Your First Bengals Game

[TecmoBengals]

I'm struggling to remember. I know it was at Riverfront, but I can't recall if it was the late '80s or early '90s.

My earliest and most vivid memory is the first time the Jags came to Cincinnati:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199509100cin.htm

My dad and I had great seats and it was cool seeing the players up close. Shake and Blake!

Looking at the box score, even Rod "TOAST, as in he is the original making fun of a player using the middle name TOAST" Jones even had an INT.

[Earendil]

I went to a couple of preseason games at Riverfront in the 90s. My first (and only) regular season game was the 2006 game in Denver that they lost on a bad snap for the PAT.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(10-20-2021, 01:20 AM)GodFather Wrote: Jets in the 90s. Ive been to about 6 Bengal games and they lost every game in double digits!

Ugh, don't ever go again!

(10-20-2021, 03:27 AM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: 2009 in Cleveland. Bengals escape with an overtime win. Palmer scrambles for a 1st down on 4th and 10 to set up the game winning Shayne Graham FG.

First Bengals home game was 2013 vs Baltimore. Was the last game of the year and Bengals were fighting for a playoff spot. They lost but still got the 6th seed in Andy Daltons 1st year.

Funny thing is, I believe it was a check to a run, due to how open the middle of the field was; Carsone didn't hesitate to take off as soon as the red sea parted and I don't think ANYONE expected him to run, let alone for 11 yards on 4th down. Was so awesome.

For your second game, 2011*, not 2013; they did play the Ravens in the 2013 finale, but it was a win and we had the #3/#4 seed

[No-huddle Joe]

(10-20-2021, 02:14 AM)phil413 Wrote: Here were the highlights.  They'll be new to you if you burned them out of your brain.  

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gyRhVvmKrU0

Haha Old Rod Jones aka "Toast", because he got burned so much.   Klingler.....yikes.

[TecmoBengals]

(10-20-2021, 10:28 AM)No-huddle Joe Wrote: Haha Old Rod Jones aka "Toast", because he got burned so much.   Klingler.....yikes.

Yet I apparently saw him get an interception! haha

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

It was 1988. Redskins vs Bengals at Riverfront. Week 16, Bengals win in OT to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs to advance to their second Super Bowl. 

It was freezing cold, but the atmosphere was beyond electric. Welcome to the Jungle had just been released, and you could literally feel the stadium moving. Ickey had been relegated to doing The Shuffle on the sidelines by this point in the season, and we got to see him do it at the end of the game. It's a memory I'll never forget. What a first NFL experience!

[AttackZ]

This weekend will actually be my first one! Super excited to get out there and root on our boys, even if I will be surrounded by ratbird fans.

Actually, I will be proposing to my girlfriend (a ratbird fan herself) before/during the game, so hope the team makes it a memorable one! Super excited to say the least 

   

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(10-20-2021, 09:22 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: My earliest and most vivid memory is the first time the Jags came to Cincinnati:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199509100cin.htm

Aside from the Joneses, the rest of the D in that boxscore reads like my old Madden lineups! 

[*pally*]

Dec 14, 1997 at Riverfront. Bengals beat the Cowboys 31-24.

[The American Dream]

(10-20-2021, 11:38 AM)pally Wrote: Dec 14, 1997 at Riverfront.  Bengals beat the Cowboys 31-24.

Awesome. Always a good day when the Cowgirls lose

[*pally*]

(10-20-2021, 10:48 AM)AttackZ Wrote: This weekend will actually be my first one! Super excited to get out there and root on our boys, even if I will be surrounded by ratbird fans.

Actually, I will be proposing to my girlfriend (a ratbird fan herself) before/during the game, so hope the team makes it a memorable one! Super excited to say the least 

   

good luck. congratulations, and have fun

[MileHighGrowler]

1998 vs the Broncos in Riverfront. I'd seen many Reds games there, but never a Bengals game. Definitely in the nosebleeds (the "red seats"), which my dad cheerfully pointed out was better "because you can watch the plays develop." Which is true, but I'm sure my 13-year old self still rolled my eyes a little at... But the Bengals actually played what was a great game against the team that went on to win the Super Bowl that season. O'Donnell played like a stud, Dillon ran for over 100 yards. It was great weather and so cool to watch them in person after being a fan for so many years.

And to this day (despite living in Colorado now), I don't like the Broncos and can't stand Elway.

[Interceptor]

November 11, 2012 - two weeks after Hurricane Sandy

I took a road trip with my Giants fan coworker as he got a game package for the hotel and bus, but we decided to drive. We left NJ (near the Meadowlands) on Saturday morning 2am and arrived at Paul Brown noon time. Gametime weather was a balmy 71F.

Bengals W 31-13. It was a good day.

[Memphis_Bengal]

1996/1997ish. Was a spur of the moment decision to drive up on a Saturday from Memphis with my wife and see the Bengals play the Raiders. It was SOOO cold and we lost. I left there knowing the name Greg Biekert who was in on seemingly every tackle.

[*Awful Llama*]

(10-20-2021, 10:07 AM)Earendil Wrote: I went to a couple of preseason games at Riverfront in the 90s.  My first (and only) regular season game was the 2006 game in Denver that they lost on a bad snap for the PAT.

Ah yes, the year we only needed one more win for the wildcard and we dropped the last three games, including one to the Steelers in OT.  Earlier in the season we were at Tampa and winning late and the D held and the ball should have been turned over to us on downs.  But Justin Smith was called for the most blatant bullshit roughing the passer penalty.  I was at a family member's baby shower (ugh) watching on the tv in the rec room with a few other guys who were trapped as well, and let out an expletive that later had me apologizing to the attendees of said shower.  Anyway, the Tampa drive continued and we all know the rest 

My first in-person game was in November of '81.  My Mom was (and still is) a Denver fan and took me to the Broncos/Bengals game at Riverfront for my birthday present.  It was the SB year, and the atmosphere was electric.  I remember I froze my ass off, but I didn't care as we rolled up 500+ yards and handily beat Denver.  

I kept the program from that day, and a few years ago there was a new Menard's opening in Centerville and Kenny Anderson was appearing.   I had to stand in line forever, but he signed my program and we talked about that game for a bit.  That present, now 40 years past, turned out to be a present I have enjoyed to this day. 

[Crow-Magnon]

IIRC, I think the first time I saw the Bengals was November 3, 1974. At Memorial Stadium vs the Baltimore Colts. The stats say the final score was Bengals 24 Colts 14. I do not remember that. I think I remember Ken Anderson took a vicious hit in the backfield from someone (maybe Mike Curtis?) that took him out of the game for a play or so. But that’s so long ago I can’t be sure.

[Chezaugie]

November 2, 1969 with my dad. A win against the Oakland Raiders at Nippert Stadium with Greg Cook as QB.

[*rfaulk34*]

1978 vs Falcons. Bengals were 1-12. 

Kicked Atlanta's ass 37-7 in a dreary, drizzly Sunday afternoon. I sat field level in the end zone. My attendance kick started a 3 game end-of-year winning streak and the birth of the dead cat bounce.

Got my tickets from Gary Burley, along with an autographed pic and a game ball from earlier in the year. After the game, me and another kid rode in his car to get some dinner with him and our families. 

Here's a link to the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lWuUoEZEVQ

[Goalpost]

Cant remember which games I went to with my father and brother because I was fairly young. I did make it to the 'replacement' game with a friend. It was October 4th 1987 vs the Chargers at Riverfront. That was during the strike and Reggie Williams crossed the line and played. I still have the program which cost one dollar. Scott Fulhage was the punter. And Willie Fears was the security guard turned football player at DE.

[motoarch]

2 years ago I went to see them play the jets. Can't believe that was my first time seeing them play live.

Bengals won by a single point. Jets missed a PAT in the first half. I was stuck on a subway car wearing a Bengals shirt with a lot of angry new Yorkers. That was fun.