Cincinnati Bengals 1973 Record:  10 wins and 4 losses

The Bengals won 4 and lost 4 of their first eight games.  They won all of their last six games to win their second AFC title with a 10-4 record.  This included a season ending 6 game-winning streak that helped catapult them into a tie with Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals would earn the Division Title via tiebreaker, and earned a Playoff match up in Miami with the defending Super Bowl Champion Dolphins.

The Bengals would play the Dolphins tight trough the first half and only trailed 21-16 at halftime. However the Dolphins defense tightened up and smothered the Bengals in the second half on the way to a 34-16 win. 

QB Ken Anderson had a break out season by passing for 2,428 yards while connecting on 18 TD passes.  He had an 81.2% passing rating.  Essex Johnson led Cincinnati with a career-high 997 yards rushing.  He also became one of only two Bengals ever to have 100 yards of rushing and 100 yards of receiving in the same game.  Rookie Isaac Curtis led the team in receptions by catching 45 passes.  He also appeared in his first of many Pro Bowls.  Rookie Boobie Clark, who finished the year with 988 yards rushing and 45 pass receptions, was named 1973 AFC Rookie of the Year.  He was also the first Bengals player to get his own signature cheer from the fans.  Every time he touched the ball the fans would cheer as if they were booing “booooobiiiie”.  Mike Reid (DL) and Bob Trumpy (TE) also were selected to the Pro Bowl.

Scored 286 points (20.4/g), 11th of 26 in the NFL.
Allowed 231 points (16.5/g), 11th.
Differential of 55 points (3.9/g), 10th.

(Running Back Boobie Clark is awarded AFC Rookie of the Year)