05-09-2020, 08:52 PM
A lot of people think since 2003 was an 8-8 season it was just average, but with just two games left we were tied for the last playoff spot in the AFC and we had already beaten the team with the best record in the league (KC). I am pretty sure we were still alive going into the last week of thre season. 2003 was an amazing season (by bengal standards at that time) without our wonderboy first pick QB.
And one of the biggest reasons '03 was so exciting was that the front office had actually signed some decent free agents including new starters CB Tory James, DT John Thornton, DE Duane Clemmons, and MLB Kevin Hardy. Thornton was actually a pretty highly regarded signing.
Then before the '04 season they signed new starters OG Bobbie Williams, S Kim Herring, and LB Nate Webster. and they also traded for CB Deltha O'Neal.
Throw in 6 new starters from the '03 and '04 draft (Palmer, LG Eric Steinbach, DT Langston Moore, MLB Landon Johnson, S Madieu Williams, nickle CB Kiewan Ratliff) and the only starters left from th 4 win 2002 team were top performers like Rudi, TJ, Chad, Willie Anderson, Levi Jones, Rich Braham, Justin Smith, Brian Simmons.
2004 really did seem like the beginning of a whole new era in Bengal history, and it was. Hopefully 2020 will be the same.
And one of the biggest reasons '03 was so exciting was that the front office had actually signed some decent free agents including new starters CB Tory James, DT John Thornton, DE Duane Clemmons, and MLB Kevin Hardy. Thornton was actually a pretty highly regarded signing.
Then before the '04 season they signed new starters OG Bobbie Williams, S Kim Herring, and LB Nate Webster. and they also traded for CB Deltha O'Neal.
Throw in 6 new starters from the '03 and '04 draft (Palmer, LG Eric Steinbach, DT Langston Moore, MLB Landon Johnson, S Madieu Williams, nickle CB Kiewan Ratliff) and the only starters left from th 4 win 2002 team were top performers like Rudi, TJ, Chad, Willie Anderson, Levi Jones, Rich Braham, Justin Smith, Brian Simmons.
2004 really did seem like the beginning of a whole new era in Bengal history, and it was. Hopefully 2020 will be the same.
