NEXT GAME
Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) vs. Denver Broncos (10-4)
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High
When: 8:30 p.m. Monday
TV: ESPN, Ch. 5
Radio: 700-AM, 102.7-FM, 104.7-FM
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Reporter Jay Morrison previews Monday's game. View our video at DaytonDailyNews.com
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The Cincinnati Bengals have played 32 times on Monday Night Football, and No. 33 is set for Monday at Denver in what could be the biggest primetime appearance in franchise history with an AFC North Division championship and first-round bye on the line.
Even though the Bengals have gone just 11-21 on MNF, they have created some lasting memories in the losses as well as the victories.
Beginning with the first appearance in 1970 – a 21-10 loss to Pittsburgh at Three Rivers Stadium – we took a look at all 32 appearances to find the 10 most memorable games based on outcome, significance, individual performances, and specific plays, along with various other criteria.
10. Miami 21, Cincinnati 0 – Oct. 9, 1978
An otherwise forgettable game was made memorable by the fact that it served as the debut for head coach Homer Rice.
After Bill “Tiger” Johnson went 0-5 to start the season, Bengals owner Paul Brown fired Johnson and replaced with Rice, would lose seven of his first eight games, including this Monday night game at the Orange Bowl where the Bengals failed to score despite forcing five Dolphins turnovers.
9. Oakland 35, Cincinnati 20 – Dec. 6, 1976
The 10-2 Bengals went to the Oakland Coliseum to face an 11-1 Raiders team that would go on to cap a 16-1 season with a victory in Super Bowl IX.
Unheralded Cincinnati wide receiver John McDaniel, who had two career catches for 79 yards in his two-plus seasons with the team, gave the Bengals an early 6-0 lead with a 40-yard touchdown reception on his way to a team-record 201 yards on nine catches.
McDaniel, who would play four more seasons with the Bengals and Redskins, only topped 100 yards once after his memorable MNF performance and never again caught more than five passes in a game.
8. Pittsburgh 20, Cincinnati 0 – Oct. 19, 1992
This one was memorable for what happened on the sideline, not out on the playing field.
Late in the game, first-year Bengals coach Dave Shula gathered his defense and implored them to prevent another Pittsburgh score. Linebacker Gary Reasons grabbed the bill of Shula’s cap and twisted it side to side in what was viewed as a condescending sign of disrespect.
Shula didn’t react at the time or discipline Reasons after the fact, and the downward spiral of what would be a 13-52 tenure as Bengals coach had begun.
7. Minnesota 29, Cincinnati 21 – Dec. 25, 1989
The defending AFC champions needed a win on Christmas night to make the playoffs, but the Vikings raced out to a 19-0 lead and held off the Bengals to clinch the NFC Central Division.
Boomer Esiason threw three interceptions and the Bengals turned the ball over five times.
6. San Diego 50, Cincinnati 34 – Dec. 20, 1982
The defending AFC champions had won four in a row since the players strike ended and took a 5-1 record to Jack Murphy Stadium, where they were riddled by a Chargers offense for 661 yards, which still stands as the most allowed in franchise history.
The 50 points allowed were a team record at the time and rank third today.
Cincinnati quarterback Ken Anderson threw for 416 yards – the second most in his career – and led the Bengals to a 24-17 halftime lead. But the Chargers, led by future Bengals running back James Brooks’ three touchdowns, outscored Cincinnati 33-10 in the second half.
5. Cincinnati 23, Denver 10 – Oct. 25, 2004
After going 8-8 in Marvin Lewis’ first year as coach, the Bengals were off to a 1-4 start in 2004 when MNF made its first ever visit to Paul Brown Stadium.
Facing a 5-1 Broncos team, the PBS crowd was electric and the Bengals fed off it for a 23-10 upset. Chad Johnson caught seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown against Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey as the Bengals won seven of 11 to end 2004 and set the stage for the division championship in 2005.
This is the game many Cincinnati fans point to as the official rejuvenation of the franchise under Lewis.
4. Cincinnati 24, Pittsburgh 22 – Oct. 13, 1986
Rarely is a game defined by a series of punts, but this one was. It started in the first quarter when Pittsburgh’s Jeff Swain blocked a Jeff Hayes punt to give the Steelers the ball at the Bengals 23, setting up a Steelers touchdown that tied the score at 7-7.
A low punt snap in the second quarter resulted in Hayes being forced out of the back of the end zone for a Pittsburgh safety to start a string of 12 unanswered points that would put Pittsburgh ahead 19-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
But with the Bengals facing fourth and 12 at their own 39, coach Sam Wyche called for a fake that Hayes ran 61 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals the lead for good.
3. Pittsburgh 21, Cincinnati 14 – Oct. 10, 1983
It’s known simply as the Keith Gary game. The rookie defensive end for the Steelers wasted no time achieving enemy status at Riverfront Stadium when he violently grabbed the facemask of Cincinnati quarterback Ken Anderson and twisted it 180 degrees while making a sack on a third-and-26 play late in the first quarter.
Gary was flagged for a 15-yard penalty, but Anderson was too injured to continue the game. Backup Turk Schonert came in and threw three interceptions, two of which the Steelers returned for touchdowns in the fourth quarter to turn a 14-10 Bengals lead into a 24-14 loss.
2. Cincinnati 34, Buffalo 23 – Nov. 17, 1975
The first MNF game to be played in Cincinnati featured a pair of outstanding performances by Bills running back O.J. Simpson and Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson.
Simpson ran for 197 yards on just 17 carries (11.6 average) and scored two touchdowns. But it wasn’t enough to keep up with Anderson, who threw for 447 yards and two touchdowns to give the Bengals their first MNF win.
Anderson would play 11 more seasons, but the 447 yards would stand as his career high.
1. Cincinnati 37, Denver 28 – Dec. 22, 2014
Needing a win against the 11-3 Broncos to clinch a fourth consecutive playoff berth, Cincinnati fell in an early hole when Aqib Talib returned an Andy Dalton interception on the first play of the Bengals’ second drive.
But one play later Jeremy Hill tied things with an 85-yard touchdown run, and the Cincinnati defense went on to intercept Peyton Manning four times.
Three of the interceptions came in the fourth quarter, including two by cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who was making his first start of the season. Kirkpatrick returned the first one 30 yards for the game’s final touchdown with 2:41 remaining. His second one came 87 seconds later and iced the game.
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