Cincinnati Bengals Assaulting The Record Books

Plenty of Cincinnati Bengals are setting personal milestones. Andy Dalton has improved on his numbers across the board. Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham is the first Bengals tight end in franchise history to begin a career with three straight seasons of 50 or more receptions per season, also posting a career-year in 2012.

Vontaze Burfict, with 151 tackles, is about to become the fourth rookie in franchise history to win the team's tackling title, joining Reggie Williams, James Francis, Takeo Spikes and Odell Thurman -- Burfict is the only undrafted free agent among that impressive crew. Burfict has already surpassed Armegis Spearman (11) with the most starts by a college free agent during his rookie season with 13 (about to be 14th this weekend). Yea, he's had a good season.

Yet there are some players (and entire units) assaulting the franchise record book with a chance to place their respective names in history.

Franchise Record for most Quarterback Sacks

The Cincinnati Bengals defense is currently ranked second in the NFL with 47 quarterback sacks, falling out of their top-ranked position to the Denver Broncos who generated six sacks against the Cleveland Browns last week. The defense only needs two sacks against the Baltimore Ravens to set a new franchise record with 49 sacks during a season, besting the 2001 club of 48 led by Reinard Wilson (9.0) and Justin Smith (8.5).

The 1976 team generated 46 total sacks but that was during a 14-game schedule, averaging 3.29 sacks per game, which remains a franchise best. If the defense generates six sacks, finishing with 53, they'll claim that record too with an average 3.31 sacks per game.

Touchdowns by a Quarterback

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton isn't likely to break any franchise yardage marks this year. Though we really don't want him to. Dalton's 381 yards passing, his best single-game performance to date, the Bengals lost by ten points to the Cleveland Browns earlier this year. In fact of Dalton's top three top yardage performances, the Bengals have lost each one with Dalton throwing a combined six interceptions (three against the Browns, three against the Ravens).

Not that yardage is an accurate indicator of win/loss successes -- NFL teams have a 60-63 record in games with a 300-yard passer. On the other hand Dalton has a chance to break a franchise touchdown record.

Andy Dalton currently has 30 touchdowns this year -- 26 passing, four rushing. If he generates three touchdowns this weekend, he'll tie Carson Palmer's record of 33 (32 passing, one rush) from 2005. Obviously a fourth will give him the record for most touchdowns in a single-season by a Bengals quarterback. Dalton is six passing touchdowns off Carson Palmer's pace of 32 in 2005.

Most 100-Yard Receiving Games

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green posted an impressive 116 yards receiving against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with a bulk of those yards coming in a pressure-cooker (and exciting) fourth quarter. It was his fifth 100-yard receiving game of the season, tying a franchise record for a single-season that's been set seven times by four different players. If Green generates over 100 yards this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens, he'll claim the franchise record for most 100-yard receiving games in a single season with six.

Single-Season Receiving Record

At one point during the season, A.J. Green was well on his way breaking Chad Johnson's single-season record of 1,440 yards receiving from 2007.

Green's 1,324 already ranks as the fifth-best receiving season in franchise history and if the stud posts 117 yards against the Baltimore Ravens during the regular season finale, he'll eclipse Chad's record for most yards during a season in franchise history.

Claiming The Sole Possession of the Sack Record (In A Way)

There's some confusion on the team's quarterback sack record.

In 1976 Coy Bacon posted 22 quarterback sacks, however sacks didn't become an official statistic until 1982 therefore any official record recognized by the league was held by Eddie Edwards in 1983 with 13. We say was because Geno Atkins tied that last week with 2.5 quarterback sacks against the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving him 13 on the season. With at least a shared sack this weekend against the Ravens, Atkins will become the official record holder for quarterback sacks in a single-season in franchise history.

Still Bacon's number is viewed as the franchise record, official or not. But that's just busting the balls of technicalities at this point.

Record Setting Season For Kevin Huber

Last year Bengals punter Kevin Huber fell short by .1-point to Dale Livingston's single-season record of 39.3 net yards per punt. Unless he and the punt coverage team collapses against the Baltimore Ravens, he'll shatter the team's single-season record by two yards, currently with 41.8 net yards per punt.

MILESTONE: Two Players With Double-Digit Sacks

When (or if) Michael Johnson records a shared sack (at least) against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and with Atkins already in double-digit sacks, it will be the first time since 1981 that the Cincinnati Bengals have two players with 10-plus sacks since the team's Super Bowl season in 1981. That year outside linebacker Reggie Williams had 11.0 and defensive end Eddie Edwards added 10.0. Ross Browner almost gave the Bengals three, finishing the season with 9.0.

The only other known instance of double-digit sacks by two players is 1976 by Coy Bacon (22.0) and defensive end Gary Burley (10.0).