NFL » AFC Central http://www.nfl4all.com National Football League, Playoffs, Teams, Games, Articles, News and Match Analysis Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:22:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Cincinnati Bengals http://www.nfl4all.com/cincinnati-bengals/cincinnati-bengals.html http://www.nfl4all.com/cincinnati-bengals/cincinnati-bengals.html#comments Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:50:11 +0000 Neal http://www.nfl4all.com/?p=113 Cincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals became apart of the American Football League in 1968 only to merge with the NFL in 1970. The Bengals weren’t the first professional football team, during the 1930′s and 1940′s the team with the same name played in Cincinnati. The Bengals won their first home game in the second game of the season defeating the Denver Broncos 24-10 on September 15, 1968, finishing with a 3-11 season. Coach Paul Brown, who had a major influence in bringing a team back to Cincinnati, won AFL Coach of the Year in 1969. Brown coached the Cleveland Browns for seventeen seasons. Brown was eager to get back into coaching and with the aid of then governor Jim Rhodes brought football back to Cincinnati.The Bengals first winning season came in just two seasons later in 1970 with a 8-6 record winning the AFC Central. This was the first time that an expansion team would win a division title in its first three season. As the decade wore on the Bengals came back down to Earth and posting back-to-back 4-12 seasons in 1978 and 1979. In 1981 the Bengals rebounded and made their way to Super Bowl XVI bu lost to the San Francisco 49ers 26-21, this was the beginning of the 49ers dynasty. Following a disappointing 4-12 season in 1987, the 1988 Bengals went 12-4 finishing first in the AFC Central and were Super Bowl contenders once again playing in Super Bowl XXIII. As was the case in their previous Super Bowl appearance the Bengals lost to the 49ers 20-16 on a last minute pass by all-time great quarterback Joe Montana.

The Bengals were lead in the 1980′s and early 1990′s by left-handed quarterback Boomer Esiason. Boomer was one of the most prolific left-handed passers of all-time being elected four times to the Pro Bowl, named the leagues Most Valuable Player in 1988, and has over 37,000 career passing yards. Another Bengal great was offensive tackle Anthony Munoz. Munuz was elected to eleven straight ro Bowl from 1982 to 1992 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

The 1990′s were a low point in Bengals history. They only appeared in two playoff games, winning one, in the entire decade posting four different 3-13 seasons. From 1991-2004 the Bengals made the playoffs zero times, never having a winning season and even had a league worst 2-14 record in 2002.

The 2000′s have produced not much more success then the 1990′s did. The Bengals since 2000 have only made the playoffs one time in 2005 winning the AFC North with a 11-5 record. The Bengals lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who eventually would go on to win Super Bowl XL, in the first round 31-17. There are positives within the Bengals organization, with quarterback Carson Palmer the Bengals have someone to build a team around.

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