1970 Cincinnati Bengals season

NFL team season March 2021 March 2026 Cincinnati Bengals 1970 8–6 1st AFC Central Paul Brown Paul Brown Riverfront Stadium Lost Divisional Playoffs(at Colts) 0–17 Bengals seasons The 1970 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's first season in the National Football League (NFL), and the third overall. The NFL-AFL merger took place before the season and the Bengals, who were placed in the same division as the "old-guard NFL" Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, were not expected to be playoff contenders. Nevertheless, the Bengals made their first NFL campaign a memorable one. After winning their first ever game as a member of the NFL, their inaugural game in the brand new Riverfront Stadium, they would lose six games in a row. After the 1–6 start, the Bengals would win the rest of their games, rallying to an 8–6 finish and champions of the newly formed AFC Central division. In their first playoff game, the Bengals lost 17–0, to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Colts. Cincinnati quarterback Greg Cook was forced to the Injured Reserve list in training camp with a shoulder injury that would ultimately end his career; Virgil Carter took over as the starter. In just their third season, the 1970 Bengals set a league mark by being the first NFL expansion team to qualify for the playoffs within their first three seasons of existence.The record stood until being eclipsed in 1996 by both the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, who each made the playoffs in their second seasons. The team is one of only four teams since the 1970 merger to start the season 1–5 or worse and qualify for the playoffs, the others being the 2015 Kansas City Chiefs,Chiefs clinch playoffs on nailbiter, win ninth straight after 1-5 start https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/chiefs-clinch-playoffs-on-nailbiter--win-ninth-straight-after-1-5-213505816.html Sports.Yahoo.com the 2018 Indianapolis Colts, and the 2020 Washington Football Team. Offseason NFL draft 1970 NFL draft 1970 Cincinnati Bengals 1 7 Mike Reid Defensive tackle Penn State yes yes 2 32 Ron Carpenter Defensive tackle North Carolina State yes 3 60 Chip Bennett Linebacker Abilene Christian 4 85 Joe Stephen Guard Jackson State 4 104 Billie Hayes Defensive back San Diego State 6 138 Sandy Durko Defensive back USC yes 7 163 Lemar Parrish Defensive back Lincoln (MO) yes yes 8 188 Bill Trout Defensive tackle Miami (FL) 9 216 Bill Bolden Running back UCLA 10 241 Nick Roman Linebacker Ohio State yes 11 266 Samuel Wallace Offensive tackle Grambling State 12 294 Thomas Truesdell Defensive end Ohio Wesleyan 13 319 Paul Dunn Wide receiver U.S. International yes 14 344 Joe Johnson Wide receiver Johnson C. Smith 15 372 Marvin Weeks Defensive back Alcorn State 16 397 Larry Ely Linebacker Iowa yes 17 422 Richard Smith Running back Washington State no https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/1970_draft.htm 1970 Cincinnati Bengals draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com October 12, 2014 Personnel Staff / Coaches 1970 Cincinnati Bengals Owner/General Manager - Paul Brown President – John Sawyer Director of Player Personnel – Pete Brown Head Coach/General Manager – Paul Brown Offensive Backfield – Jack Donaldson Receivers – Bill Walsh Offensive Line – Bill Johnson Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backfield – Chuck Weber Defensive Line – Chuck Studley Linebackers – Vince Costello Final roster 1970 Cincinnati Bengals 11 Virgil Carter 14 Sam Wyche 44 Doug Dressler y 19 Essex Johnson 40 Ron Lamb 30 Jess Phillips American football 18 Paul Robinson American football 10 Eric Crabtree 25 Chip Myers 17 Speedy Thomas 88 Bruce Coslet 87 Mike Kelly gridiron football, born 1948 y 84 Bob Trumpy 63 Guy Dennis G/C 72 Howard Fest T 54 Bob Johnson American football C 73 Pat Matson G 71 Rufus Mayes G 67 Michael Wilson offensive lineman T 75 Ernie Wright T 85 Martin Baccaglio DE 82 Royce Berry DE 70 Ron Carpenter defensive lineman y DE 79 Steve Chomyszak DT 78 Willie Jones defensive lineman, born 1942 DT 74 Mike Reid singer y DT 81 Nick Roman y DE 51 Ken Avery OLB 58 Al Beauchamp OLB 66 Bill Bergey MLB 65 Wayne McClure OLB 53 Bill Peterson linebacker OLB 23 Al Coleman FS 27 Ken Dyer FS 28 John Guillory American football CB 20 Lemar Parrish y CB 13 Ken Riley CB 31 Fletcher Smith American football SS 15 Dave Lewis punter P 16 Horst Mühlmann K -- Chip Bennett y LB IR 12 Greg Cook QB IR 29 Sandy Durko y S IR 21 Paul Dunn running back y RB 59 Larry Ely y LB 80 Ken Johnson defensive end, born 1947 y DE 24 Tommie Smith WR 77 Bob Wells American football T https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/1970_roster.htm 1970 Cincinnati Bengals starters, roster, and players Pro-Football-Reference.com October 20, 2014 Regular season thumb|right|The Bengals began playing home games at Riverfront Stadium in 1970 The Bengals set a league record for most points in a game scored by the special teams, with 31 in a 43–14 victory at Buffalo on November 8, 1970. Cornerback Lemar Parrish scored two special teams touchdowns: one on a 95-yard kickoff return, and another on an 83-yard return of a blocked field goal attempt. Parrish is the only Bengals player ever to score two touchdowns in a game on returns and/or recoveries — and he did it three times. Kicker Horst Muhlmann added 15 points on five field goals, and four extra points by Muhlmann completed the special teams onslaught. The offense scored only one touchdown, a one-yard run by running back Jess Phillips. The defense scored a touchdown on an eight-yard fumble return by defensive end Royce Berry. Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 20 Oakland Raiders W 31–21 1–0 Riverfront Stadium Recap 2 September 27 at Detroit Lions L 3–38 1–1 Tiger Stadium Recap 3 October 4 Houston Oilers L 13–20 1–2 Riverfront Stadium Recap 4 October 11 at Cleveland Browns L 27–30 1–3 Cleveland Stadium Recap 5 October 18 Kansas City Chiefs L 19–27 1–4 Riverfront Stadium Recap 6 October 25 at Washington Redskins L 0–20 1–5 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Recap 7 November 2, 1970 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–21 1–6 Three Rivers Stadium Recap 8 November 8 at Buffalo Bills W 43–14 2–6 War Memorial Stadium Recap 9 November 15 Cleveland Browns W 14–10 3–6 Riverfront Stadium Recap 10 November 22 Pittsburgh SteelersW 34–7 4–6 Riverfront Stadium Recap 11 November 29 New Orleans Saints W 26–6 5–6 Riverfront Stadium Recap 12 December 6 at San Diego Chargers W 17–14 6–6 San Diego Stadium Recap 13 December 13 at Houston Oilers W 30–20 7–6 Astrodome Recap 14 December 20 Boston Patriots W 45–7 8–6 Riverfront Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 296 Season summary Week 1 vs Raiders 1970 Oakland Raiders season Cincinnati Bengals 1970 2; text-align:center collapsed Week One: Oakland Raiders (0–0) at Cincinnati Bengals (0–0) September 20, 1970 1:00 p.m. Raiders 7 0 14 0 Bengals 7 7 14 3 Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio 56,616 74 F C Pro-Football-Reference.com First quarter CIN – Sam Wyche 5-yard run (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 7–0. Drive: OAK – Fred Biletnikoff 20-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick). Tie 7–7. Drive: Second quarter CIN – Essex Johnson 51-yard pass from Sam Wyche (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 14–7. Drive: Third quarter CIN – Paul Robinson 3-yard run (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 21–7. Drive: OAK – Fred Biletnikoff 18-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica (George Blanda kick). Bengals 21–14. Drive: OAK – Alvin Wyatt 63-yard punt return (George Blanda kick). Tie 21–21. CIN – Jess Phillips 76-yard run (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 28–21. Drive: Fourth quarter CIN – Horst Muhlmann 38-yard field goal. Bengals 31–21. Drive: Top passers OAK – Daryle Lamonica – 17/36, 265 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT CIN – Sam Wyche – 8/18, 147 yards, TD Top rushers OAK – Charlie Smith – 8 rushes, 29 yards CIN – Jess Phillips – 15 rushes, 130 yards, TD Top receivers OAK – Fred Biletnikoff – 6 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD CIN – Bob Trumpy – 4 receptions, 67 yards Team stats 1970 Cincinnati Bengals Team Stats TEAM STATS Bengals Opponents TOTAL FIRST DOWNS 210 236 Rushing 100 87 Passing 97 131 Penalty 13 18 TOTAL NET YARDS 3927 4178 Avg Per Game 280.5 298.4 Total Plays 831 874 Avg. Per Play 4.7 4.8 NET YARDS RUSHING 2057 1543 Avg. Per Game 146.9 110.2 Total Rushes 461 418 NET YARDS PASSING 1870 2635 Avg. Per Game 133.6 188.2 Sacked Yards Lost 31–227 28–250 Gross Yards 2097 2885 Att. Completions 339–172 428–209 Completion Pct. 50.7 48.8 Intercepted 11 23 PUNTS-AVERAGE 79–46.2 80–43.8 PENALTIES-YARDS 71–831 81–784FUMBLES-BALL LOST 22–12 28–16 TOUCHDOWNS 34 31 Rushing 16 11 Passing 12 18 Returns 6 2 Score by Periods 1 2 3 4 Tot Bengals 56 111 85 60 312 Opponents 49 82 52 72 255 Team leaders Passing: Virgil Carter (278 Att, 143 Comp, 1647 Yds, 51.4 Pct, 9 TD, 9 Int, 66.9 Rating) Rushing: Jess Phillips (163 Att, 648 Yds, 4.0 Avg, 76 Long, 4 TD) Receiving: Chip Myers (32 Rec, 542 Yds, 16.9 Avg, 56 Long, 1 TD) Scoring: Horst Muhlmann, 108 points (25 FG; 33 PAT) Playoffs Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap Divisional December 26 at Baltimore ColtsL 0–17 0–1 Memorial Stadium Recap Awards and records Pro Bowl selections CB Lemar Parrish TE Bob Trumpy References External links 1970 Cincinnati Bengals at Pro-Football-Reference.com Cincinnati Bengals Category:Cincinnati Bengals seasons Category:AFC Central championship seasons Cincinnati