WEEKLY NEWS RELEASE AUG. 8, 2017 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-0) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-0)

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1 CINCINNATI BENGALS One Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, Ohio (513) administrative offices (513) administrative fax (513) 621-TDTD (8383) ticket office WEEKLY NEWS RELEASE AUG. 8, 2017 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-0) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-0) Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Television: Live coverage on the Bengals Preseason Network with Brad Johansen (play-by-play), Anthony Munoz (analyst) and Mike Valpredo (sideline reporter). The network is led by flagship WKRC-TV (CBS Channel 12) in Cincinnati. Also on the network are WKEF-TV (ABC Ch. 22) in Dayton, WSYX- TV (ABC Ch. 6) in Columbus, WLIO-TV (FOX Ch. 8.2) in Lima, WDKY-TV FOX Ch. 56) in Lexington, Ky. and WDRB-TV (FOX Ch. 41) in Louisville, Ky. Radio: Coverage on the Bengals Radio Network, led by Cincinnati flagship stations WCKY-AM (ESPN 1530; all sports) and WEBN-FM (102.7). Broadcasters are Dan Hoard (play-by-play) and Dave Lapham (analyst). Setting the scene: The 2017 season marks the golden anniversary of the Cincinnati Bengals, and while the team enters its 50th campaign with plans to honor its past throughout the year (see following item), it does so with a keen eye on its immediate future. After five straight seasons in the playoffs from , something only four NFL teams accomplished during that span, the Bengals seek to bounce back from their setback in 16 and finish their 50th season in gilded fashion. That undertaking begins with Friday s preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bengals fans longing for a return to the playoffs have many reasons to be optimistic this preseason as the team primes for its regular-season opener vs. Baltimore on Sept. 10. Here are a few: Injured veterans returning to action: Cincinnati enters the preseason having been upgraded simply by welcoming back a significant list of differencemaking veterans who ended last season on Reserve/Injured. That list includes WR A.J. Green, TE Tyler Eifert, HB Giovani Bernard and G Clint Boling. Green and Eifert, the Bengals top two receiving threats, were fully ready and in the lineup together for only two games in Green was on pace for the best season of an already remarkable career before playing only two snaps in the last seven games, due to a hamstring injury. And Eifert, a Pro Bowler with 13 TDs in 2015, played in only eight games in 16 due to ankle and back injuries early and late in the year. Bernard played just 10 games last season before suffering a torn ACL, and Boling battled with an injured shoulder most of the year before the cumulative effects of the injury sidelined the starting LG for the final two contests. Also limited physically in 2016 were veteran stalwarts HB Jeremy Hill and LB Vontaze Burfict. And those solid veterans aren t the only players whose returns to action bode well for team s 2017 prospects. CB William Jackson and DT Andrew Billings both were notable draft picks last year who missed their entire rookie seasons due to injuries suffered early in training camp. Jackson was the team s first-round pick and had suffered a pectoral muscle tear, and Billings was its fourth-round selection and had suffered a meniscus tear in his knee. Both certainly will be competing for significant playing time, and possibly even roles as starters. An intriguing draft class: In addition to all of the existing veteran talent returning to the active roster, the Bengals significantly upgraded themselves in April s NFL Draft with notable speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball, particularly in the first four rounds. On offense, WR John Ross, the team s first-round pick out of Washington (ninth overall), brings record-setting speed to the team. He clocked an exceptional 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine 1 PRESEASON GAME 1 FRIDAY, AUG. 11 AT PAUL BROWN STADIUM NEXT WEEK: PRESEASON GAME 2 AUG. 19 VS. KANSAS CITY GAME NOTES considered to be an all-time combine record and he posted career totals of 114 catches, 1729 receiving yards and 22 receiving TDs over three seasons at Washington. Second-round pick Joe Mixon, a 6-foot-1, 228-pound HB considered to have excellent speed for his size, posted lofty career totals of 300 carries for 2027 yards (6.8 average) and 17 TDs, as well as 65 receptions for 894 yards (13.8) and nine TDs at Oklahoma, despite splitting time in the Sooners backfield. And WR Josh Malone, a fourth-round selection, not only was a deep-ball-specialist at Tennessee with 104 career receptions for 1608 yards (15.5 average) and 14 TDs, he also posted a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the combine, third best among wide receivers and eighth overall. On defense, Cincinnati added DE Jordan Willis of Kansas State in the third round, LB Carl Lawson of Auburn in the fourth round and DT Ryan Glasgow of Michigan in the fourth round. Willis was widely considered to be one of the best defenders in Kansas State history, recording 114 career tackles, including 40.5 for losses, and his 26 career sacks are third most in school history. Willis yard dash at the combine led all defensive linemen, and his 39-inch vertical leap ranked second. Lawson played mostly on the defensive line at Auburn, but is expected to be a LB with the Bengals. He totaled 24 tackles for losses in three seasons with the Tigers, including 14 sacks. At the combine, Lawson s 35 bench press reps of 225 pounds led all defensive linemen and linebackers, and tied for the top mark overall. Glasgow was considered a strong run defender after a standout career at Michigan. The former walk-on had 91 career tackles, including 18.5 for losses, with five sacks. And one shouldn t forget special teams, as the Bengals made the rare move of selecting a kicker in the draft when they took Jake Elliott of Memphis in the fifth round. Elliott ranks in the top-10 in FBS scoring by a kicker with 445 career points, and he holds Memphis career records for points, PATs (202), FGs (81), FG percentage (77.9) and longest FG (56 yards). If he makes the team, Elliott surely will factor largely into the Bengals fortunes. The return of core veteran players in their prime: In looking at the Bengals depth chart, the projected starting lineup is filled with returning seasoned veterans who are considered to be in the primes of their careers. On offense, the list includes QB Andy Dalton, WRs Green and Brandon LaFell, TE Eifert, H-B Ryan Hewitt, HBs Hill and Bernard, G Boling and C Russell Bodine. And on defense, it includes DEs Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson, DT Geno Atkins, LB Burfict, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, S George Iloka and S Shawn Williams. Also added to this lengthy list of solid starters this offseason was fifth-year free agent LB Kevin Minter, who played his first four seasons with Arizona. The Bengals did lose two veteran offensive linemen in free agency this offseason 12th-year OT Andrew Whitworth (signed with Los Angeles Rams) and sixth-year G Kevin Zeitler (signed with Cleveland Browns). Both were longtime starters, and there s no doubt their absence will be felt, but the Bengals had prepared for O-line departures by drafting OTs Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in the first and second rounds of the 2015 draft respectively. Ogbuehi looks to start at LOT, while Fisher s ascension at ROT allows the team to move Andre Smith inside to G. Overall, the team has been successful in keeping the core of its primary players over the years while developing its young talent and adding a few veterans here and there along the way. Head coach Marvin Lewis often cites that approach as playing an important role in the team s positive outlook. And it s not just players that figure into the team s stability and continuity. The Bengals coaching staff also returns completely intact in The continual improvement of Andy Dalton: The Bengals may have finished with a disappointing record in 2016, but it came with plenty of

2 (Setting the scene, continued) reason to think what else might have been. Sure, the team didn t produce as expected in the fourth quarters of several games, and it suffered from crucial missed place kicks and multiple season-ending injuries at key positions as no Bengals team has suffered in recent years. Despite that, however, things were not far off the mark overall. The team s last five losses came by a total of just 16 points (an average of 3.2 per game), and a primary reason those games remained so close was the steady play and leadership of Dalton. The season also ended with reassurance that the Bengals can count on continued top-level play where it counts most at quarterback. Though Dalton didn t match his overall statistics from 2015 which included a Bengals-record passer rating his stats were still very good, and he displayed great leadership. Dalton played under some adverse conditions, including being sacked as many times (41) as he was during the 2014 and 15 seasons combined. The injuries to Green, Eifert, Bernard and Boling also played a part. To me, Andy had his best season so far, though as a team we did not, Lewis said. He continued to grow into the quarterback we expect him to be. Last year he didn t have as many experienced players as he had in the past, both in years in the league and years in our system, because we had some turnover going in. He had to mentor and bring guys along. That is great experience you gain as a quarterback, and it will help us moving forward. Bengals celebrate 50th season: The Bengals are celebrating their 50th season in A commemorative logo is featured on patches the team will wear on home and road uniforms, on the field at Paul Brown Stadium and on the windows of the East Club Lounge facing downtown Cincinnati. Three-dimensional sculptures of the 50th season logo are located throughout the Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton areas, including Paul Brown Stadium. A key component of the Bengals 50th season celebration is the Bengals First 50, which recognizes the top 50 retired Bengals players as voted by fans and media. The Bengals First 50 and other Bengals legends will be recognized during halftime ceremonies at every regular-season home game, which will include video highlights and an on-field presentation. Additionally, two Super Bowl head coaches and 26 retired players were named to the Bengals All-50th Team, which will be recognized on banners throughout the east and west sideline concourses in Paul Brown Stadium. The banners will be unveiled at the Bengals regular-season home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 10. The series: The Bengals and Bucs last met in preseason in 2015, a Tampa Bay home victory. The Bucs lead 9-4 in preseason games, having won five straight. The Bengals last preseason victory in the series came in 1987, a narrow decision at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals have played host to the Bucs only three times in preseason, with the Bucs emerging victorious in two of those matchups. In regular-season play, the Bucs lead 7-4, but the Bengals won the last meeting, at Tampa in The Bengals and Bucs will not meet in the 2017 regular season. Bengals-Buccaneers connections: Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter played together at Idaho State University from , and during the 81 season, Koetter s final season as a player and Lewis first as a coach, ISU won an NCAA Division I-AA championship... Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes and Bucs defensive line coach Jay Hayes are brothers. Jay Hayes was Bengals defensive line coach from Bucs linebackers coach Mark Duffner was on the Bengals coaching staff from Duffner also coached at Ohio State University from and the University of Cincinnati from Bengals DE Michael Johnson played for the Bucs in Bucs DT Clinton McDonald entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft choice of the Bengals in 2009, and was with THE HEAD COACHES 2 Cincinnati through the 11 preseason... Bucs QB Ryan Fitzpatrick played for the Bengals from Bengals DE Wallace Gilberry was with Tampa Bay in Bengals LB Hardy Nickerson Jr. is the son of Hardy Nickerson Sr., who played for the Bucs from Bengals WR Karel Hamilton is from Valrico, Fla. (outside of Tampa), and attended Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Fla.... Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap played at the University of Florida... Bengals QB Jeff Driskel is from Oviedo, Fla., and played for four years at the University of Florida, before transferring to Louisiana Tech... Bengals CB Josh Shaw played two seasons at the University of Florida, before transferring to Southern California... Bengals WR Kermit Whitfield is from Orlando, Fla., and played at Florida State University... Bucs WR Donteea Dye Jr. is from Fairfield, Ohio (outside of Cincinnati), attended Fairfield High School, and played collegiately at Heidelberg University... Bucs DE Noah Spence played at both Ohio State University and Eastern Kentucky University... Bucs CB Jude Adjei-Barimah is from Columbus, Ohio, (Northland High School) and played at Bowling Green State University... Bucs WR Bernard Reedy played at the University of Toledo... Bucs TE Luke Stocker is from Berea, Ky.... Bucs quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian coached at the University of Cincinnati from Bucs secondary coach Jon Hoke is from Kettering, Ohio, and coached at Bowling Green State University from Bucs running backs coach Tim Spencer is from Martins Ferry, Ohio, played collegiately at Ohio State University from and coached at OSU from Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith coached at Morehead State University in Bucs run game coordinator/offensive line coach George Warhop played ( ) and coached ( 83) at the University of Cincinnati... Bucs head strength and conditioning coach Dave Kennedy coached at Ohio State University from BENGALS-BUCCANEERS 2016 NFL RANKINGS BENGALS BUCCANEERS SCORING (AVERAGE POINTS): Points scored... 24th (20.3) T-18th (22.1) Points allowed... 8th (19.7) 15th (23.1) NET OFFENSE (AVERAGE YARDS): Total... 13th (356.9) 18th (346.4) Rushing... 13th (110.6) 24th (101.0) Passing... 15th (246.4) 16th (245.4) NET DEFENSE (AVERAGE YARDS): Total... 17th (350.8) 23rd (367.9) Rushing... 21st (113.3) 22nd (117.2) Passing... 11th (237.5) 22nd (250.8) TURNOVERS: Differential...12th (plus-3) T-13th (plus-2) BENGALS 2016 RED-ZONE REPORT OFFENSE DEFENSE Inside-20 possessions: 54 Inside-20 possessions: 49 Total scores: 49 (90.7%) Total scores: 43 (85.7%) TDs: 29 (53.7) TDs: 25 (51.0%) FGs: 20 (37.0%) FGs: 17 (34.7%) TD% rank: 18th TD% rank: 7th No scores: 5 (9.3%) No scores: 6 (14.3%) BUCCANEERS 2016 RED-ZONE REPORT OFFENSE DEFENSE Inside-20 possessions: 54 Inside-20 possessions: 50 Total scores: 47 (87.0%) Total scores: 45 (90.0%) TDs: 28 (51.9%) TDs: 29 (58.0%) FGs: 19 (35.2%) FGs: 16 (32.0%) TD% rank: 21st TD% rank: 25th No scores: 7 (12.9%) No scores: 5 (10.0%) Marvin Lewis in 2017 extends his Bengals-record head coaching tenure to 15 seasons, nearly twice that of Paul Brown ( ) and Sam Wyche ( 84-91), who are tied for second with eight seasons each. Lewis has led his teams to the postseason seven times, including a five-year run from The total number of playoff trips and the five-year streak of consecutive appearances are Bengals records, and the Bengals were one of only four NFL teams to reach the playoffs every year from The playoff run ended in 2016, however, as Cincinnati finished The Bengals last five losses came by a total of 16 points. Injuries were a greaterthan-usual factor, and crucial missed place kicks plagued the team to an extent not seen for many years. Lewis opens the 2017 season with 118 career victories, the most in Bengals history by a margin of 54 over Wyche (64). Lewis record is in the regular season and including postseason. The Bengals record over the last six regular seasons gives the team a.615 winning percentage for the span, ranked sixth in the NFL. The 2016 season ended with reassurance that Lewis has developed the most crucial element for a return to postseason, an accomplished quarterback in

3 (The head coaches, continued) his prime. Though Andy Dalton didn t match his overall statistics from 2015, which included a Bengals-record passer rating, his stats were still good and he displayed great leadership. He closed the season with his third Pro Bowl berth. In 2017, Dalton figures to get much more help from his receiving corps. A.J. Green missed all but two snaps of the last seven games of 16, after starting the season with numbers that projected to team records by a wide margin in catches and receiving yards. TE Tyler Eifert, a 2015 Pro Bowler, also missed roughly half the season due to injuries. Additionally, WR Tyler Boyd figures to keep improving after a strong rookie season, and No. 9 overall draft pick John Ross also joins the group. The 16 Bengals also closed with a rush on defense, finishing eighth in the NFL in fewest points allowed (19.7). Under coordinator Paul Guenther, the 2015 Bengals finished second at The 15 Bengals were widely considered as Lewis best team thus far. Their 12-4 record tied the 1981 and 88 Super Bowl teams for the best winning percentage (.750) in a 16-game season. The Bengals finished second in franchise history in average scoring differential, outscoring foes by 8.8 points per game. Lewis in 2017 ranks second among NFL head coaches in longest current tenure with one team, trailing only Bill Belichick, who is in his 18th straight season with New England. In the category of most seasons as head coach with one or more teams, Lewis ranks fourth among active coaches, behind Belichick (23rd season in 17), Andy Reid (19) and John Fox (16). Lewis has developed an impressive coaching tree during his Bengals tenure. Five of his former assistants have become NFL head coaches, and four of those are leading teams in The list, including their teams and head coaching tenures, includes former Bengals offensive coordinators Jay Gruden (Washington, ) and Hue Jackson (Cleveland, 16-17), former defensive coordinators Leslie Frazier (Minnesota, 10-13) and Mike Zimmer (Minnesota, 14-17) and former defensive backs coach Vance Joseph (Denver, 17). Lewis was the consensus choice for NFL Coach of the Year in 2009, when the Bengals won the AFC North Division while sweeping all six division games. The Bengals also were AFC North champions under Lewis in 2005, 13 and 15. Named the ninth head coach in Bengals history on Jan. 14, 2003, Lewis started quickly. His 03 club finished 8-8, six games better than the 02 club, good for the biggest improvement in the NFL. Lewis came to the Bengals with credentials as a record-setting NFL defensive coordinator, having played a huge role in a championship season. His six seasons ( ) as Baltimore Ravens coordinator included a Super Bowl victory in 00, when his defense set the NFL record for fewest points Rockin in the Jungle: The Bengals sport a record (.758 winning percentage) in the regular season at Paul Brown Stadium over the last four seasons. That s the second-best home-stadium record for Cincinnati over a four-year span, topped only by a 23-5 mark (.821) posted from at Riverfront Stadium. Over the stretch, the Bengals have held opposing passers to a rating of just An individual with a 70.9 rating in 2016 would have ranked 30th among qualifiers for the NFL rankings, and an individual at 70.9 for 15 would have ranked 34th. Give it up to the fans in The Jungle, they re the 12th man, says DE Carlos Dunlap. They make it hard on quarterbacks to make checks and adjustments. It s a lot easier to play in front of the home crowd. And the last couple of years, it s been way louder than when I first got here. The last two or three years it s been crazy loud. That s what you call home-field advantage, says DE Michael Johnson. The fans bring great energy. They know when to get loud, and they also know when to quiet down. I love playing here. It s one of the loudest places I ve ever heard, especially on third down. It s tough to come into The Jungle. Five Bengals named to Pro Bowl: Five Bengals earned Pro Bowl nods for the 2016 game. WR A.J. Green and DT Geno Atkins were selected in the initial voting, while QB Andy Dalton, OT Andrew Whitworth (now with the Los Angeles Rams) and DE Carlos Dunlap were added as alternates. Green did not play, due to a hamstring injury. BENGALS NOTES 3 allowed in a 16-game campaign (165). That team clipped 22 points off the previous mark. The 2000 Ravens are always an entry in discussions regarding the best NFL defensive units of all time. In 2002, the season before he joined the Bengals, Lewis led the Washington Redskins to a No. 5 NFL defensive ranking, serving as assistant head coach as well as defensive coordinator. He had his first NFL assignment from , as linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He aided the development of four Pro Bowl players Kevin Greene, Chad Brown, Levon Kirkland and Greg Lloyd. Lewis began his coaching career as linebackers coach at his alma mater Idaho State from ISU s team (also nicknamed the Bengals) finished 12-1 in Lewis first season there and won the NCAA Division 1-AA championship. Lewis played LB at Idaho State, earning All-Big Sky Conference honors for three consecutive years ( ). He also saw action at quarterback and free safety during his college career. He received his bachelor s degree in physical education from Idaho State in 1981, and earned his master s in athletic administration in 82. He was inducted into Idaho State s Hall of Fame in Born Sept. 23, 1958, Lewis attended Fort Cherry High School in McDonald, Pa. (near Pittsburgh), where he was an all-conference quarterback and safety. He also earned high school letters in wrestling and baseball. He and his wife, Peggy, have a daughter, Whitney, and a son, Marcus. Marcus Lewis joined the Bengals coaching staff for 2014 and remains on the staff for 17. Dirk Koetter, was named the 11th head coach in Buccaneers history on Jan. 15, 2016, after serving as the offensive coordinator in 15. In 2016, his first year as an NFL head coach, Koetter led Tampa Bay to a 9-7 record the team s most wins since 2010, and the second-most wins by any coach in their first season with the Buccaneers. Over the past two seasons, Tampa Bay has posted consecutive seasons with at least 5,500 yards of offense and 340 points for the first time in franchise history. In addition, Jameis Winston became the youngest player in NFL history with 50 touchdown passes. Koetter was previously the offensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons ( ) and Jacksonville Jaguars ( 07-11). His career record is 9-7. Koetter was born on Feb. 5, 1959 in Pocatello, Idaho. He and his wife, Kim, have two daughters, Kaylee and Kendra, and two sons, Derek and Davis. Lewis vs. Buccaneers: The Buccaneers lead 2-0 against Lewis in preseason, and they are 2-1 against Lewis in regular season. Lewis vs. Koetter: No previous meetings in preseason or regular season. Koetter vs. Bengals: No previous meetings in preseason or regular season. Defense closes 16 with momentum: The Bengals 10- point yield to Baltimore in last season s finale closed a stretch of seven games in which Cincinnati held opponents under 20 points six times and allowed a (sevengame) average of only The effort pushed Cincinnati into a top 10 NFL finish in fewest points allowed for the full season, ranking eighth at 19.7 points per game. The Bengals ranked second in scoring defense in the 2015 season (17.4), and in 2014, Paul Guenther s first as defensive coordinator, Cincinnati ranked 12th in scoring defense. My job is to limit points, period, Guenther said. That s what I get paid to do. It s not holding them to 200 yards but have three plays be touchdowns. Regardless where they get the ball if we turn it over (on offense) and it s the 10-yard line let s go play defense. Hold them to three. I m paid to keep them off the scoreboard. Also of note regarding the defense: With their effort in the season finale, the Bengals also rose into the top 10 in defensive red-zone TD percentage. They held Baltimore to one TD in four chances and closed in seventh place in the NFL, allowing TDs on only 51.0 percent of opponent chances (25 of 49). Cincinnati finished with 17 interceptions, just one off the NFL lead shared by Baltimore, Kansas City and San Diego. The Bengals were among four teams with 17. Dalton rising: After last year s season-finale win over Baltimore, in which QB Andy Dalton posted a passer rating his eighth over 100 on the season Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis concluded that Dalton had produced the best overall season of his seven-year career. Undoubtedly, Dalton played under some adverse conditions in 16, including being sacked as many times (41) as he was during the 2014 and 15 seasons combined. He had to form connections with two new WRs veteran Brandon LaFell and rookie Tyler Boyd and his top two regular targets (WR A.J. Green

4 (Dalton rising, continued) and TE Tyler Eifert) were fully healthy together for only two games. Dalton, though never one to brag, said: I definitely feel like I did take some steps forward. With some new guys and a new coordinator (Ken Zampese), I felt like I was able to get everybody on the same page and get everybody moving. Obviously, I want to keep getting better, and I m going to take this offseason to look at what I was able to do and the areas I can keep improving. I definitely felt like there were things I did better this year than I ve done at any time in my career. Dalton s 91.8 passer rating for 2016 was better than his career rating (now at 89.1), and his career rating is itself a Bengals record, more than two points ahead of the second-place mark of 86.9 posted by Carson Palmer between The Bengals were 6-2 in the eight games last season in which Dalton topped the 100 mark in passer rating. He now has 36 career games with a 100-plus rating, and Cincinnati stands 31-5 (.861) in his triple-digit efforts. Record game of keep-away: Andy Dalton threw all 563 Bengals passes in 2016, and his interception total of eight constituted a team record for fewest INTs in a season. The previous team low of nine INTs was set three times, including twice in 16-game seasons. Those two were in 1997, with Jeff Blake throwing seven INTs and Boomer Esiason two, and in 2015, with Dalton throwing seven and AJ McCarron two. Dalton had streaks in 16 of 165 and 147 attempts without an INT. The streak of 165 was the longest by a Bengal since 2005 (Carson Palmer, 169). Dalton s interception percentage of 1.4 for 2016 is his career-best, topping 1.8 in 15. Dalton s mark of seven INTs in 15 stands as his personal career low, but he threw only 386 passes that season, missing time with a thumb fracture. The 16 season s 563 passes were the second-most of his career. Hogging the ball: A season after a thumb fracture ended his year prematurely, Andy Dalton in 2016 became the third player in Bengals history to throw all of his team s passes in a season. Previous Bengals to do it were Jon Kitna in 2003 and Carson Palmer in 07. Dalton was one of three QBs to throw every pass for his team. The others were Eli Manning of the N.Y. Giants and Matt Stafford of Detroit. The Bengals record for most players throwing a pass in a season is seven, set in The multiple effort included three QBs (Boomer Esiason, Turk Schonert, Ken Anderson), along with four players throwing one pass each. Those four were RB James Brooks, WR Steve Kreider, WR Cris Collinsworth and P Pat McInally. An eighth Bengal WR Eddie Brown also appears in the 1985 passing statistics, but Brown was sacked on his one attempt. Dalton adds a No. 2 to his No. 1: A big lead and resulting conservative second half in last season s finale may have caused QB Andy Dalton to fall just short of breaking his own Bengals single-season passing yardage record. Cincinnati got off to a big early lead (20-3 at halftime) in the Jan. 1 game vs. Baltimore, causing Dalton and the Bengals offense to go into ball-control mode in the second half. Dalton ended up finishing with only 226 passing yards in the game, 88 short of the 314 he needed to break his own Bengals record for passing yards in a season. Dalton closed the year with 4206 yards, second-most in franchise history behind the 4293 he logged in The most passing yards by a Bengal other than Dalton has been 4131, by Carson Palmer in Dalton second to go six-for-3000: A season passing total of 3000 yards is not in itself a stupendous NFL feat. Twenty-five passers reached it in But hitting 3000 in the first six seasons of an NFL career, which Andy Dalton reached last year in Game 11, Nov. 27 at Baltimore, still is an event worth noting. The only QB to do it before Dalton was Peyton Manning. The cinch Hall of Famer is beyond compare in this realm, as he reeled off 13 straight 3000-yarders before missing the 2011 season due to injury. Carolina s Cam Newton ended up joining the same club a few weeks later last season, passing the 3000 mark on Dec. 19 at Washington, and he finished the season at 3509 yards. Newton was chosen first overall in the same 2011 draft in which the Bengals claimed Dalton at No. 35. Dalton finished 2016 the season with 4206 yards. Dalton chasing Kenny in TDs: Andy Dalton scored four touchdowns in 2016 and now has 19 for his career. His total is just one short of the franchise record for touchdowns by a QB, held at 20 by Ken Anderson, who played 16 Bengals seasons ( ). Dalton is in his seventh season. All of Anderson s 20 TDs were rushing scores. Dalton has 18 rushing TDs, and he has 19 total by virtue of being the only Bengals QB ever to catch a touchdown pass. He scored on an 18-yard gadget connection from WR Mohamed Sanu vs. Tennessee in The next-most TDs by a Bengals QB is 10, by Jeff Blake. Dalton and Jack Thompson share the Bengals season record for touchdowns by a QB, at five. Dalton had five in 2014, tying the record first set by Thompson in Off on another streak: Andy Dalton started every game last season and threw every Bengals pass. And though he came off an injuryshortened 2015, he still rates as a durable performer. Prior to his thumb fracture in Game 13 of 2015, he had not missed a regular-season or postseason start for the Bengals, covering 81 games. And the fracture occurred during unusual duty, as he made a solo tackle on Pittsburgh DE Stephon Tuitt after an INT. On that play I was the hitter, not the hittee, Dalton said. As far as when I have the ball, I think it s knowing how to take a hit and when not to take a hit. That s part of it. I ve been fortunate. Dalton opened his career with 77 consecutive regular-season starts, a Bengals record for quarterbacks at any point during a career. The previous mark had been 61, posted by Boomer Esiason from Dalton s streak ranks third in NFL history for the start of a career by a QB, trailing only Peyton Manning of Indianapolis (208) and Joe Flacco of Baltimore (122). An Andy roundup: Other records and other notable accomplishments in QB Andy Dalton s career include: He is one of only three QBs in the Super Bowl era to lead a team to postseason in each of his first five campaigns. Dalton did that from , while Baltimore s Joe Flacco did it from and Seattle s Russell Wilson has done it from Dalton has posted 36 career games with a passer rating of 100 or more, and the Bengals are 31-5 (.861) in those contests. Dalton s.613 winning percentage as a starter ( regular season) ranks seventh among active QBs with 50 or more starts. Ahead of Dalton are Tom Brady (.779), Russell Wilson (.706), Ben Roethlisberger (.672), Aaron Rodgers (.667), Andrew Luck (.614) and Tony Romo (.614). Dalton s.613 winning percentage also is the best of any Bengals QB with 10 or more starts. Dalton holds club season records for passing yards (4293) and TD passes (33), both set in Dalton in 16 passed the 20,000 mark in career passing yards (22,214). He ll need just 480 yards in 2017 to pass Carson Palmer (22,694) into third place all-time on the Bengals, behind Ken Anderson (32,838 over 16 seasons) and Jeff Blake (27,149 over six seasons). His career 16.7-to-1 ratio of TD passes to INTs (100-6) in the red zone ranks sixth among active NFL passers. He is the only Bengals passer to throw for 300-plus yards in four consecutive games (2013). Dalton passed for exactly 366 yards on both Games 1 and 2 of 2016, becoming the first Bengal to hit 366 or higher in consecutive games. Geno does it again: In 2016, for the fourth time in his seven-year Bengals career, DT Geno Atkins was at least a co-holder of the NFL season lead for sacks by an interior lineman. Atkins claimed the honor outright in 16, with nine sacks. DT Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams was second with eight, and no other interior linemen had more than seven. Atkins also was the outright winner in 2012, when he had a career-best 12.5 sacks. He tied for the league lead in 2011 (7.5 sacks) and 2015 (11). Atkins has 52 career sacks, most by a Bengals interior lineman and fifth overall. Also in 16, Atkins led the Bengals in tackles for losses (13), and total QB hits (26). Boyd shines on third down: Bengals second-year WR Tyler Boyd looks to keep his momentum going in 2017, after a strong start to his Bengals career in Boyd finished last season with 54 catches for 603 yards, the most in each category by a Bengals rookie since the incomparable A.J. Green in

5 (Boyd shines on third down, continued) But where Boyd especially made his mark was on third downs. He ended the season with 22 receptions on third down, the most of any 2016 NFL rookie. WR Sterling Shepard of the N.Y. Giants was second at 21. Boyd finished seven short of the overall league lead, posted by Baltimore TE Dennis Pitta at 29. The top figure among all NFL WRs was 28, shared by three wideouts. In third-down catches that produced first downs, Boyd and Shepard tied for the lead among rookies, at 16. Boyd performed under unusual pressure last season to contribute immediately. The Bengals No. 3 spot was wide open as 2016 began, due to veteran free agent departures, and Boyd was clearly among the club s designees to fill the spot, even though he was the youngest player on the team. He saw increased action the last seven games, due to a hamstring injury that sidelined Green, and now in his second year and with a full offseason under his belt, his role figures to grow even more. Obviously we saw a lot in Tyler, as a second-round draft choice, but he was even better than we had reason to expect, says head coach Marvin Lewis. He s a young guy (will turn 23 on Nov. 15), but he was in tune all year with what we were doing. I feel like I practiced hard, and worked hard in the classroom, and that it paid off, Boyd says. I didn t just bring my skills in here and think it would all fall into place without the effort. I just tried to increase my performance with every game. I didn t do it every week, but that was my goal. LaFell producing like a pro: Returning to the Bengals this season after a productive 2016 is eighth-year WR Brandon LaFell, who re-signed with the team on March 9. LaFell played in all 16 games last season for the Bengals and amply filled the role of a veteran to play in the base offense along with flagship pass-catcher A.J. Green. And for the last seven games, with Green injured, he filled the role of the No. 1 wideout. For the season, LaFell had 64 catches and 862 receiving yards, ranked second on the team behind Green in both categories. His catch total was his second-highest for a season, behind only the 74 he caught for New England s 2014 Super Bowl champions. His yardage total was also his second-highest, behind only the 953 he logged with New England in 14. LaFell s six TDs (all receiving) ranked second on the team and first among receivers. In Game 15, Dec. 24 at Houston last year, LaFell had six catches for a personal season-high of 130 yards, including an 86-yard TD in the fourth quarter on which he outran Houston s secondary for nearly 80 yards after taking a short pass from Andy Dalton. The 86-yard reception was the second-longest in LaFell s career. He had a 91-yarder for a TD as a second-year man with Carolina in Thanks to LaFell s fast feet, it proved to be the longest completion in QB Andy Dalton s career, topping an 84-yarder to WR Jerome Simpson in Dalton s rookie year of It was the longest Bengals pass play in more than 20 years, since an 88- yarder from Jeff Blake to Darnay Scott in 1995, and it was the team s longest gain of any kind in the 16 season, including kick returns. That guy is the ultimate pro, Green said of LaFell, and he s been a good veteran (seventh-year pro) for me to learn from. I haven t really had that in my first five years here, at least not to the extent he s been able to provide it. He s played well everywhere he s been, and he s been big for us. The guy has played a lot of wide receiver at a very high level, and for a long time by NFL standards, says Bengals wide receivers coach James Urban. He s tough. He s big (6-3, 210) and he s physical. Vontaze impresses the analysts: LB Vontaze Burfict was inactive for the 2016 season s last two games, due to a concussion and a knee injury he suffered in Game 14 vs. Pittsburgh. The missed games, his fourth and fifth of the year, helped cost Burfict the team tackles lead he had held during Weeks But despite playing in only 11 games, he finished second on the team at 101 tackles, trailing only LB Karlos Dansby (114), who played in every game. And in December, network TV analysts gave Burfict his due as one of the best linebacker talents in the NFL today. On Dec. 4, while working the Bengals-Eagles game as the FOX network analyst, Charles Davis said, There simply cannot be an NFL middle linebacker playing at a higher level right now than Vontaze Burfict. And on Dec. 11, Steve Tasker, the former Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl special teamer, offered this while working the Bengals-Browns game for CBS: Vontaze Burfict is a monster. Nobody in the NFL at inside linebacker is playing as well as he is right now. The base coin of Burfict s realm is tackles. He led the team by wide margins 5 in his only two previous seasons ( ) of playing more than 10 games. In 2015 he played only 10 games but finished third in total tackles while leading the team in tackles-per-games-played. And in 16, he again led the team in tacklesper-games-played (9.2). Burfict s top overall outing last season came in the Dec. 4 win over Philadelphia. He punished the Eagles with 15 tackles, most by a Bengal in any game on the year, but his real headline effort was in the passing game. He had two interceptions against Carson Wentz, the first multi-int game by a Bengal since S Reggie Nelson in Game 7 of 2015 and his own first game with more than one. He had one return of 47 yards. And beyond the two INTs, he had two additional passes defensed. His total of four PDs tied for the team high for the season. Burfict missed the season s first three games, due to an NFL suspension from a 2015 playing rules violation. In 15, he missed the first six games due to injury rehab. In 14, he was limited by injuries (including concussions) to five games. The key for him, quite obviously, is to stay healthy, and though the 16 season ended with the two missed games, the 11-game run he had after returning from the suspension lends hope for Vontaze is a rare talent, said head coach Marvin Lewis. He not only finds the ball himself, his instincts and his innate knowledge of the game are an extension of the coaching staff on the field. Bengals president Mike Brown has also been emphatic in his praise of Burfict. Vontaze is one hell of a football player, Brown said, and we expect more outstanding play from him. He s a difference-maker. We re lucky to have him. Dunlap s PD frenzy unprecedented: In the first 40 seasons ( ) in which Bengals defensive statistics were recorded, no defensive lineman ever led the team in passes defensed for a season. None were even really close. But it happened in 2016, and it wasn t close. DE Carlos Dunlap had five more PDs 15 than anyone else on the team last season. And he had seven more PDs than any other NFL defensive lineman. The players ahead of Dunlap in the NFL were all cornerbacks, led at 24 by Brent Grimes of Miami. The next-highest total by an NFL D-lineman was eight, by DE Jason Pierre- Paul of the Giants. The next-highest total by a Bengal was 10, by CB Dre Kirkpatrick. Carlos has those long, long arms, says defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, and of course he gets good pressure. So I m not surprised he s one of the best we ve had in that area. Passes defensed include interceptions as well as passes broken up. When a player makes an INT, he also is credited with a PD. Dunlap had no INTs in 16, and in the category of passes broken without counting INTs, only four players were ahead of Dunlap, led by Grimes at 20. The NFL has no team or league statistics to offer in terms of most PDs ever by a D-lineman or highest league ranking ever by a D-lineman in passes defensed, because the statistic has been officially compiled league-wide only for a few years. Dunlap the playmaker: Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap filled up the defensive stat sheets last season, and as a result, earned his second career trip to the Pro Bowl. He piled up eight sacks on the year, which ranked second on the team behind fellow Pro Bowler Geno Atkins, and led the Bengals in passes defensed (15) and forced fumbles (three). No other Bengal had more than one forced fumble. Dunlap also ranked second in QB hits (23) and third in tackles for losses (seven). In tackles, he led the D-line with 49. Three of Dunlap s deflected passes were corralled by Bengals LBs for interceptions Vincent Rey on Oct. 23 vs. Cleveland, Rey Maualuga on Nov. 27 at Baltimore and Vontaze Burfict on Dec. 4 vs. Philadelphia. Dunlap now has 57 sacks for his career, ranked fourth all-time on the Bengals and closing in on the third-place player, DE Ross Browner at 59. With continued play at the level he s shown he can produce, Dunlap could wind up as the franchise s all-time sacks leader. He has averaged 8.1 sacks over his seven seasons. All-time Bengals sacks leader Eddie Edwards (83.5) averaged seven sacks over 12 seasons ( ), second-place Reggie Williams (62.5) averaged 4.5 sacks over 14 seasons ( ), and third-place Browner (59) averaged 6.6 over nine campaigns ( ). In 2015, Dunlap had 13.5 sacks, second-most in Bengals history. Besides his 57 sacks, his career totals include 15 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, 41 passes defensed, four blocked FGs and two TDs scored. Carlos brings us a lot, and he needs to keep bringing it for us, said defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. The key thing for Carlos is that he s an athlete, and a very big athlete. He s explosive and he just makes plays. He has

6 (Dunlap the playmaker, continued) also developed into a mature guy and a team leader. Dunlap executed a sack-and-strip in consecutive games early in the 2016 campaign, with the Bengals recovering the loose ball each time. He did it in Game 4 vs. Miami (Ryan Tannehill) and Game 5 at Dallas (Dak Prescott). A.J. stalled just short of big step: WR A.J. Green had no receptions in the final seven games of 2016, due to a hamstring injury. As a result, he missed the chance to join Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history to have 1000 or more receiving yards in each of their first six seasons. Green had 964 yards with seven games still to play, but on the second offensive snap of Game 10, Nov. 20 vs. Buffalo, he suffered a hamstring injury. He was out the remainder of the game, was inactive for Games 11-15, and was placed on the Reserve/Injured list prior to Game 16. Green had said he hoped to play in the season finale vs. Baltimore, and that joining Moss in the six-by-1000 club was meaningful. But he accepted the team s decision that playing him in a game with no playoff implications presented an inordinate risk of a more serious injury that could affect his 2017 season. It was a little disappointing, Green said. I wasn t happy (with the decision) at the time. But now I look back. Is 30 yards really going to matter if I pull it again and need surgery and don t get back 100 percent in time? I don t think so. In his first five Bengals seasons ( ), Green had receiving yards totals of 1057, 1350, 1426, 1041 and In 2016, through his healthy nine games, he was on pace to post a Bengals-record 1714 yards, blowing away the mark of 1460 by Chad Johnson in But Moss remains the only player to hit 1000 in each of his first six seasons, doing it for Minnesota from Moss failed to extend his streak to seven, limited to 737 yards with the Vikings in Green s injury also derailed his pursuit of the Bengals record for receptions in a season. With his 66 catches through Game 9 at the N.Y. Giants, he was on pace to finish 16 games with 117. That would have topped T.J. Houshmandzadeh s record 112 from Prior to his injury, Green also stood a good chance of breaking Johnson s Bengals career record for 100-yard receiving games (31). But with 28, Green s pursuit of the record was put on hold until Green has played only six seasons, compared to Johnson s 10. The Bengals record for 100-yard receiving games in a season is six, set by Green in Green was over 150 yards in three of his four 100-yard games in 16. He was 12-for-180 in the season opener at the N.Y. Jets, 10-for-173 in Game 4 vs. Miami, eight-for-169 in Game 7 vs. Cleveland and nine-for-121 in Game 8 vs. Washington in London. His 12 catches against the Jets tied his career high. Despite his injury, Green last year was voted for a sixth trip to the Pro Bowl, though he did not play due to the injury. He has joined OT Anthony Munoz, WR Chad Johnson and CB Lemar Parrish as the only Bengals to hit six. Hall of Famer Munoz made a club-record 11 Pro Bowls in 13 seasons, Johnson made six in 10 seasons and Parrish made six in eight seasons. Andy makes the call on No. 18: Though A.J. Green s 2016 season was derailed by a hamstring injury suffered in Game 10, Green clearly has done his time as one of the most promising young WRs in Bengals history. He s the best receiver in the league, QB Andy Dalton said after last season s game vs. Washington, setting a new declarative high in the praise-for- Green category. There s nobody out there like A.J. A 2011 Bengals first-round draft choice (fourth overall), Green turned 29 in July. He has a number of prime years still ahead and is a very serious threat to Chad Johnson s once seemingly unapproachable Bengals all-time leads in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs. Green, who now has 481 receptions and 7135 yards, said last year that he thinks he can play at least 12 seasons. Though Detroit superstar WR Calvin Johnson announced his retirement after the 2015 season after a nine-year career, Green doesn t see a parallel. Calvin s a big guy, Green said. His body took a lot of pounding. I feel like I m more of a slim guy (at 6-4 and 210). My knees don t have that much wear and tear. Calvin used to take big hits, cheap shots. The way he hit the ground all the time, that s a big body at 230 (pounds) slamming down. I think my body is set up differently. Green s averages of catches and receiving yards per season took a hit in 16, with him seeing significant action in only nine games. Those averages are now at 80.2 catches and 1189 yards. But if one extrapolates those averages to 12 years (Green s forecast for his longevity), it s Chad Johnson who becomes outpaced by a Bengals country mile. After season 12, Green would have catches (211 more than Johnson s 751) and 14,268 yards (3485 more than Johnson s 10,783). One could say Green won t produce at those levels forever, especially not in seasons 11 and 12. But even if Green played just 10 seasons at the pace of his first six full seasons, he d top Johnson by 51 catches (802) and by 1139 yards (11,890). In all-time receiving TDs, Chad Johnson leads the Bengals with 66. Green already has 49. He has averaged 8.2 TDs for his six seasons, which projects to 82 after 10 seasons. Green is under contract with the Bengals for at least three more seasons, through A.J. passes Ike into second: A.J. Green began last season as likely to take three steps up the Bengals all-time receiving yards ladder, moving into second place. And as of mid-november, that process was complete. His 68 yards against the Giants in Game 10, Nov. 14 the last game in which he caught a pass on the season, due to a hamstring injury pushed his career total to He moved ahead of Isaac Curtis (7101) into the No. 2 spot. Still far ahead in the No. 1 spot is Chad Johnson (10,783). Green needs 3649 more yards to pass him. But Green apparently has many more years to play, and moving to the No. 1 spot is a feat that projects to possible passage no later than 2019, possibly in 18. Green s contract runs through Green in 16 played his sixth season. Johnson took 10 seasons ( ) to post his 10,783 total. Green started 2016 in fifth place in Bengals receiving yards, with He moved into fourth in Game 6 at New England, passing Cris Collinsworth (6698 in eight seasons), and he took third place in Game 7 vs. Cleveland, passing Carl Pickens (6887 in eight seasons). In all-time Bengals receptions, Green started the season in sixth place, but he s now at No. 4. He has 481 catches and has blown by Curtis (416) and Collinsworth (417). Green needs just 27 catches to pass third-place T.J. Houshmandzadeh (507). He s 50 short of Pickens (530) for second place. Green is still 270 catches behind the first-place Chad Johnson (751), another goal that projects to possible passage in 2018 or 19. Curtis played 12 seasons, Johnson 10, and Collinsworth and Houshmandzadeh eight. Green and some gold jackets: Though a hamstring injury cost him all but two plays of last year s final seven games, A.J. Green finished his sixth season with nine career games with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown catch. The only players to have more such games in their first six seasons were Hall of Famers Lance Alworth (13) and Jerry Rice (11), and prime HOF candidate Randy Moss (10). Also, Green s nine games with at least 150 last year were tied with Steve Smith, Sr. of Baltimore, but Smith retired after the 16 season. Dalton and Green make six-year history: WR A.J. Green and QB Andy Dalton were the Bengals first two draft selections in 2011, and their first six seasons produced quite the ride. Per Elias Sports Bureau, they stand as the most productive QB-WR duo in NFL history for players each in their first six seasons. Their 461 completions and 6753 yards are most by any duo, and their 44 TD connections rank second to Miami s duo of QB Dan Marino and WR Mark Clayton (53 TDs from ). Only A.J.: Cincinnati s A.J. Green had his 2016 season cut short by a hamstring injury, which in turn halted his bid for a sixth-straight 1000-yard season to start his career (he finished with 964). Green did, however, still manage a sixth nomination to the Pro Bowl. While 2016 marked the first time in his stellar career that Green did not accomplish both, he still stands as the only NFL receiver since the 1970 merger to start his career with five consecutive 1000-yard seasons (averaging more than 1200 yards) and five trips to the Pro Bowl. The last pass-catcher to start his career with five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances was Hall of Fame TE Mike Ditka ( ). Erickson coming off KOR crown in AFC: Bengals rookie WR Alex Erickson posted a 27.9-yard kickoff return average in 2016 (on 29 attempts), leading the AFC and ranking second in the NFL. He trailed only Cordarrelle Patterson of Minnesota (31.7). The second-place AFC qualifier was former Bengal Brandon Tate of Buffalo, more than five yards per-attempt behind Erickson at Erickson s 27.9 goes down as the second-best average in Bengals history,