Remember this Sunday Night Football intro?

[Jhowdy54]

https://youtu.be/lQFKjt81wbA

Just remember how exciting it was being a Bengals fan at that moment. Fairly new coach and finally a franchise QB to change the culture in Cincinnati. Feeling the same thing now along with being hopeful of more postseason success. LETS GO!!!!!!

[jfkbengals]

(05-09-2020, 08:01 PM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: https://youtu.be/lQFKjt81wbA

Just remember how exciting it was being a Bengals fan at that moment.  Fairly new coach and finally a franchise QB to change the culture in Cincinnati.   Feeling the same thing now along with being hopeful of more postseason success.  LETS GO!!!!!!

I remember it well.  Sunday night against the Dolphins for Palmer's first NFL win...

[*bengalfan74*]

Sweet ! I'm ready for that same excitement again.

[fredtoast]

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.

[Sled21]

And then the cheap dirty sob's in Pissburgh destroyed his knee.

[*jason*]

I sat behind Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr at that game.

I'm kinda a big deal.

[thompson19osu]

This gets me so excited for this year thinking of how a new franchise quarterback can invigorate attendance. Looking at the Bengals schedule I think they start off the season 3-1 and if they do watch for Paul Brown Stadium to actually be filled this year.

[Essex Johnson]

(05-09-2020, 08:01 PM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: https://youtu.be/lQFKjt81wbA

Just remember how exciting it was being a Bengals fan at that moment.  Fairly new coach and finally a franchise QB to change the culture in Cincinnati.   Feeling the same thing now along with being hopeful of more postseason success.  LETS GO!!!!!!

It was a nice feeling. we were coming off 8-8 after 2-14 so i think the fans were already excited about the season before we drafted Palmer.. 

I think this season is more like 2011 coming in.. we are a bit beaten down after few losing season just like in 2011 we had bailed in 2010 then the draft comes in 2011 and we nail Green and Dalton back to back and hopeful feeling is back.. but it took time for our fans to come full circle and I think it will be the same this year in 2020.. hope is back but questions remain...

[Essex Johnson]

(05-09-2020, 09:45 PM)thompson19osu Wrote: This gets me so excited for this year thinking of how a new franchise quarterback can invigorate attendance. Looking at the Bengals schedule I think they start off the season 3-1 and if they do watch for Paul Brown Stadium to actually be filled this year.

You might be right.. I remember in 2011, we won game one with Dalton and Green, then lost 2 in a row.. then we reeled off 3 straight wins to be sitting at 5-2 before the bye.. the Bengals are being talked about around town.. .. and we win two more after the bye and 7-2 record the Bengal crowds were rocking and that helped .. Look back at 2011.. we had so many games within a score either way win or lose.. that is what we need to do this year.. win the close games in the 4th like we did in 2011 and that will give us a chance at end of season.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(05-09-2020, 09:00 PM)Sled21 Wrote: And then the cheap dirty sob's in Pissburgh destroyed his knee.

That still enrages me to this day, but.... It was '08 when Palmer got the elbow injury (and the bloody nose) that really marked the decline as a Bengal.

Before the elbow/nose injury season:
64.1% Completion
7.3 YPA
1.65 TD per INT
90.1 QB Rating

After the elbow/nose injury (as a Bengal):
60.9% Completion
6.6 YPA
1.35 TD per INT
81.4 QB Rating

- - - - - - - - - - -

People forget that in 2006 Palmer bounced right back from the knee injury, started 16 games, threw 28 TD/13 INT, and went to the Pro Bowl.

The team around him just got worse. Chuck Bresnahan/Marvin Lewis were failing on the defensive side and they had to bring in Zimmer (in 2008) who brought the D from 24th scoring in 2007, to 19th in 2008, to 6th in 2009.

The OL was also getting old/failing. Levi Jones only played 9 more games in 2009 before leaving the league at age 30, Whit was still stuck at LG rather than dominating at LT, Eric Ghiaciuc fell out of the league after 2008 at age 27, Bobbie Williams was still solid but 2008 was his age 32 season, and Stacy Andrews left the Bengals after 2008 and played on 3 teams in 3 years (mostly as a backup) before leaving the league at age 30.

It was not a good OL, so I sure hope that the Bengals have learned their lesson on what not to do with a franchise QB.

[BengalRed]

I remember this too. Monday Night Football 2004 the Bengals beat the undefeated Chiefs. I was at this game. Very exciting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GewXGVvotbg

[Essex Johnson]

(05-09-2020, 10:03 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: That still enrages me to this day, but.... It was '08 when Palmer got the elbow injury (and the bloody nose) that really marked the decline as a Bengal.

Before the elbow/nose injury season:
64.1% Completion
7.3 YPA
1.65 TD per INT
90.1 QB Rating

After the elbow/nose injury (as a Bengal):
60.9% Completion
6.6 YPA
1.35 TD per INT
81.4 QB Rating

- - - - - - - - - - -

People forget that in 2006 Palmer bounced right back from the knee injury, started 16 games, threw 28 TD/13 INT, and went to the Pro Bowl.

The team around him just got worse. Chuck Bresnahan/Marvin Lewis were failing on the defensive side and they had to bring in Zimmer (in 2008) who brought the D from 24th scoring in 2007, to 19th in 2008, to 6th in 2009.

The OL was also getting old/failing. Levi Jones only played 9 more games in 2009 before leaving the league at age 30, Whit was still stuck at LG rather than dominating at LT, Eric Ghiaciuc fell out of the league after 2008 at age 27, Bobbie Williams was still solid but 2008 was his age 32 season, and Stacy Andrews left the Bengals after 2008 and played on 3 teams in 3 years (mostly as a backup) before leaving the league at age 30.

It was not a good OL, so I sure hope that the Bengals have learned their lesson on what not to do with a franchise QB.

Well I do think we learned when you look at last few years and the weak line Dalton our franchise QB had to play behind... 

[samhain]

(05-09-2020, 10:03 PM)BengalRed Wrote: I remember this too. Monday Night Football 2004 the Bengals beat the undefeated Chiefs. I was at this game. Very exciting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GewXGVvotbg

I'm pretty sure that they played the Broncos in that game.  I was there, too.  Chad had a nice night vs Champ Bailey.  The place was going totally nuts.

The Chiefs game, ie the Guarantee Game was a day game.  I was there as well.

[BengalRed]

(05-09-2020, 10:24 PM)samhain Wrote: I'm pretty sure that they played the Broncos in that game.  I was there, too.  Chad had a nice night vs Champ Bailey.  The place was going totally nuts.

The Chiefs game, ie the Guarantee Game was a day game.  I was there as well.

Yes. My bad. It was the Broncos. I was thinking of the previous year when we beat the Chiefs, as you pointed out, and they were undefeated. But I was at the MNF game when we beat the Broncos. I set my VCR to record the game and when I got home the next day (I live in Lexington and spent the night in Cincy) I watched that intro with Nielson over and over. 

[samhain]

(05-09-2020, 10:36 PM)BengalRed Wrote: Yes. My bad. It was the Broncos. I was thinking of the previous year when we beat the Chiefs, as you pointed out, and they were undefeated. But I was at the MNF game when we beat the Broncos. I set my VCR to record the game and when I got home the next day (I live in Lexington and spent the night in Cincy) I watched that intro with Nielson over and over. 

LOL.  I live in Lexington, as well.  At the time I still lived in NKY and was dating my not-yet-wife who was here in Lexington.  I had no tickets and wasn't planning on going.  I had two jobs back then.  My buddy called me my at my day job and told me he had an extra ticket.  I had to get out of working that night, then explain to my girlfriend that I wouldn't be down to Lexington after work as we'd planned.  

It all worked out and I had an absolute blast. I'm not sure if it's the most I've ever had to drink at a game, but it was damn close, lol.  Some of the games in the early Palmer/Lewis Era were incredible.  It was exciting to watch them become a relevant team again.  Some of my best memories as a fan came from that time.

[BengalRed]

(05-09-2020, 10:46 PM)samhain Wrote: LOL.  I live in Lexington, as well.  At the time I still lived in NKY and was dating my not-yet-wife who was here in Lexington.  I had no tickets and wasn't planning on going.  I had two jobs back then.  My buddy called me my at my day job and told me he had an extra ticket.  I had to get out of working that night, then explain to my girlfriend that I wouldn't be down to Lexington after work as we'd planned.  

It all worked out and I had an absolute blast.  I'm not sure if it's the most I've ever had to drink at a game, but it was damn close, lol.  Some of the games in the early Palmer/Lewis Era were incredible.  It was exciting to watch them become a relevant team again.  Some of my best memories as a fan came from that time.

Wow. Small world. Well not that small really. Lol. I grew up in NKY and have been a Bengals (and Reds fan, which explains my screen name) since they entered the league. For this particular game my best friend and I got tickets early and planned to go. I even reserved a room at the Radisson Hotel in Covington for that night. The tall round one, I think it was under a different name at that time. But as it turned out he, being a native of New England and being a Red Sox fan won a raffle for two tickets for the World Series game in St Louis against the Sox. He sold one of them and kept the other one and drove to St Louis to see the game. And that was the same night as the MNF game against the Broncos. So I went by myself and still had an awesome time. Plus I had the hotel room to myself for the whole night. I had a blast. And my friend was thrilled because the Sox went on to win the World Series for the first time in a million years. Hard to believe that was 16 years ago. 

[thompson19osu]

(05-09-2020, 09:53 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: You might be right.. I remember in 2011, we won game one with Dalton and Green, then lost 2 in a row.. then we reeled off 3 straight wins to be sitting at 5-2 before the bye.. the Bengals are being talked about around town.. .. and we win two more after the bye and 7-2 record the Bengal crowds were rocking and that helped .. Look back at 2011.. we had so many games within a score either way win or lose.. that is what we need to do this year.. win the close games in the 4th like we did in 2011 and that will give us a chance at end of season.

Exactly. Let’s hope something similar happens except maybe throw in a playoff win. Although I will be thrilled just to see them back to the playoffs at all.

[*SHRacerX*]

(05-09-2020, 08:01 PM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: https://youtu.be/lQFKjt81wbA

Just remember how exciting it was being a Bengals fan at that moment.  Fairly new coach and finally a franchise QB to change the culture in Cincinnati.   Feeling the same thing now along with being hopeful of more postseason success.  LETS GO!!!!!!

When I first got home and saw that (I was at the game, but also recorded it), I couldn't stop watching that promo.  I absolutely loved it.  Thanks for sharing.  And although I don't know what the network will have, a tip of the hat for the Bengal' Social Media Team, led by Katie and Troy's daughter.  (Save the nepotism responses).  They have been absolutely killing it.  The schedule unveil was awesome.  

[*SHRacerX*]

(05-09-2020, 09:53 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: You might be right.. I remember in 2011, we won game one with Dalton and Green, then lost 2 in a row.. then we reeled off 3 straight wins to be sitting at 5-2 before the bye.. the Bengals are being talked about around town.. .. and we win two more after the bye and 7-2 record the Bengal crowds were rocking and that helped .. Look back at 2011.. we had so many games within a score either way win or lose.. that is what we need to do this year.. win the close games in the 4th like we did in 2011 and that will give us a chance at end of season.

Yeah, unrelated but your post made me think of this:  Where you say the Bengals are being talked about around town.  They certainly aren't being talked about nationally.  Like the recent hype video that starts with Stephen A(hole) Smith, Colin Cowherd, and even Carson Palmer putting down the organization....I have to think our guy Burrow is sitting there thinking:  "When I arrived at LSU, they had an archaic, non-competitive offense that couldn't ever beat the big boys.  I changed that".  Now, he wouldn't say that out loud or to a media personnel, but I have to think this 200-1 odds to win the Super Bowl is pretty insulting and the team might have a bit of a chip on their shoulder, or whatever analogy you want to use.

I am personally glad no one is talking about them.  Whatever gets the team motivated.  

[*SHRacerX*]

(05-09-2020, 10:24 PM)samhain Wrote: I'm pretty sure that they played the Broncos in that game.  I was there, too.  Chad had a nice night vs Champ Bailey.  The place was going totally nuts.

The Chiefs game, ie the Guarantee Game was a day game.  I was there as well.

You are correct, sir.  I was at both of those games as well, and that place was rocking.  Chad destroyed Champ Bailey.  Coming in to the game all you heard about was Champ Bailey and shutting down Chad.  They tried to single cover him and he had a field day.  

The Chiefs game, I remember Peter Warrick had a huge game and saved Chad from the "guarantee".  God, I can't wait to feel that kind of excitement again.

For the first time in seemingly decades, BOTH the Bengals and the Reds had huge offseasons and seem poised to be very competitive.  Then, the F*^#) universe throws us COVID-19.