norwood
miss a 43-yard field goal attempt. Following another punt, Kelly was intercepted again, this time by defensive back Lewis Billups
, and the Bengals capitalized with running back James Brooks' 10-yard touchdown reception from Esiason. Later on, Bills defensive back Mark Kelso
intercepted a pass from Esiason and returned it 25 yards, setting up a 39-yard field goal by Norwood to cut the Bills deficit to 14–10 by halftime.
The Bengals took over the game in the second half, forcing Buffalo to start all of their drives from inside their own 23-yard line and holding them to 53 yards, 2 first downs, and 0 points. Late in the third quarter, Bengals running back Stanley Wilson gained 6 yards on a fake punt attempt, and Cincinnati drove to score on Woods' second touchdown of the game, increasing their lead to 21–10. The Bills responded with a drive into Bengals territory, but safety David Fulcher
picked off a desperate fourth down pass from Kelly in the end zone.
This was the last time the Bengals defeated the Bills until Week 4 of the 2011 season
. The Bills would go on to win 10 straight against them.
After the two teams traded punts on their first drives of the game, the 49ers, aided by a roughing the passer penalty and a 17-yard screen pass to Tom Rathman on 3rd-and-10, marched 73 yards from their own 3-yard line to the Bengals 24. But dropped passes, including one by receiver Mike Wilson on the 2-yard line (the first time in a Super Bowl that instant replay was used to reverse a call), forced them to settle for a 41-yard field goal from kicker Mike Cofer.
On the 49ers next drive, Montana threw a pass to wide receiver Jerry Rice, who first tipped it to himself and then made a one-handed catch before stepping out of bounds at the San Francisco 45-yard line. Then after reaching the Cincinnati 42-yard line, Montana spotted defensive back Lewis Billups trying to cover Rice one-on-one and made him pay for it by completing a pass to the receiver at the 10. But two plays later on a third down play, Bengals safety David Fulcher made a touchdown saving tackle at the 2-yard line to keep full back Tom Rathman from scoring. Cofer then attempted a 19-yard field goal, but a poor snap from center Randy Cross (though NBC's Dick Enberg initially blamed backup guard Chuck Thomas; who lined up next to Cross) threw off the kicker's timing and his kick sailed wide left. It became the shortest missed field goal in Super Bowl history.
The 49ers then forced the Bengals to punt on their next drive. On the play, San Francisco Pro Bowl punt returner John Taylor misplayed punter Lee Johnson's kick, and it sailed over his head, bouncing all the way to the 49ers 9-yard line to make it a Super Bowl record 63 yard punt. But Taylor made up for his mistake by chasing the ball down and returning it for a Super Bowl record 45 yards to the Bengals 46-yard line. Thanks to Taylor, a seemingly routine punt had turned into a double record setter.
However, the 49ers were unable to take advantage of their excellent starting field position. On first down, running back Harry Sydney fumbled a pitch from Montana and was downed for a 10-yard loss after he dove on the ball. On the next play, Montana was sacked by defensive lineman David Grant. Then on third down, Fulcher forced a fumble from 49ers running back Roger Craig, and Bengals defensive end Jim Skow recovered the ball on his own 41-yard line. Cincinnati then drove to the San Francisco 42-yard line, but after 2 incomplete passes and defensive end Danny Stubbs's 8-yard sack on Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, they were forced to punt. However, Johnson pinned the 49ers back at their own 11-yard line with his punt. Then the Cincinnati defense limited the 49ers to just 1 yard on their ensuing drive, and ended up with great field position after defensive back Ray Horton returned San Francisco punter Barry Helton's 37-yard punt 5 yards to the 49ers 44-yard line
On their ensuing drive, the Bengals managed to get into scoring range by driving 28 yards to the San Francisco 16-yard line, assisted by an 18-yard completion from Esiason to receiver Tim McGee. But after Esiason's third down pass intended to wide receiver Eddie Brown was overthrown, they were forced to settle for kicker Jim Breech's 34-yard field goal with 1:15 left in the half.
The two teams went into their locker rooms tied 3 – 3, the first halftime tie in Super Bowl history, and the lowest halftime score since the Pittsburgh Steelers took a 2 – 0 halftime lead over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX.
On their opening possession in the second half, the Bengals managed to get a sustained drive going, moving the ball 61 yards in 12 plays and taking 9:15 off the clock. Esiason, who completed only 4 of 12 passes for 48 yards in the first half, completed 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards on the drive, including a 20-yard completion to James Brooks and 23-yard and 11-yard completions to Cris Collinsworth, setting up a 43-yard field goal from Breech to give the Bengals their first lead of the game, 6–3. Cincinnati then forced San Francisco to punt, but on the first play of their next drive, 49ers rookie linebacker Bill Romanowski intercepted a pass from Esiason at the Bengals' 23-yard line. However, after a dropped pass by Jerry Rice, the 49ers offense could not get a first down, and they had to settle for Cofer's 32-yard field goal to tie the game.
With less than a minute left in the third quarter, it appeared that this would become the first Super Bowl ever to go 3 quarters without either team scoring a touchdown. But on the ensuing kickoff, Bengals kick returner Stanford Jennings returned the ball 93 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 13 – 6 lead. Jennings would be the second player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl history. In four games played at Joe Robbie Stadium, each game had a kickoff return for a score, all by the eventual losing team.
But the 49ers immediately responded with a touchdown of their own, on an 85-yard, 4-play drive. First, Montana threw a short pass to Jerry Rice, who turned it into a 31-yard gain. Then the San Francisco quarterback completed a 40-yard pass to Craig on the first play of the 4th quarter, moving the ball to the Bengals 14-yard line. Montana's next pass was nearly intercepted but dropped by Billips in the endzone. Montana then threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rice, and the game was tied, 13 – 13.
Cofer's ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Bengals the ball at their own 35-yard line. But they could only reach the 43-yard line before being forced to punt. Taylor nearly turned the ball over by fumbling Johnson's punt, but his teammate Darryl Pollard recovered the ball at the San Francisco 18-yard line. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Montana completed a 44-yard pass to Rice, and then Craig ran for 7 yards, moving the ball to the Bengals 31-yard line. But after Craig was tackled for a 1-yard loss on the next play, Fulcher broke up a third down pass intended for Taylor, and then Cofer's ensuing 49-yard field attempt sailed wide right.
The Bengals took over from their own 32-yard line following the missed field goal, and retook the lead with a 10-play, 46-yard drive, featuring a 17-yard reception by backup receiver Ira Hillary on third down and 13, along with 21 yards on three carries from Ickey Woods and a 12-yard play-action sideline pass to James Brooks. At the end of the drive, Breech kicked a 40-yard field goal, giving the Bengals a 16–13 lead with 3:20 left in the game. The 49ers returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 15-yard line with 3:10 on the clock, but an illegal block penalty on the play pushed the ball back half the distance to the goal line to the 8.
Montana then led an 11-play, 92-yard drive to score the winning touchdown. In order to calm his teammates in the huddle just before the final game-winning drive, Montana pointed into the stadium crowd and said "Hey, isn't that John Candy?" The moment worked[3], and the 49ers were able to drive down the field for the win. It became the defining moment of Montana's "Joe Cool" reputation. Assuming that the Bengals would expect him to throw the ball near the sidelines (to enable the receivers to step out of bounds to immediately stop the clock), Montana first threw a pair of completions in the middle of the field, one to Craig and one to tight end John Frank. His next pass went 7 yards to Rice, which was then followed up by a pair of runs by Craig to reach their own 35-yard line. Montana then completed a 17-yard pass to Rice to advance the team to the Bengals 48-yard line, and followed it up with a 13-yard completion to Craig to move them to the 35-yard line.
But on the next play, Montana threw his first incomplete pass of the drive. After that, Cross committed an illegal man downfield penalty, which at the time was a 10-yard foul, moving the ball back to the 45-yard line and bringing up second down and 20 to go with just 1:15 left in the game. But Montana overcame the situation on the next play with a 27-yard completion to Rice, who caught the ball at the 33, evaded 3 Bengal defenders, and ran to the 18-yard line before Horton managed to tackle him to prevent a touchdown. An 8-yard pass to Craig then advanced San Francisco to the 10-yard line. Then with 39 seconds left in the game, Montana finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Taylor, giving the 49ers the lead for good. Finally, San Francisco's defense sealed the victory after Esiason's pass to Collinsworth was broken up as time expired.
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
season was the team's 21st year in professional football and its 19th with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
The Bengals were a team on the rebound. During the 1987 strike-shortened season, quarterback Boomer Esiason and head coach Sam Wyche had openly feuded, and the team finished with a miserable 4–11 record. A lot of Bengals fans would have been happy to see them both leave the team, but they worked out their differences in the off-season and Esiason ended up having the best season of his career en route to Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
. During the regular season, he threw for 3,572 yards and 28 touchdown passes with only 14 interceptions, while also rushing for 248 yards and a touchdown on 43 carries. Esiason's performance made him the top rated quarterback in the league with a 97.4 passer rating and earned him the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Cincinnati had a number of offensive weapons, boasting 6 Pro Bowl selections. Wide receiver Eddie Brown was the top receiver on the team, with 54 receptions for 1,273 yards and 9 touchdowns, setting franchise records for most receiving yards in season, highest yards per catch average in a season (24.0) and most receiving yards in a single game (216 against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
). Wide receiver Tim McGee
Tim McGee
Timothy Dwanye Hatchett McGee is a retired professional American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Redskins from 1986 to 1994...
and Pro Bowl tight end Rodney Holman
Rodney Holman
Rodney Holman is a former professional American football player who played tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals , and the Detroit Lions . Holman graduated from Ypsilanti High School in 1978 where he starred on the football team and was an all-state wrestler...
were also major threats, combining for 75 receptions, 1,213 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Rookie fullback Ickey Woods
Ickey Woods
Elbert L. "Ickey" Woods is a former American football fullback who played his entire NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at UNLV...
was their top rusher with 1,066 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 199 yards. Woods gained a lot of media attention with his "Ickey Shuffle", a dance routine he did in the end zone to celebrate his touchdowns. Multi-talented running back James Brooks was also a key contributor, gaining a total of 1,218 combined rushing and receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. And the Bengals' offensive line was led by such Pro Bowl players as right guard Max Montoya
Max Montoya
Max Montoya is a former professional U.S. football player as a guard who played sixteen seasons in the National Football League. He is a four-time Pro Bowl guard who played in two Super Bowls with the Cincinnati Bengals. this man was one of the best that ever played the game....
and left tackle Anthony Muñoz
Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
. Muñoz was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year the third time in his career, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the 8th season in a row. The Bengals' pioneering use of the Hurry-up offense
Hurry-up offense
The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The no-huddle offense refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to limit or disrupt defensive strategies and flexibility...
was perfected that year, making it difficult for defenders to respond to plays. With all these weapons, Cincinnati's offense led the NFL in scoring (448 points), rushing yards (2,710), and total yards (6,302).
The Bengals defense ranked 17th in the league, allowing 5,556 yards and 329 points during the regular season. Cincinnati had a superb defensive line, led by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tim Krumrie
Tim Krumrie
Timothy A. Krumrie is a former American football nose tackle who played his entire NFL career for the Cincinnati Bengals, from 1983 through 1994...
, along with linemen Jim Skow
Jim Skow
Jim Skow is a former American football defensive end who played seven seasons in the National Football League. He finished his career with 24 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. His best season was in 1988, recording 9.5 sacks and helping the Bengals reach Super Bowl XXIII, where he recorded several...
(9.5 sacks), David Grant
David Grant (American football)
David John Grant is a former professional American football player who played defensive end for six seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Green Bay Packers....
(5 sacks), and Jason Buck
Jason Buck
Jason Ogden Buck is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. As a player for Brigham Young University, he won the Outland Trophy in 1986. He was taken with the 17th pick of the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He recorded six...
(6 sacks). Pro Bowl defensive backs Eric Thomas and David Fulcher
David Fulcher
David Dwayne Fulcher is a former American Football safety who played for the Cincinnati Bengals , and the Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
combined for 12 interceptions. The team ended up winning the AFC Central with a 12 – 4 record.
Bengals were to play the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. On the evening of January 21, 1989, the night before the game, Stanley Wilson told the coaching staff that he had left his playbook in his hotel room before a team meeting. When he was fifteen minutes late, his position coach, Jim Anderson, looked for him. He found Wilson crumpled on the bathroom floor of his hotel room with cocaine next to him. Later that night, he slipped away from a Bengal staffer who was watching him and got more cocaine. No one from the Bengals heard from him again until the day after the game.
Tim Krumrie may perhaps be best known for suffering one of the most dramatic football injuries ever televised, a shattered leg during Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
against the San Francisco 49ers. Although it was reported at the time and widely believed that his foot caught in the grass, causing the break, a Cincinnati videographer had the best angle, and the breaks to Krumrie's leg occurred when Roger Craig's knee smashed through both lower leg bones. Krumrie suffered two breaks in his tibia and another in his fibula.
It has been argued that the loss of Stanley Wilson and Tim Krumrie suffering a broken leg may have contributed to the Bengals' loss to the 49ers. The field at Joe Robbie Stadium was somewhat muddy that night, but Wilson usually excelled in these conditions.
NFL Draft
| 1988 Cincinnati Bengals Draft | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Pick # | Overall | Name | Position | College |
| 1 | 5 | 5 | Rickey Dixon Rickey Dixon Rickey Dixon was a defensive back and special teams player for the Oklahoma Sooners and later the National Football League’s Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Raiders.-College football career:... |
Defensive Back | Oklahoma |
| 2 | 4 | 31 | Ickey Woods Ickey Woods Elbert L. "Ickey" Woods is a former American football fullback who played his entire NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at UNLV... |
Running Back | UNLV University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of... |
| 3 | 2 | 57 | Kevin Walker | Linebacker | Maryland |
| 4 | 2 | 84 | David Grant David Grant (American football) David John Grant is a former professional American football player who played defensive end for six seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Green Bay Packers.... |
Defensive End | West Virginia |
| 5 | 5 | 114 | Herb Wester | Offensive Tackle | Iowa |
| 6 | 4 | 141 | Paul Jetton | Center | Texas |
| 7 | 3 | 168 | Rich Romer | Linebacker | Union College Union College Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as... |
| 8 | 2 | 195 | Curtis Maxey | Defensive Tackle | Grambling |
| 9 | 5 | 226 | Brandy Wells | Defensive Back | Notre Dame |
| 10 | 4 | 253 | Ellis Dillahunt | Defensive Back | East Carolina East Carolina University East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in... |
| 11 | 3 | 280 | Paul Hickert | Kicker | Murray State |
| 12 | 2 | 307 | Carl Parker | Wide Receiver | Vanderbilt |
Schedule
| 1988 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent # | Result | Score | Attendance | Stadium |
| September 4 | Phoenix Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | 21–14 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| September 11 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | 28–24 | |
Veterans Stadium Veterans Stadium Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
| September 18 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
W | 17–12 | |
Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| September 25 | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | 24–17 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| October 2 | at Los Angeles Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | |
|
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... |
| October 9 | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | 36–19 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| October 16 | at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
L | 21–27 | |
Sullivan Stadium Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts... |
| October 23 | Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
W | 44–21 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| October 30 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L | 16–23 | |
Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football... |
| November 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
W | 42–7 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| November 13 | at Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
L | 28–31 | |
Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
| November 20 | at Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
W | 38–24 | |
Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675... |
| November 27 | Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | 35–21 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| December 4 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W | 27–10 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| December 11 | at Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L | 6–41 | |
Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
| December 18 | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W | 20–17(OT) | |
Riverfront Stadium |
Standings
| AFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 448 | 329 |
| Cleveland Browns 1988 Cleveland Browns season The 1988 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 39th season with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-Roster:-AFC Wild Card Game:... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 304 | 288 |
| Houston Oilers 1988 Houston Oilers season -Schedule:-Standings:-Playoffs:-References:* *... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 424 | 365 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers 1988 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1988 Pittsburgh Steelers began the season with the death of Hall of Fame team founder & owner Art Rooney at age 87 less than two weeks before the start of the season... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 336 | 421 |
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Leo Barker Leonardo Barker was the first person born in Panama to play in the NFL. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1984 until 1991. He played varsity football at Rainbow City/Cristobal in his native Panama. As of 2008, he is the head coach of the Hornets of Roswell High School... Ed Brady Ed John Brady is a former American football player.Brady was raised in Morris, Illinois and attended Morris Community High School, where he led the Morris Redskins football team to a state championship... Reggie Williams (linebacker) Reginald Williams is a former professional American football player.The recipient of an academic scholarship, Williams was a three-time All-Ivy League linebacker in football and an Ivy League heavyweight wrestling champion at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in... Joe Kelly (American football) Joseph Winston Kelly, Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played eleven seasons in the National Football League for six different teams. He played college football at the University of Washington and was drafted in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft.-External links:*... Emanuel King Emanuel King is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for four seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and two seasons for the Los Angeles Raiders.Random Facts:Was number 92 at Alabama.... Carl Zander Carl August Zander, Jr is former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League.... Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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AFC Divisional Playoff
Seattle's defense completely shut down Bengals quarterback Boomer EsiasonBoomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, the NFL's top rated quarterback and MVP during the season, limiting him to just 7 of 19 completions for 108 yards. But they were unable to contain Cincinnati on the ground. The Bengals recorded 254 rushing yards (126 of them and a touchdown from fullback Ickey Woods
Ickey Woods
Elbert L. "Ickey" Woods is a former American football fullback who played his entire NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at UNLV...
), while holding the Seahawks to 22.
Cincinnati jumped to a 21–0 halftime lead with Woods' score and two from running back Stanley Wilson
Stanley Wilson Sr.
Stanley T. Wilson, Sr. is an American former professional football player, a running back, who played for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals...
. Meanwhile, the Seahawks could only manage 47 total yards in the first half. But after a scoreless third quarter, Seattle attempted a comeback. First, quarterback Dave Krieg
Dave Krieg
David Michael Krieg is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He attended Milton College and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent...
threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to John L. Williams, who finished the game with 11 receptions for 137 yards. Then Krieg scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. However, Norm Johnson
Norm Johnson
Norman Douglas "Norm" Johnson is a former professional American football placekicker who played for 18 seasons in the National Football League. During that time, he played for the Seattle Seahawks , Atlanta Falcons , Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Philadelphia Eagles...
missed the extra point attempt and the Seattle was unable to score again.
AFC Championship Game
The Bengals forced 3 interceptions, and allowed only 45 rushing yards and 136 passing yards, while their offense held the ball for 39:29. Bills starting running back Thurman Thomas was held to just 6 yards on 4 carries, while quarterback Jim KellyJim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
completed only 14 of 30 passes for 161 yards and 1 touchdown, with 3 interceptions. Just like their previous game, the Bengals didn't get much of a performance from NFL MVP Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, who completed only 11 of 20 passes for 94 yards, with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. But once again, their running game was able to pick up the slack, gaining 175 yards on the ground, 102 yards and 2 touchdowns coming from fullback Ickey Woods
Ickey Woods
Elbert L. "Ickey" Woods is a former American football fullback who played his entire NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at UNLV...
.
Cincinnati took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter after defensive back Eric Thomas' interception set up Woods' 1-yard touchdown. Kelly led the Bills back with 4 consecutive completions, the last one a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Reed
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver in the National Football League for 16 seasons, 15 with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins .Reed ranks tenth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951.-Football career:Reed...
. Then after forcing a punt, Buffalo drove to the Bengals 26-yard line, only to have Scott Norwood
Scott Norwood
Scott Allan Norwood is a former American football placekicker in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills. Norwood was an integral part of its offense during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and kicked in Buffalo's first two Super Bowl appearances...
miss a 43-yard field goal attempt. Following another punt, Kelly was intercepted again, this time by defensive back Lewis Billups
Lewis Billups
Lewis Billups was a former American football cornerback who played seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers in the National Football League, recording 9 interceptions and 8 fumble recoveries...
, and the Bengals capitalized with running back James Brooks' 10-yard touchdown reception from Esiason. Later on, Bills defensive back Mark Kelso
Mark Kelso
Mark Alan Kelso is a former American football player who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the tenth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 177 lbs. safety from North Hills High School and the College of William & Mary, Kelso played in eight NFL seasons and his entire career with the...
intercepted a pass from Esiason and returned it 25 yards, setting up a 39-yard field goal by Norwood to cut the Bills deficit to 14–10 by halftime.
The Bengals took over the game in the second half, forcing Buffalo to start all of their drives from inside their own 23-yard line and holding them to 53 yards, 2 first downs, and 0 points. Late in the third quarter, Bengals running back Stanley Wilson gained 6 yards on a fake punt attempt, and Cincinnati drove to score on Woods' second touchdown of the game, increasing their lead to 21–10. The Bills responded with a drive into Bengals territory, but safety David Fulcher
David Fulcher
David Dwayne Fulcher is a former American Football safety who played for the Cincinnati Bengals , and the Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
picked off a desperate fourth down pass from Kelly in the end zone.
This was the last time the Bengals defeated the Bills until Week 4 of the 2011 season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
. The Bills would go on to win 10 straight against them.
Super Bowl
The game started out with devastating injuries on both sides. On the third play of the game, 49ers tackle Steve Wallace was taken off the field with a broken ankle. Later on, Bengals defensive lineman Tim Krumrie twisted his ankle nearly 180 degrees, shattering two bones in his left leg.After the two teams traded punts on their first drives of the game, the 49ers, aided by a roughing the passer penalty and a 17-yard screen pass to Tom Rathman on 3rd-and-10, marched 73 yards from their own 3-yard line to the Bengals 24. But dropped passes, including one by receiver Mike Wilson on the 2-yard line (the first time in a Super Bowl that instant replay was used to reverse a call), forced them to settle for a 41-yard field goal from kicker Mike Cofer.
On the 49ers next drive, Montana threw a pass to wide receiver Jerry Rice, who first tipped it to himself and then made a one-handed catch before stepping out of bounds at the San Francisco 45-yard line. Then after reaching the Cincinnati 42-yard line, Montana spotted defensive back Lewis Billups trying to cover Rice one-on-one and made him pay for it by completing a pass to the receiver at the 10. But two plays later on a third down play, Bengals safety David Fulcher made a touchdown saving tackle at the 2-yard line to keep full back Tom Rathman from scoring. Cofer then attempted a 19-yard field goal, but a poor snap from center Randy Cross (though NBC's Dick Enberg initially blamed backup guard Chuck Thomas; who lined up next to Cross) threw off the kicker's timing and his kick sailed wide left. It became the shortest missed field goal in Super Bowl history.
The 49ers then forced the Bengals to punt on their next drive. On the play, San Francisco Pro Bowl punt returner John Taylor misplayed punter Lee Johnson's kick, and it sailed over his head, bouncing all the way to the 49ers 9-yard line to make it a Super Bowl record 63 yard punt. But Taylor made up for his mistake by chasing the ball down and returning it for a Super Bowl record 45 yards to the Bengals 46-yard line. Thanks to Taylor, a seemingly routine punt had turned into a double record setter.
However, the 49ers were unable to take advantage of their excellent starting field position. On first down, running back Harry Sydney fumbled a pitch from Montana and was downed for a 10-yard loss after he dove on the ball. On the next play, Montana was sacked by defensive lineman David Grant. Then on third down, Fulcher forced a fumble from 49ers running back Roger Craig, and Bengals defensive end Jim Skow recovered the ball on his own 41-yard line. Cincinnati then drove to the San Francisco 42-yard line, but after 2 incomplete passes and defensive end Danny Stubbs's 8-yard sack on Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, they were forced to punt. However, Johnson pinned the 49ers back at their own 11-yard line with his punt. Then the Cincinnati defense limited the 49ers to just 1 yard on their ensuing drive, and ended up with great field position after defensive back Ray Horton returned San Francisco punter Barry Helton's 37-yard punt 5 yards to the 49ers 44-yard line
On their ensuing drive, the Bengals managed to get into scoring range by driving 28 yards to the San Francisco 16-yard line, assisted by an 18-yard completion from Esiason to receiver Tim McGee. But after Esiason's third down pass intended to wide receiver Eddie Brown was overthrown, they were forced to settle for kicker Jim Breech's 34-yard field goal with 1:15 left in the half.
The two teams went into their locker rooms tied 3 – 3, the first halftime tie in Super Bowl history, and the lowest halftime score since the Pittsburgh Steelers took a 2 – 0 halftime lead over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX.
On their opening possession in the second half, the Bengals managed to get a sustained drive going, moving the ball 61 yards in 12 plays and taking 9:15 off the clock. Esiason, who completed only 4 of 12 passes for 48 yards in the first half, completed 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards on the drive, including a 20-yard completion to James Brooks and 23-yard and 11-yard completions to Cris Collinsworth, setting up a 43-yard field goal from Breech to give the Bengals their first lead of the game, 6–3. Cincinnati then forced San Francisco to punt, but on the first play of their next drive, 49ers rookie linebacker Bill Romanowski intercepted a pass from Esiason at the Bengals' 23-yard line. However, after a dropped pass by Jerry Rice, the 49ers offense could not get a first down, and they had to settle for Cofer's 32-yard field goal to tie the game.
With less than a minute left in the third quarter, it appeared that this would become the first Super Bowl ever to go 3 quarters without either team scoring a touchdown. But on the ensuing kickoff, Bengals kick returner Stanford Jennings returned the ball 93 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 13 – 6 lead. Jennings would be the second player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl history. In four games played at Joe Robbie Stadium, each game had a kickoff return for a score, all by the eventual losing team.
But the 49ers immediately responded with a touchdown of their own, on an 85-yard, 4-play drive. First, Montana threw a short pass to Jerry Rice, who turned it into a 31-yard gain. Then the San Francisco quarterback completed a 40-yard pass to Craig on the first play of the 4th quarter, moving the ball to the Bengals 14-yard line. Montana's next pass was nearly intercepted but dropped by Billips in the endzone. Montana then threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rice, and the game was tied, 13 – 13.
Cofer's ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Bengals the ball at their own 35-yard line. But they could only reach the 43-yard line before being forced to punt. Taylor nearly turned the ball over by fumbling Johnson's punt, but his teammate Darryl Pollard recovered the ball at the San Francisco 18-yard line. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Montana completed a 44-yard pass to Rice, and then Craig ran for 7 yards, moving the ball to the Bengals 31-yard line. But after Craig was tackled for a 1-yard loss on the next play, Fulcher broke up a third down pass intended for Taylor, and then Cofer's ensuing 49-yard field attempt sailed wide right.
The Bengals took over from their own 32-yard line following the missed field goal, and retook the lead with a 10-play, 46-yard drive, featuring a 17-yard reception by backup receiver Ira Hillary on third down and 13, along with 21 yards on three carries from Ickey Woods and a 12-yard play-action sideline pass to James Brooks. At the end of the drive, Breech kicked a 40-yard field goal, giving the Bengals a 16–13 lead with 3:20 left in the game. The 49ers returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 15-yard line with 3:10 on the clock, but an illegal block penalty on the play pushed the ball back half the distance to the goal line to the 8.
Montana then led an 11-play, 92-yard drive to score the winning touchdown. In order to calm his teammates in the huddle just before the final game-winning drive, Montana pointed into the stadium crowd and said "Hey, isn't that John Candy?" The moment worked[3], and the 49ers were able to drive down the field for the win. It became the defining moment of Montana's "Joe Cool" reputation. Assuming that the Bengals would expect him to throw the ball near the sidelines (to enable the receivers to step out of bounds to immediately stop the clock), Montana first threw a pair of completions in the middle of the field, one to Craig and one to tight end John Frank. His next pass went 7 yards to Rice, which was then followed up by a pair of runs by Craig to reach their own 35-yard line. Montana then completed a 17-yard pass to Rice to advance the team to the Bengals 48-yard line, and followed it up with a 13-yard completion to Craig to move them to the 35-yard line.
But on the next play, Montana threw his first incomplete pass of the drive. After that, Cross committed an illegal man downfield penalty, which at the time was a 10-yard foul, moving the ball back to the 45-yard line and bringing up second down and 20 to go with just 1:15 left in the game. But Montana overcame the situation on the next play with a 27-yard completion to Rice, who caught the ball at the 33, evaded 3 Bengal defenders, and ran to the 18-yard line before Horton managed to tackle him to prevent a touchdown. An 8-yard pass to Craig then advanced San Francisco to the 10-yard line. Then with 39 seconds left in the game, Montana finished the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Taylor, giving the 49ers the lead for good. Finally, San Francisco's defense sealed the victory after Esiason's pass to Collinsworth was broken up as time expired.
Awards and records
The most 100-yard rushing games in a Bengals season is seven, during the 12–4 season of 1988. Ickey Woods had five while James Brooks had two. Ickey Woods set the franchise record for most rushing yards in a postseason game when he rumbled for 126 yards in Cincinnati's 21–13 victory over Seattle in the AFC Divisional Playoffs (Dec. 31).- Led NFL, 448 points scored
- Led NFL, 6,057 Total Yards Gained
- Led NFL, 2,710 Yards Rushing
- Eddie Brown, Franchise Record (since broken), Receiving Yards, 1,273 yards
- Eddie Brown, Franchise Record, Most Receiving Yards in One Game, 216 yards (achieved on November 6, 1988)
- Eddie Brown, Led AFC, Receiving Yards, 1,273 yards
- Boomer EsiasonBoomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
, NFL MVP - Boomer Esiason, Led NFL, Passer Rating, 97.4 rating
- Boomer Esiason, Led AFC, Touchdown Passes, 28 TD Passes
- Ickey Woods, Led AFC (tied), Touchdowns, 15 TD’s
Milestones
- Eddie Brown, 1st 1000 yard receiving season (1,273 yards)
- Ickey Woods, 1st 1000 yard rushing season (1,066 yards)
ProBowl Players
- RB James Brooks
- WR Eddie Brown
- QB Boomer Esiason
- S David Fulcher
- TE Rodney Holman
- NT Tim Krumrie
- G Max Montoya
- T Anthony Mu�oz
- CB Eric Thomas