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Cincinnati Bengals History | 2004 - Bengals.com

2004

Summary

In their second season under head coach Marvin Lewis, the Bengals continued their rebuilding process, posting a second straight 8-8 record. All eight regular-season games at Paul Brown Stadium were sellouts — the first sold-out regular season since 1992 at Riverfront Stadium — and the total regular-season attendance of 524,248 put the team over the half-million mark for the first time. The team's break-even finish was a creditable performance, given that injuries were severe (18 players were placed on season-ending medical reserve lists) and that second-year QB Carson Palmer was seeing his first NFL playing time. Palmer, the 2003 first overall NFL draft pick, had not played as a rookie while backing up Jon Kitna. Palmer started the first 13 games before missing the final three with a knee strain. HB Rudi Johnson rushed for a club-record 1454 yards (a mark he later broke), and the team had four players named to the Pro Bowl, its highest total since 1990. The Pro Bowl quartet was Rudi Johnson, WR Chad Johnson, OT Willie Anderson and CB Tory James. K Shayne Graham set a club record with 122 points (since surpassed by Mike Nugent). Home games were played on a new, synthetic Field-Turf surface, on which installation was complete in early July. PBS had grass fields from 2000-03, but durability and maintenance issues dictated a switch. The team also made its first significant uniform change since 1981. The signature striped helmet was not changed, but the jersey design was modernized, black pants were added as a regular option to white pants, and a special-occasion orange jersey was added for up to two games per year. The team wore orange jerseys for the first time in franchise history in a 26-3 win vs. Dallas on Nov. 7. On Nov. 28, the Bengals played in what remains through 2017 as the second-highest scoring game in NFL history, a 58-48 home win over Cleveland (106 total points). The game stands through '17 as the only one in which the Bengals have scored in double figures in all four quarters (14-13-14-17). Prior to the season, HB Corey Dillon, the club's all-time rushing yards leader, was traded to New England for a second-round 2005 draft choice (Bengals chose S Madieu Williams).

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League Rankings

Table inside Article
TOTAL RUSH PASS
OFFENSE 18 (321.3) 17 (114.9) 17 (206.3)
DEFENSE 19 (335.3) 26 (128.9) 13 (206.4)
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Year Totals

Table inside Article
PLAYS FIRST DOWNS NET YDS RUSH NET YDS PASS TOTAL NET YDS PTS
OFFENSE 1004 286 1839 3301 5140 374
DEFENSE 1031 303 2062 3303 5365 372
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Individual Leaders

Table inside Article
Shayne Graham Scoring
Carson Palmer Passing
Rudi Johnson Rushing
Chad Johnson Receptions
Chad Johnson Receiving Yards
Kyle Larson Punting
Keiwan Ratliff Punt Returns
Cliff Russell Kickoff Returns
Shayne Graham Field Goals
Tory James Interceptions
Justin Smith Sacks
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Coaching Staff

Table inside Article
COACH POSITION
Marvin Lewis Head Coach
Paul Alexander Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Line
Jim Anderson Running Backs
Bob Bratkowski Offensive Coordinator
Chuck Bresnahan Assistant
Louie Cioffi Assistant Defensive Backs
Kevin Coyle Defensive Backs
Leslie Frazier Defensive Coordinator
Jay Hayes Defensive Line
Jonathan Hayes Tight Ends
Ricky Hunley Linebackers
Hue Jackson Wide Receivers
Chip Morton Strength and Conditioning
Ray Oliver Assistant Strength and Conditioning
Darrin Simmons Special Teams
Bob Surace Assistant Offensive Line
Ken Zampese Quarterbacks
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2004 NFL Draft: April 24 - 25

Table inside Article
ROUND PLAYER POSITION COLLEGE SELECTION NUMBER
1 (sent to Denver in trade on 4-9-20) 17
1 (acquired from Denver in trade on 4-9-04, then sent to St. Louis in trade on 4-24-04) 24
1 Chris Perry (acquired from St. Louis in trade on 4-24-04) HB Michigan 26
2a Keiwan Ratliff CB Florida 49
2b Madieu Williams (acquired from New England in trade on 4-19-04) FS Maryland 56
3a Caleb Miller MLB Arkansas 80
3b Landon Johnson OLB Purdue *96
4a Matthias Askew DT Michigan State 114
4b Robert Geathers (acquired from Denver in trade on 4-9-04) DE Georgia 117
4c Stacy Andrews (acquired from St. Louis in trade on 4-24-04) OT Mississippi 123
5 Maurice Mann WR Nevada 149
6 Greg Brooks CB Southern Mississippi 183
7 Casey Bramlet QB Wyoming

*NOTE: The Bengals received one compensatory pick (No. 96).

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Pro Bowl

Players selected for the 2004 NFL Draft: OT Willie Anderson, CB Tory James, WR Chad Johnson, RB Rudi Johnson

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