NFL team season
The 1985 season was the Cincinnati Bengals' 16th season in the National Football League, their 18th overall, and their second under head coach Sam Wyche. Wide receiver Isaac Curtis, a premier Bengal for 12 years, retired shortly before training camp opened. Second-year QB Boomer Esiason replaced Ken Anderson. The Bengals set a club scoring record with 441 points.
Regular season
Schedule
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
| 1
|
September 8
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
L 24–28
|
0–1
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
51,625
|
| 2
|
September 15
|
at St. Louis Cardinals
|
L 27–41
|
0–2
|
Busch Memorial Stadium
|
46,321
|
| 3
|
September 22
|
San Diego Chargers
|
L 41–44
|
0–3
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
52,270
|
| 4
|
|
at Pittsburgh Steelers
|
W 37–24
|
1–3
|
Three Rivers Stadium
|
59,541
|
| 5
|
October 6
|
New York Jets
|
L 20–29
|
1–4
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
51,785
|
| 6
|
October 13
|
New York Giants
|
W 35–30
|
2–4
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
53,112
|
| 7
|
October 20
|
at Houston Oilers
|
L 27–44
|
2–5
|
Houston Astrodome
|
35,590
|
| 8
|
October 27
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
W 26–21
|
3–5
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
55,421
|
| 9
|
November 3
|
at Buffalo Bills
|
W 23–17
|
4–5
|
Rich Stadium
|
25,640
|
| 10
|
November 10
|
Cleveland Browns
|
W 27–10
|
5–5
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
57,293
|
| 11
|
November 17
|
at Los Angeles Raiders
|
L 6–13
|
5–6
|
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
|
52,501
|
| 12
|
November 24
|
at Cleveland Browns
|
L 6–24
|
5–7
|
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
|
74,439
|
| 13
|
December 1
|
Houston Oilers
|
W 45–27
|
6–7
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
46,140
|
| 14
|
December 8
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
W 50–24
|
7–7
|
Riverfront Stadium
|
56,936
|
| 15
|
December 15
|
at Washington Redskins
|
L 24–27
|
7–8
|
RFK Stadium
|
50,544
|
| 16
|
December 22
|
at New England Patriots
|
L 23–34
|
7–9
|
Sullivan Stadium
|
57,953
|
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1
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Week 2
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Week 3
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Week 4
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| • Bengals |
0 |
14 | 7 | 16 |
37 |
| Steelers |
0 |
10 | 14 | 0 |
24 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | Q2 | | PIT | Lipps 15 yard pass from Malone (Anderson kick) | PIT 7–0 |
| | Q2 | | CIN | Brooks 14 yard run (Breech kick) | Tie 7–7 |
| | Q2 | | CIN | Holman 26 yard pass from Esiason (Breech kick) | CIN 14–7 |
| | Q2 | | PIT | Anderson 29 yard field goal | CIN 14–10 |
| | Q3 | | CIN | Brown 8 yard pass from Esiason (Breech kick) | CIN 21–10 |
| | Q3 | | PIT | Stallworth 17 yard pass from Malone (Anderson kick) | CIN 21–17 |
| | Q3 | | PIT | Erenberg 4 yard pass from Malone (Anderson kick) | PIT 24–21 |
| | Q4 | | CIN | Holman 4 yard pass from Esiason (Breech kick) | CIN 28–24 |
| | Q4 | | CIN | Breech 32 yard field goal | CIN 31–24 |
| | Q4 | | CIN | Brooks 32 yard run (pass failed) | CIN 37–24 |
|
[2]
Week 6
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| Giants |
0 |
3 | 17 | 10 |
30 |
| • Bengals |
14 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
35 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | CIN | Cris Collinsworth 16 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick) | Bengals 7–0 |
| | 1 | | CIN | James Brooks 27 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick) | Bengals 14–0 |
| | 2 | | CIN | James Brooks 5 yard run (Jim Breech kick) | Bengals 21–0 |
| | 2 | | NYG | Jess Atkinson 33 yard field goal | Bengals 21–3 |
| | 3 | | NYG | Joe Morris 1 yard run (Jess Atkinson kick) | Bengals 21–10 |
| | 3 | | NYG | Jess Atkinson 14 yard run (Jess Atkinson kick) | Bengals 21–17 |
| | 3 | | NYG | Jess Atkinson 37 yard field goal | Bengals 21–20 |
| | 3 | | CIN | James Griffin 24 yard interception return (Jim Breech kick) | Bengals 28–20 |
| | 4 | | CIN | Rodney Holman 5 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick) | Bengals 35–20 |
| | 4 | | NYG | Jess Atkinson 46 yard field goal | Bengals 35–23 |
| | 4 | | NYG | George Adams 24 yard pass from Phil Simms (Jess Atkinson kick) | Bengals 35–30 |
|
[3]
Week 8
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
|
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers |
0 |
7 |
0 | 14 | 21 |
| Bengals |
3 |
14 |
9 | 0 | 26 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
- Date: October 27, 1985
- Game time: 4:00 pm EST
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C), wind 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h; 3.5 kn)
- Game attendance: 55,241
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play by play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
- [4]
Standings