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1997 Cincinnati Bengals

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Record: 7-9-0, Finished 4th in AFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 355 points (22.2/g), 10th of 30 in the NFL.
 Allowed 405 points (25.3/g), 27th.
 Differential of -50 points (-3.1/g), 21st.
 Expected W-L: 6.8-9.2.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +1 (0.1/g), 14th.

Coached by Bruce Coslet (7-9-0)

1997 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees

Starters

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters
Pos Age Yrs GS Summary of Player Stats Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
 Offensive Starters Complete Team Stats
QB Jeff Blake 27 5 11 184 for 317, 2,125 yards, 8 td, 7 int, & 45 rushes for 234 yards and 3 td

New York Jets / 6th / 166th pick / 1992

QB Boomer Esiason 36 13 5 118 for 186, 1,478 yards, 13 td, 2 int, & 8 rushes for 11 yards and 0 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 38th pick / 1984

RB Corey Dillon 23 Rook 6 233 rushes for 1,129 yards, 10 td, & 27 catches for 259 yards and 0 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1997

RB Ki-Jana Carter 24 1 10 128 rushes for 464 yards, 7 td, & 21 catches for 157 yards and 0 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 1st pick / 1995

FB Brian Milne 24 1 16 13 rushes for 32 yards, 2 td, & 23 catches for 138 yards and 0 td

Indianapolis Colts / 4th / 115th pick / 1996

WR Carl Pickens 27 5 12 52 catches for 695 yards, 5 td, & 1 rush for -6 yards and 0 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 31st pick / 1992

WR Darnay Scott 25 3 15 54 catches for 797 yards, 5 td, & 1 rush for 6 yards and 0 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 30th pick / 1994

WR David Dunn 25 2 5 27 catches for 414 yards, 2 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 139th pick / 1995

TE Tony McGee 26 4 16 34 catches for 414 yards, 6 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 37th pick / 1993

LT Kevin Sargent 28 5 8
LT Rod E. Jones 23 1 8

Cincinnati Bengals / 7th / 219th pick / 1996

LG Rich Braham 27 3 16

Arizona Cardinals / 3rd / 76th pick / 1994

C Darrick Brilz 33 10 16 1 fumble recovered
RG Ken Blackman 25 1 13

Cincinnati Bengals / 3rd / 69th pick / 1996

RT Willie Anderson 22 1 16

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 10th pick / 1996

 Defensive Starters
LDE John Copeland 27 4 15 3.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 5th pick / 1993

NT Kimo von Oelhoffen 26 3 13

Cincinnati Bengals / 6th / 162nd pick / 1994

NT Brentson Buckner 26 3 5

Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 50th pick / 1994

RDE Dan Wilkinson 24 3 15 5.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 1st pick / 1994

LOLB James Francis 29 7 16 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 12th pick / 1990

LILB Tom Tumulty 24 1 11 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 6th / 178th pick / 1996

LILB Steve Tovar 27 4 5

Cincinnati Bengals / 3rd / 59th pick / 1993

RILB Ricardo McDonald 28 5 12 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 88th pick / 1992

ROLB Gerald Dixon 28 4 12 8.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered

Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 78th pick / 1992

LCB Ashley Ambrose 27 5 16 1.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered

Indianapolis Colts / 2nd / 29th pick / 1992

RCB Jimmy Spencer 28 5 9 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered

Washington Redskins / 8th / 215th pick / 1991

RCB Tito Paul 25 2 5 0.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered

Arizona Cardinals / 5th / 167th pick / 1995

SS Sam Shade 24 2 12 4.0 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 102nd pick / 1995

FS Greg Myers 25 1 14 0.0 sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered

Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 144th pick / 1996

 Special Teams Starters
K Doug Pelfrey 27 4 0 12 of 16 field goals & 41 of 43 extra points

Cincinnati Bengals / 8th / 202nd pick / 1993

P Lee Johnson 36 12 0 81 punts for a 42.9 average, 0 blocked

Houston Oilers / 5th / 138th pick / 1985

PR Greg Myers 25 1 14 26 punt returns for a 7.7 average and 0 td

Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 144th pick / 1996

KR Eric Bieniemy 28 6 0 34 kick returns for a 23.2 average and 1 td

San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 39th pick / 1991

Roster

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Age Pos G GS Wt Ht College/Univ BirthDate Yrs Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
Ashley Ambrose 27 DB 16 16 190 5-11 Miss. Valley State 9/17/1970 5

Indianapolis Colts / 2nd / 29th pick / 1992

Willie Anderson 22 T 16 16 340 6-5 Auburn 7/11/1975 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 10th pick / 1996

Marco Battaglia 24 TE 16 0 250 6-3 Rutgers 1/25/1973 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 39th pick / 1996

Eric Bieniemy 28 RB 16 0 207 5-7 Colorado 8/15/1969 6

San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 39th pick / 1991

Ken Blackman 25 G 13 13 320 6-6 Illinois 11/8/1972 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 3rd / 69th pick / 1996

Jeff Blake 27 QB 11 11 223 6-1 East Carolina 12/4/1970 5

New York Jets / 6th / 166th pick / 1992

Rich Braham 27 C-G 16 16 305 6-4 West Virginia 11/6/1970 3

Arizona Cardinals / 3rd / 76th pick / 1994

Darrick Brilz 33 C-G 16 16 287 6-3 Oregon State 2/14/1964 10
Anthony Brown 25 T-G 6 0 315 6-5 Utah 11/6/1972 2
Scott Brumfield 27 G-T 15 3 321 6-8 BYU 8/19/1970 4
Brentson Buckner 26 DT-DE-NT 14 5 305 6-2 Clemson 9/30/1971 3

Pittsburgh Steelers / 2nd / 50th pick / 1994

Steve Bush 23 TE 16 0 280 6-3 Arizona State 7/4/1974 Rook
Ki-Jana Carter 24 RB 15 10 222 5-10 Penn State 9/12/1973 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 1st pick / 1995

Andre Collins 29 LB 16 0 237 6-1 Penn State 5/4/1968 7

Washington Redskins / 2nd / 46th pick / 1990

John Copeland 27 DE-DT-NT 15 15 285 6-3 Alabama 9/20/1970 4

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 5th pick / 1993

Canute Curtis 23 LB 3 0 250 6-2 West Virginia 8/4/1974 Rook

Cincinnati Bengals / 6th / 176th pick / 1997

Corey Dillon 23 RB 16 6 225 6-1 Washington 10/24/1974 Rook

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 43rd pick / 1997

Gerald Dixon 28 LB 15 12 250 6-3 South Carolina 6/20/1969 4

Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 78th pick / 1992

Ty Douthard 24 RB 1 0 215 6-1 Illinois 5/27/1973 Rook
David Dunn 25 WR 14 5 215 6-3 Fresno State 6/10/1972 2

Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 139th pick / 1995

Boomer Esiason 36 QB 7 5 224 6-5 Maryland 4/17/1961 13

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 38th pick / 1984

James Francis 29 LB 16 16 253 6-5 Baylor 8/4/1968 7

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 12th pick / 1990

Cory Gilliard 23 DB 1 0 210 6-0 Ball State 10/10/1974 Rook

Denver Broncos / 4th / 124th pick / 1997

Scottie Graham 28 RB 5 0 217 5-9 Ohio State 3/28/1969 5

Pittsburgh Steelers / 7th / 188th pick / 1992

Billy Granville 23 LB 12 4 252 6-3 Duke 3/11/1974 Rook
Brock Gutierrez 24 C 5 0 304 6-3 Central Michigan 9/25/1973 Rook
James Hundon 26 WR 16 0 180 6-1 Portland State 4/9/1971 1
Mike Jenkins 23 WR 4 0 200 6-4 Hampton 8/25/1974 Rook
Lee Johnson 36 P 16 0 200 6-2 BYU 11/27/1961 12

Houston Oilers / 5th / 138th pick / 1985

Rod E. Jones 23 T 13 8 325 6-4 Kansas 1/11/1974 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 7th / 219th pick / 1996

Jevon Langford 23 DE 14 0 290 6-3 Oklahoma State 2/16/1974 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 108th pick / 1996

Anthone Lott 23 DB 5 0 194 5-9 Florida 7/22/1974 Rook
Tremain Mack 23 DB 4 4 193 6-0 Miami (FL) 11/21/1974 Rook

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 111th pick / 1997

Ricardo McDonald 28 LB 13 12 248 6-2 Pittsburgh 11/8/1969 5

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 88th pick / 1992

Tony McGee 26 TE 16 16 247 6-3 Michigan 4/21/1971 4

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 37th pick / 1993

Brian Milne 24 RB 16 16 255 6-3 Penn State 1/7/1973 1

Indianapolis Colts / 4th / 115th pick / 1996

Greg Myers 25 DB 16 14 202 6-1 Colorado State 9/30/1972 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 144th pick / 1996

Bo Orlando 31 DB 16 2 180 5-10 West Virginia 4/3/1966 7

Houston Oilers / 6th / 157th pick / 1989

Tito Paul 25 DB 14 5 195 6-0 Ohio State 12/7/1972 2

Arizona Cardinals / 5th / 167th pick / 1995

Doug Pelfrey 27 K 16 0 185 5-11 Kentucky 9/25/1970 4

Cincinnati Bengals / 8th / 202nd pick / 1993

Carl Pickens 27 WR 12 12 206 6-2 Tennessee 3/23/1970 5

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 31st pick / 1992

Andre Purvis 24 DT 7 1 310 6-4 North Carolina 7/14/1973 Rook

Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 144th pick / 1997

Kevin Sargent 28 T 10 8 289 6-6 Eastern Washington 3/31/1969 5
Corey Sawyer 26 DB 15 2 177 5-11 Florida State 10/4/1971 3

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 104th pick / 1994

Darnay Scott 25 WR 16 15 200 6-1 San Diego State 7/7/1972 3

Cincinnati Bengals / 2nd / 30th pick / 1994

Sam Shade 24 DB 16 12 205 6-0 Alabama 6/14/1973 2

Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 102nd pick / 1995

Jimmy Spencer 28 DB 16 9 188 5-9 Florida 3/29/1969 5

Washington Redskins / 8th / 215th pick / 1991

Ramondo Stallings 26 DE 6 0 286 6-7 San Diego State 11/21/1971 3

Cincinnati Bengals / 7th / 195th pick / 1994

Tim Terry 23 LB 5 0 235 6-3 Temple 7/26/1974 Rook
Steve Tovar 27 LB 14 5 246 6-3 Ohio State 4/25/1970 4

Cincinnati Bengals / 3rd / 59th pick / 1993

Greg Truitt 32 C 16 0 235 6-0 Penn State 12/8/1965 3
Tom Tumulty 24 LB 11 11 247 6-3 Pittsburgh 2/11/1973 1

Cincinnati Bengals / 6th / 178th pick / 1996

Gunnard Twyner 24 WR 2 0 165 5-10 Western Illinois 7/14/1973 Rook
Kimo von Oelhoffen 26 DE-NT-DT 13 13 300 6-4 Boise State,Hawaii 1/30/1971 3

Cincinnati Bengals / 6th / 162nd pick / 1994

Joe Walter 34 T-G 5 0 292 6-7 Texas Tech 6/18/1963 12

Cincinnati Bengals / 7th / 181st pick / 1985

Dan Wilkinson 24 DT-DE 15 15 335 6-4 Ohio State 3/13/1973 3

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 1st pick / 1994

Reinard Wilson 24 LB-DE 16 3 270 6-2 Florida State 12/17/1973 Rook

Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 14th pick / 1997

Lawrence Wright 24 DB 4 0 209 6-2 Florida 9/6/1973 Rook
Team Total 26.1 16 244.7 6-2.0 3.0