Game 243. Kansas City at Cincinnati
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Tag Archives: Cincinnati Bengals
1997 Game 153 (Week 12) Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Bengals shock the Steelers in OT; Take Division Lead
Five weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were running away with the AFC Central division, had an undefeated season, and were among the elite in the NFL. Then they met up with a 3-3 Cincinnati Bengals team and lost, 26-11. Since then, the Steelers have been going in one direction, while the Bengals were going another.
On Sunday, the two teams faced off each other again, but this time it was for the lead in the AFC Central. The Steelers lost 3 of their last four and were 7-3, while the Bengals won 5 of their last six and were coming into the game at 6-4. The winner would take control of the division.
To start the game, Steelers’ QB Kordell Stewart was horrible. He threw two picks on the Steelers’ first two drives, and they were down immediately 13-0. The Bengals scored on RB Corey Dillons’ 4-yard run and then QB Jeff Blake hit WR Carl Pickens on a 24-yard TD pass. Pelfrey missed the extra point on the first drive, so the Bengals held a 13-0 lead.
The Steelers usual explosive offense was held to just 82 first half yards and the Steelers trailed at halftime 16-3. The Steelers got a field goal in the third to make it 16-6, but the action picked up in the final quarter.
Jerome Bettis caught a short 4-yard pass from Stewart and blasted through for a touchdown cutting the lead to 16-13. Then the Bengals answered when Kijana Carter raced through the Steelers’ defense for a 62-yard touchdown run, 23-13. After a Steeler field goal, the Steelers tied the game on another Bettis receiving touchdown with 2:30 minutes remaining to send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, both teams squandered their first drives, but the Bengals didn’t disappoint on the next. On a third and long, Blake hit tight end Tony McGee, who broke free and ran down to the Steeler’s 2-yard line. The Bengals didn’t mess around. They sent in Doug Pelfrey, who calmly kicked the 19-yard game-winning field goal.
The Bengals are now in first place in the division tied with the Steelers with a 7-4 record, but the Bengals have the tie breaker due to winning both head-to-head matchups. Next week, the Bengals host Jacksonville, while the Steelers, now losing 4 out of the last 5, head to Philadelphia to try to right the ship.
Game 227. Cincinnati at Cleveland
Game 211. Washington at Cincinnati
Game 197. Cincinnati at Indianapolis
Game 181. Baltimore at Cincinnati
1997 Game 138 (Week 11) Cincinnati at Indianapolis
Bengals are in the playoff mix
After starting the season 1-3, the Cincinnati Bengals have reeled off 5 victories in their last six games and are currently in the middle of the playoff mix in the AFC. The Bengals took down the Indianapolis Colts, 21-13, in the RCA Dome on Sunday to improve to 6-4. They are still in the hunt for the Central division crown.
The Bengals finally got some production from their star receiver Carl Pickens. He came into the game with only 24 catches on the season, but he finally got things cooking when he caught 7 passes for 122 yards and a TD.
Jeff Blake started the game, but left do to injury. Veteran QB Boomer Esiason replaced him and went 8 of 16 passing for 106 yards with a TD and an INT. Blake was 10 of 15 for 106 yards and a TD.
For the Colts, Paul Justin replaced injured QB Jim Harbaugh for another week. Justin threw for 273 yards on 28 of 44 passing with a TD and an INT. The Colts were only able to muster up 60 yards on the ground as they fell behind the Bengals 21-3 at halftime.
The Bengals defense punished Justin sacking him six times on the afternoon. They held the Colts to only 289 total offense.
The Bengals have a huge showdown with AFC Central Division leader Pittsburgh next Sunday at Three Rivers Stadium. The Colts won three straight coming into this week and sit at 4-6 on the season. They will host the World Champion Packers at the RCA Dome next Sunday.
