Greatest Win During Marvin Lewis Era: The Emotional 24-19 Win Over The Undefeated Kansas City Chiefs

by Josh Kirkendall on Sep 16, 2011 4:01 PM EDT

+ Bengals 2003 Beat The Undefeated Kansas City Chiefs (November 16, 2003). It all started with Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, guaranteeing that the 4-5 Cincinnati Bengals will beat the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs. "Yeah that's right," Johnson said near his locker. "I guarantee it. They (are) undefeated, we (are) trying to get to .500. It's (gonna) be fun." Johnson wasn't being crazy. The Bengals really were playing well at the time, coming into the game having won three of the past four, including a 34-26 win over the Raven (which we had to put in there just because we like our little jabs).

On the other hand the Kansas City Chiefs were really good (evident by the fact that they were undefeated). Running back Priest Holmes was having a tremendous season that year, posting 27 rushing touchdowns and over 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Quarterback Trent Green would post over 4,000 yards passing and Tony Gonzalez was in the middle of his Hall of Fame career.

What happened during this game was magical. No game has yet to achieve the raw emotional joy that fans felt after the Bengals beat the Chiefs 24-19. Words like epic, fantastical, will never describe the feeling. It wasn't just a win either. It was a vindication of so many things and the finality of the seasons before Marvin Lewis arrived.

It wasn't just the offense, defense or the special teams. It was the combined effort of everyone. It was Rudi Johnson posting 165 yards rushing. It was Jon Kitna recording a passer rating of 102.7. It was the defense that forced Kansas City into five straight punts to open the game -- four of which went three-and-out.

But most of all, it was Peter Warrick. With 13:04 left in the fourth quarter, the Bengals were up 10-6. Kansas City punts from their own 36-yard line to Cincinnati's 32, where Warrick settled to catch the football. He was never tackled. After 68 yards, Warrick celebrated in the endzone to give the Bengals 17-6 lead. Now there's 6:18 left in the game and Trent Green completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez to bring the Chiefs within one possession. On the very first play, Jon Kitna hooks up with Warrick on a 77-yard touchdown pass, giving the Bengals a 12-point lead and with only six minutes left in the game, the eventual win.

The true impact this game had on the 2003 season was minor; other games had greater impacts on their respective seasons. Other games sported bigger scores, greater performances and what have you. But we're fans on this one (not stay-at-home analysts) and this win meant the most, long remembered as one of the greatest wins during the Marvin Lewis era, if not all-time, simply for the impact it had on such a larger scale with fans.

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WOW I Remember This Game

Man This Game Was crazy i was like 10 at the time gosh it was crazy and the turning point of Marv’s Career

by Touhue Cha on Sep 16, 2011 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, this was a big win, but....

I still vote for the win @ PIT on Dec 4, 2005.

To me, the most important win of the Lewis era.
- They had already been beaten at CIN earlier in the year — PIT was still the bully.
- PIT got the first score on a Bettis TD run. Not looking good early on.
- Then, TJ’s great catch (on a nice throw from Palmer) for CIN’s first TD.
- Rookie Jonathan Fanene dropping Parker for a 4-yd loss on his first-ever play as a Bengal — then knocking down Roth and re-injuring his thumb on his second play.
- Brian Simmons immediately following up with a tipped-ball INT on a wounded-duck throw.
- Tab Perry’s kickoff return.
- Rudi’s run with last yard leaping past Polamalu for the TD.
- Odell Thurman’s INT, which was when I thought they would really win this game.

The KC game was emotional, but this was the first game when it looked like they could stand up to PIT in an important game and win.

I would list them in this order:

1 @ PIT, 2005
2 @ PIT, 2006 (the Carson revenge game)
3 @ PIT, 2009 (the defense battle won by CIN, and the sweep)
4 over PIT @ CIN, 2009 (the big comeback win)
5 @ PIT, 2003 (Kitna final seconds comeback — after Ward thought he had winning TD)

Anyway, I like the wins over PIT best.

by California Bengal Fan on Sep 16, 2011 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

sensing a trend of you not liking the steelers here =)

its ok, my top 5 would probably include mostly ravens games we won.

" I for one, welcome our new Buffalo overlords. " - Whokebe

by palewook on Sep 16, 2011 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

This win was great

but you left out one little detail that made the 2005 Pit win juicier. Our first round draft pick of that year David Pollack sacking Roethlisberger twice late in the game to seal the deal. I was fired up when that happened and it’s a shame he didn’t pan out the way we thought he would.

by dstacify on Sep 17, 2011 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Uh, he was injured, nearly crippled, couldabeen fatal

That isn’t the same as someone who"didn’t pan out".

A Ongreed the Deserving
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by supergrover on Sep 17, 2011 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

THIS GAME...

WAS AMAZING. I was 13, still early in my days as a Bengal fan. Chad guaranteeing the win before the game was epic, but it opened the door to the character he is today.

by Jordan G on Sep 16, 2011 5:08 PM EDT reply actions

i loved that team

Miss pdub, i remember that game like it was yesterday! Watched from Tally

by BengalTyler on Sep 16, 2011 10:34 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions

By Far

The drunkest I’ve ever been at any football game in my life. I almost forgot about that weekend. One of my best friends got married that Saturday night and we rented out a block off rooms downtown stayed up all night partying after the reception and then went straight to tailgating. I guess that’s the difference between being in your twentys and now the mid thirtys because I cringe at the thought of doing something even remotely close to that now days:)

by biggie22 on Sep 16, 2011 11:17 PM EDT reply actions