1970 Cincinnati Bengals season
Encyclopedia
The 1970
Cincinnati Bengals
season was the team's 3rd year in professional football and its 1st with the National Football League
.
The NFL-AFL merger took place before the season, and the Bengals made their first NFL campaign a memorable one. After winning their first ever game as a member of the NFL, which happened to be their inaugural game in the brand new Riverfront Stadium, they would lose six games in a row. But they would win out the rest of the way, as they rallied to finish 8–6 and win the new AFC Central Division. In their first playoff game, they lost, 17–0, to eventual Super Bowl-champion Baltimore. QB Greg Cook was forced to the Injured Reserve list in training camp with a shoulder injury that would end his career, and Virgil Carter took over as the starter.
The Bengals record for most points in a game by the special teams is 31 in a 43–14 victory at Buffalo on Nov. 8, 1970. CB Lemar Parrish scored two special teams touchdowns, one on a 95-yard kickoff return and another on an 83-yard return of a blocked field goal attempt. Parrish is the only Bengals player ever to score two touchdowns in a game on returns and/or recoveries – and he did it three times. K Horst Muhlmann added 15 points on five field goals, and four PATs by Muhlmann completed the special teams onslaught. The offense scored only one TD, a one-yard run by RB Jess Phillips. The defense scored a TD on an eight-yard fumble return by DE Royce Berry.
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
season was the team's 3rd year in professional football and its 1st with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
The NFL-AFL merger took place before the season, and the Bengals made their first NFL campaign a memorable one. After winning their first ever game as a member of the NFL, which happened to be their inaugural game in the brand new Riverfront Stadium, they would lose six games in a row. But they would win out the rest of the way, as they rallied to finish 8–6 and win the new AFC Central Division. In their first playoff game, they lost, 17–0, to eventual Super Bowl-champion Baltimore. QB Greg Cook was forced to the Injured Reserve list in training camp with a shoulder injury that would end his career, and Virgil Carter took over as the starter.
The Bengals record for most points in a game by the special teams is 31 in a 43–14 victory at Buffalo on Nov. 8, 1970. CB Lemar Parrish scored two special teams touchdowns, one on a 95-yard kickoff return and another on an 83-yard return of a blocked field goal attempt. Parrish is the only Bengals player ever to score two touchdowns in a game on returns and/or recoveries – and he did it three times. K Horst Muhlmann added 15 points on five field goals, and four PATs by Muhlmann completed the special teams onslaught. The offense scored only one TD, a one-yard run by RB Jess Phillips. The defense scored a TD on an eight-yard fumble return by DE Royce Berry.
NFL Draft
| 1970 Cincinnati Bengals Draft | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Pick # | Overall | Name | Position | College |
| 1 | 7 | 7 | Mike Reid | Defensive Tackle | Penn State Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... |
| 2 | 6 | 32 | Ron Carpenter Ron Carpenter Ronald Nelson Carpenter is a defensive tackle who played seven seasons in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals. He attended North Carolina State University.-References:... |
Defensive Tackle | North Carolina State North Carolina State University North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution... |
| 3 | 8 | 60 | Chip Bennett | Linebacker | Abilene Christian Abilene Christian University Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute... |
| 4 | 7 | 85 | Joe Stevens | Guard | Jackson State |
| 4 | 26 | 104 | Billie Hayes | Defensive Back | San Diego State |
| 6 | 8 | 138 | Sandy Durko | Defensive Back | USC University of Southern California The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... |
| 7 | 7 | 163 | Lemar Parrish Lemar Parrish Lemar R. Parrish is a former professional American football player who played defensive back in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals , Washington Redskins , and the Buffalo Bills .... |
Defensive Back | Lincoln (MO) |
| 8 | 6 | 188 | Bill Trout | Defensive Tackle | Miami (FL) |
| 9 | 8 | 216 | Bill Bolden Bill Bolden William Horace Bolden was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1919.-External links:... |
Running Back | UCLA |
| 10 | 7 | 241 | Nick Roman | Linebacker | Ohio State |
| 11 | 6 | 266 | Samuel Wallace | Offensive Tackle | Grambling |
| 12 | 8 | 294 | Thomas Truesdell | Defensive End | Ohio Wesleyan Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges... |
| 13 | 7 | 319 | Paul Dunn (American Football) | Wide Receiver | US International |
| 14 | 3 | 344 | Joe Johnson | Wide Receiver | Johnson C. Smith Johnson C. Smith University Johnson C. Smith University is a private, co-ed, four-year liberal arts institution of higher learning located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. JCSU is also a historically black college... |
| 15 | 8 | 372 | Marvin Weeks | Defensive Back | Alcorn State |
| 16 | 7 | 397 | Larry Ely | Linebacker | Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... |
| 17 | 6 | 422 | Richard Smith | Running Back | Washington State |
Schedule
| 1970 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance | Stadium |
| September 20 | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 31–21 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| September 27 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 3–38 | |
Tiger Stadium |
| October 4 | Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 13–20 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| October 11 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27–30 | |
Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football... |
| October 18 | Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
L 19–27 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| October 25 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 0–20 | |
RFK Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United.... |
| November 2 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
L 10–21 | |
Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
| November 8 | at Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 43–14 | |
War Memorial Stadium War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo) War Memorial Stadium is the name of a stadium that formerly stood in Buffalo, New York. The stadium was on a rectangular block near the downtown area. Its main entrance was at Jefferson Avenue to the east and Best Street to the south... |
| November 15 | Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 14–10 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| November 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
W 34–7 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| November 29 | New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 26–6 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
| December 6 | at San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17–14 | |
San Diego Stadium Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area.... |
| December 13 | at Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
W 30–20 | |
Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
| December 20 | Boston Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
W 45–7 | |
Riverfront Stadium |
Standings
| Qualified for playoffs |
| AFC Central | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 312 | 255 |
| Cleveland Browns 1970 Cleveland Browns season The 1970 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 21st season with the National Football League.-NFL Draft:The following were selected in the 1970 NFL Draft.-Exhibition schedule:-Regular season schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 286 | 265 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers looked to improve from their league-worst 1–13 record from the previous year.While work would still need to be done, the Steelers did improve somewhat on the field, finishing with a 5–9 record and third place in the newly formed AFC Central... |
5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 210 | 272 |
| Houston Oilers 1970 Houston Oilers season The 1970 Houston Oilers season was the 11th season overall and its first as part of the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 6–6–2, winning only three games.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
3 | 10 | 1 | .231 | 217 | 352 |
Team stats
| 1970 Cincinnati Bengals Team Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
| TEAM STATS | Bengals | Opponents |
| TOTAL FIRST DOWNS | 210 | 236 |
| Rushing | 100 | 87 |
| Passing | 97 | 131 |
| Penalty | 13 | 18 |
| TOTAL NET YARDS | 3927 | 4178 |
| Avg Per Game | 280.5 | 298.4 |
| Total Plays | 831 | 874 |
| Avg. Per Play | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| NET YARDS RUSHING | 2057 | 1543 |
| Avg. Per Game | 146.9 | 110.2 |
| Total Rushes | 461 | 418 |
| NET YARDS PASSING | 1870 | 2635 |
| Avg. Per Game | 133.6 | 188.2 |
| Sacked Yards Lost | 31–227 | 28–250 |
| Gross Yards | 2097 | 2885 |
| Att. Completions | 339–172 | 428–209 |
| Completion Pct. | 50.7 | 48.8 |
| Intercepted | 11 | 23 |
| PUNTS-AVERAGE | 79–46.2 | 80–43.8 |
| PENALTIES-YARDS | 71–831 | 81–784 |
| FUMBLES-BALL LOST | 22–12 | 28–16 |
| TOUCHDOWNS | 34 | 31 |
| Rushing | 16 | 11 |
| Passing | 12 | 18 |
| Returns | 6 | 2 |
| Score by Periods | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 56 | 111 | 85 | 60 | 312 |
| Opponents | 49 | 82 | 52 | 72 | 255 |
Team leaders
- Passing: Virgil CarterVirgil CarterVirgil R. Carter is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and the World Football League from 1967 through 1976. He was the first great quarterback from Brigham Young University.While at BYU Carter set six national, 19 conference, and 24...
(278 Att, 143 Comp, 1647 Yds, 51.4 Pct, 9 TD, 9 Int, 66.9 Rating) - Rushing: Jess PhillipsJess PhillipsJess Phillips is an American former professional football player who played running back for ten seasons in American Pro Football. He began his pro career with the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals in 1968, and also played for the NFL Bengals, Saints, Raiders, and Patriots.-See...
(163 Att, 648 Yds, 4.0 Avg, 76 Long, 4 TD) - Receiving: Chip MyersChip MyersPhillip Leon "Chip" Myers was a wide receiver who played nine Pro Football seasons, for the NFL San Francisco 49ers in 1967, the AFL's Cincinnati Bengals in 1969, and the NFL's AFC Bengals from 1970 through 1976...
(32 Rec, 542 Yds, 16.9 Avg, 56 Long, 1 TD) - Scoring: Horst MuhlmannHorst MuhlmannHorst Herbert Erich Muhlmann was a former professional American football player. He was a placekicker in the American Football League and the National Football League for nine seasons...
, 108 points (25 FG; 33 PAT)
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Howard Fest Howard Arthur Fest is a former American football offensive lineman who played in the American Football League and in the National Football League . He was an original member of the AFL Cincinnati Bengals, playing with them for 9 years. He began his career at tackle, but later moved to guard. He... Pat Matson Pat Matson was an American Football League and National Football League offensive lineman from 1966 through 1975.-See also:*Other American Football League players... Guy Dennis Guy Durell Dennis, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League for seven seasons in the 1960s and 1970s... Rufus Mayes Rufus Lee Mayes was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Ohio State University and high school football for Toledo Macomber.Rufus died Jan. 1, 1990 at age 42... Ernie Wright Ernest Henry Wright was an American professional football offensive tackle who played for 13 seasons, from 1960 AFL season to 1969 in the American Football League, and 1970-1972 in the NFL... Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Al Beauchamp Alfred Beauchamp is a former American football linebacker. he played college football at Southern University, and played professionally in the American Football League in 1968 and 1969 for the Cincinnati Bengals, and for the National Football League's Bengals from 1970 through 1975 and the... Bill Bergey William Earl Bergey is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played collegiately for Arkansas State University and for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL Philadelphia Eagles.... Ken Avery Kenneth William Avery is a former college and professional American football player. He played college football at University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a linebacker... Bill Peterson William E. "Bill" Peterson was an American football coach. His career included head coaching stops at Florida State, Rice University and with the Houston Oilers. Considered one of the unique characters in college sports, Peterson is credited with bringing the pro passing game to college football... Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Playoffs
| 1970 AFC Divisional Playoffs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | W-L | Score | ATT. | Stadium |
| December 26 | Baltimore | L | 0–17 | 51,127 | Memorial |
Pro Bowl Selections
- CB Lemar ParrishLemar ParrishLemar R. Parrish is a former professional American football player who played defensive back in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals , Washington Redskins , and the Buffalo Bills ....
- TE Bob TrumpyBob TrumpyBob Trumpy is a former professional American Football tight end who played for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1969, and for the NFL Bengals from 1970 through 1977...
(3rd overall selection, 1st in NFL)