2002 Cincinnati Bengals season

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox NFL team season The 2002 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 33rd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 35th overall, and the second and final full season under head coach Dick LeBeau. With a record of 2–14, however, they were the worst team in football in 2002. The team's struggles continued as they lost their first seven contests losing by an average of 19 points in each game. The Bengals would finally garner their first victory Week 8 by soundly defeating the expansion Houston Texans on the road 38–3. The winning would not last long, however, as the Bengals lost their next six games to fall to 1–13, this lethargic result was later matched by the 2019 team, which also finished at 2–14.

In their final game at home, the Bengals would stun the New Orleans Saints 20–13 to earn their second win on the season, but there would be no saving the Bengals from setting a new franchise record for losses as they finished the season with a 27–9 loss to the Buffalo Bills on the road to finish with a league-worst 2–14 record. This resulted in the Bengals owner Mike Brown firing head coach Dick LeBeau and replacing him with Washington's defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis.

By being the worst team in 2002, they earned the first pick in the 2003 NFL draft, which they would use to draft Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Carson Palmer out of USC, and releasing embattled quarterback Akili Smith.

Offseason

Additions	Subtractions
QB Gus Frerotte (Broncos)	TE Tony McGee (Cowboys)
WR Michael Westbrook (Redskins)	WR Darnay Scott (Cowboys)
CB Jeff Burris (Colts)	FS Chris Carter (Texans)

Undrafted free agents

2002 undrafted free agents of note

Player	Position	College
Dwayne Levels	Linebacker	Oklahoma State
Reggie Myles	Defensive back	Alabama
Thatcher Szalay	Center	Montana

Regular season

Schedule

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Week	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Date	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Opponent	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Result	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Record	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Attendance
1	September 8, 2002	San Diego Chargers	L 6–34	0–1	53,705
2	September 15, 2002	at Cleveland Browns	L 7–20	0–2	73,358
3	September 22, 2002	at Atlanta Falcons	L 3–30	0–3	68,129
4	September 29, 2002	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 7–35	0–4	57,234
5	October 6, 2002	at Indianapolis Colts	L 21–28	0–5	56,570
6	October 13, 2002	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 7–34	0–6	63,900
7	Bye
8	October 27, 2002	Tennessee Titans	L 24–30	0–7	52,822
9	November 3, 2002	at Houston Texans	W 38–3	1–7	69,827
10	November 10, 2002	at Baltimore Ravens	L 27–38	1–8	69,024
11	November 17, 2002	Cleveland Browns	L 20–27	1–9	64,060
12	November 24, 2002	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 21–29	1–10	60,473
13	December 1, 2002	Baltimore Ravens	L 23–27	1–11	44,878
14	December 8, 2002	at Carolina Panthers	L 31–52	1–12	66,799
15	December 15, 2002	Jacksonville Jaguars	L 15–29	1–13	42,092
16	December 22, 2002	New Orleans Saints	W 20–13	2–13	43,544
17	December 29, 2002	at Buffalo Bills	L 9–27	2–14	47,850

Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text

Game summaries

Week 3: at Atlanta Falcons

Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	0	3	0	0	3
Falcons	13	7	7	3	30

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

• Date: September 22, 2002
• Game time: 8:30 pm
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 68,129
• Referee: Terry McAulay (77)
• TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, and Suzy Kolber
• Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter ATL – Jay Feely 44-yard field goal, 10:01. Falcons 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 4:69. ATL – Jay Feely 26-yard field goal, 7:19. Falcons 6–0. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:48. ATL – Brian Finneran 20-yard pass from Michael Vick (Jay Feely kick), 1:57. Falcons 13–0. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 3:28. Second quarter ATL – Brian Finneran 13-yard pass from Michael Vick (Jay Feely kick), 4:56. Falcons 20–0. Drive: 4 plays, 24 yards, 1:42. CIN – Neil Rackers 24-yard field goal, 0:03. Falcons 20–3. Drive: 14 plays, 53 yards, 4:53. Third quarter ATL – Warrick Dunn 4-yard run (Jay Feely kick), 5:07. Falcons 27–3. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 7:00. Fourth quarter ATL – Jay Feely 34-yard field goal, 7:30. Falcons 30–3. Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 5:39. Top passers CIN – Jon Kitna – 18/35, 136 yards, INT ATL – Michael Vick – 16/26, 174 yards, 2 TD Top rushers CIN – Corey Dillon – 18 rushes, 66 yards ATL – TJ Duckett – 18 rushes, 67 yards Top receivers CIN – Peter Warrick – 4 receptions, 34 yards ATL – Brian Finneran – 6 receptions, 77 yards, 2 TD

Week 17: at Buffalo Bills

Week 17: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	0	3	0	6	9
Bills	6	14	7	0	27

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

• Date: December 29, 2002
• Game time: 1:00 pm
• Game weather: Cloudy,
• Game attendance: 47,850
• Referee: Mike Carey (94)
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui, Steve Tasker
• Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter BUF – Mike Hollis 32-yard field goal, 8:36. Bills 3-0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:15. BUF – Mike Hollis 25-yard field goal, 1:12. Bills 6-0. Drive: 4 plays, 4, yards, 1:32. Second quarter BUF – Drew Bledsoe 7-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 10:25. Bills 13-0. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 4:15. BUF – Eric Moulds 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 2:41. Bills 20-0. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 5:12. CIN – Neil Rackers 19-yard field goal, 0:24. Bills 20-3. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 2:17. Third quarter BUF – Larry Centers 4-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 1:37. Bills 27-3. Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 4:11. Fourth quarter CIN – Jon Kitna 6-yard run (run failed), 8:05. Bills 27-9. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 2:49. Top passers CIN – Jon Kitna – 19/35, 241 yards, 2 INT BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 23/31, 231 yards, TD Top rushers CIN – Corey Dillon – 13 rushes, 53 yards BUF – Travis Henry – 30 rushes, 80 yards Top receivers CIN – Chad Johnson – 6 receptions, 123 yards BUF – Eric Moulds – 9 receptions, 75 yards, TD

Standings

Division

AFC North
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(3) Pittsburgh Steelers	10	5	1	.656	6–0	8–4	390	345	W3
(6) Cleveland Browns	9	7	0	.563	3–3	7–5	344	320	W2
Baltimore Ravens	7	9	0	.438	3–3	7–5	316	354	L2
Cincinnati Bengals	2	14	0	.125	0–6	1–11	279	456	L1

Team leaders

Passing

Player	Att	Comp	Yds	TD	INT	Rating
Jon Kitna	473	294	3178	16	16	79.1

Rushing

Player	Att	Yds	YPC	Long	TD
Corey Dillon	314	1311	4.2	67	7

Receiving

Player	Rec	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
Chad Johnson	69	1166	16.9	72	5
Peter Warrick	53	606	11.4	37	6

Defensive

Player	Tackles	Sacks	INTs	FF	FR
Takeo Spikes	171	1.5	0	2	4
Justin Smith	67	6.5	0	1	0
Artrell Hawkins	92	2.0	2	1	2
Kevin Kaesviharn	62	0.0	2	1	0

Kicking and punting

Player	FGA	FGM	FG%	XPA	XPM	XP%	Points
Neil Rackers	18	15	83.3%	32	30	93.8%	75

Player	Punts	Yards	Long	Blkd	Avg.
Nick Harris	65	2608	57	1	40.1

Special teams

Player	KR	KRYards	KRAvg	KRLong	KRTD	PR	PRYards	PRAvg	PRLong	PRTD
Brandon Bennett	49	1231	25.1	94	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
T. J. Houshmandzadeh	13	288	22.2	44	0	24	117	4.9	34	0

Awards and records

Pro Bowl Selections

• Lorenzo Neal FB, AFC Pro-Bowl Selection

Milestones

• Corey Dillon, 6th 1,000 yard rushing (1,311 yards) season

External links

• 2002 Cincinnati Bengals at Pro-Football-Reference.com