With the NFL in its annual post-Super Bowl and pre-free agency/draft lull, we thought it would be fun for some of our staff to give their favorite moments in Bengal’s history.
Dylan Streibig- Vontaze Burfict playoff interception
I am not a Bengals fan. I became a Broncos fan when I was very young. However, Bengals season tickets were in my family dating back to the 70s until very recently. My father is a loyal fan who remembers the glory days of the 80s. I also have a cousin who is just as loyal, but like me, not old enough to really remember the Bengals having anything other than occasional regular-season success.
We all know what happened after Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict intercepted a Landry Jones pass to protect a one-point Cincinnati lead with 1:36 left in the Wild Card playoff game after the 2015 regular season. You can see the turnover here thanks to the NFL’s YouTube channel but cut the video off early to avoid reliving heartbreak.
At that moment, I was so happy for my dad and cousin. We were all at the game. I thought over two decades of frustration was over for them. My father is the most stoic and unemotional person on the planet. He picked the security guard next to us up off the ground. The rest of the game was what it was, but what a cool moment. Speaking of that game…
Blake Jewell- A.J. Green go ahead playoff touchdown
Yes, the Bengals lost the game, but this moment made me an even bigger fan than I already was. As hard as it is to do, forget everything else that happened and just think about that moment. It was electric. I don’t remember ever being that excited while watching a sporting event. I thought that with that touchdown, the game was over and I would finally get to witness the first Bengals playoff win of my lifetime. Even though what happened afterward was heartbreaking, I’ll never forget that moment.
Logi Baker- 2015 Week 5 win vs. Seattle
The Bengals opened the season 4-0 ahead of this matchup with the defending NFC champions. Cincinnati trailed by 17 after three quarters, but that’s when the magic began. The Seahawks wouldn’t score another point.
Andy Dalton would end the game with 331 passing yards. He contributed three total touchdowns. The moment that really got the excitement going was when Dalton called his own number by diving through the Seattle defense to put the Bengals a field goal away from tying the game.
The hero would be kicker Mike Nugent. He didn’t miss a kick that day, including high-pressure situations with the clock ticking down to zero to tie the game and booting the game-winner in overtime. From that moment on, it was clear that The 2015 Bengals could beat anybody.
Larry Spicer- Bengals defeat Bills to advance to second Super Bowl
This AFC Championship game was the first football game I ever watched. I consider myself lucky. My first Bengals memory is the team going to the Super Bowl. It also introduced me to local legends like Anthony Muñoz, Sam Wyche, Boomer Esiason, James Brooks, Eddie Brown, and of course Ickey Woods.
I fell in love from that point forward. I have been a fan for decades now. Through thick and thin I have never wavered. I will never stop believing in this team, loving this team, and will never apologize for it. It all goes back to this game.
My late grandmother used to pray for the men in stripes every Sunday. The Bengals keep me connected to her. I’ve spent many Sundays making great memories watching games with my dad, or with my daughters. None of that happens without this game. For that, I will always be grateful.