1977 Cincinnati Bengals season

The 1977 Cincinnati Bengals season was the franchise's 8th season in the National Football League, and the 10th overall. Second-year Running Back Archie Griffin struggled to learn the NFL game rushing for only 549 yards while failing to cross the end zone. A loss to Houston in the final game cost the Bengals a spot in the playoffs. The team finished with an 8–6 record.

1977 Cincinnati Bengals season
Owner	Paul Brown
Head coach	Bill Johnson
Home stadium	Riverfront Stadium
Results
Record	8–6
Division place	2nd AFC Central
Playoffs	Did not qualify
← 1976 Bengals seasons 1978 →

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1977 NFL draft

1977 Cincinnati Bengals draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	3	Eddie Edwards	Defensive end	Miami (FL)
1	8	Wilson Whitley	Defensive tackle	Houston
1	22	Mike Cobb	Tight end	Michigan State
2	49	Pete Johnson *	Running back	Ohio State
3	76	Mike Voight	Running back	North Carolina
4	85	Rick Walker	Tight end	UCLA
4	103	Mike Wilson	Offensive tackle	Georgia
4	105	Jerry Anderson	Defensive back	Oklahoma
5	133	Ray Phillips	Linebacker	Nebraska
6	160	Tommy Duniven	Quarterback	Texas Tech
7	187	Louis Breeden *	Defensive back	North Carolina Central
7	194	Jim Corbett	Tight end	Pittsburgh
8	214	Jose St. Victor	Guard	Syracuse
9	245	Willie Zachary	Wide receiver	Central State (OH)
10	272	Bob Bialik	Punter	Hillsdale
11	292	Joel Parrish	Guard	Georgia
11	299	Carl Allen	Defensive back	Southern Miss
12	326	Alex Percival	Wide receiver	Morehouse
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

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Personnel

Staff

1977 Cincinnati Bengals staff

	Front office President – John Sawyer General Manager – Paul Brown Director of Player Personnel – Pete Brown Head coaches Head Coach – Bill Johnson Offensive coaches Quarterbacks/Receivers – Boyd Dowler Offensive Backfield – Jack Donaldson Offensive Line – Mike McCormack			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Howard Brinker Defensive Line – Chuck Studley Defensive Backfield – Charley Winner Strength and conditioning Strength – Kim Wood

Roster

1977 Cincinnati Bengals roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 14 Ken Anderson 11 John Reaves 15 Mike Wells Running backs (RB) 42 Boobie Clark 35 Tony Davis 36 Lenvil Elliott 45 Archie Griffin 46 Pete Johnson 30 Willie Shelby Wide receivers (WR) 82 Billy Brooks 83 Steve Holden 86 John McDaniel Tight ends (TE) 89 Mike Cobb 81 James Corbett 84 Bob Trumpy 88 Rick Walker

Offensive linemen (OL) 74 Glenn Bujnoch G 63 Greg Fairchild G/C 76 Vernon Holland T 72 Ron Hunt T 54 Bob Johnson C 62 Dave Lapham G 71 Rufus Mayes T 64 John Shinners G Defensive linemen (DL) 79 Coy Bacon DE 67 Gary Burley DE 73 Eddie Edwards DE 80 Ken Johnson DE 78 Walter Johnson DT 75 Wilson Whitley DT

Linebackers (LB) 50 Glenn Cameron MLB 53 Bo Harris OLB 55 Jim LeClair MLB 59 Ray Phillips OLB 57 Reggie Williams OLB Defensive backs (DB) 31 Jerry Anderson SS 37 Tommy Casanova SS 24 Marvin Cobb FS 21 Melvin Morgan CB/S 20 Lemar Parrish CB 32 Scott Perry CB 13 Ken Riley CB Special teams (ST) 10 Chris Bahr K 87 Pat McInally P

Reserve 34 Louis Breeden CB (IR) 85 Isaac Curtis WR (IR) 51 Chris Devlin LB (IR) 60 Ron Pritchard LB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 18	Cleveland Browns	L 3–13	0–1	Riverfront Stadium	52,847
2	September 25	Seattle Seahawks	W 42–20	1–1	Riverfront Stadium	45,579
3	October 2	at San Diego Chargers	L 3–24	1–2	San Diego Stadium	40,352
4	October 9	at Green Bay Packers	W 17–7	2–2	Milwaukee County Stadium	53,653
5	October 17	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 14–20	2–3	Three Rivers Stadium	47,950
6	October 23	Denver Broncos	L 13–24	2–4	Riverfront Stadium	54,395
7	October 30	Houston Oilers	W 13–10 (OT)	3–4	Riverfront Stadium	53,194
8	November 6	at Cleveland Browns	W 10–7	4–4	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	81,932
9	November 13	at Minnesota Vikings	L 10–42	4–5	Metropolitan Stadium	45,371
10	November 20	Miami Dolphins	W 23–17	5–5	Riverfront Stadium	46,733
11	November 27	New York Giants	W 30–13	6–5	Riverfront Stadium	32,705
12	December 4	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 27–7	7–5	Arrowhead Stadium	38,488
13	December 10	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 17–10	8–5	Riverfront Stadium	36,133
14	December 18	at Houston Oilers	L 16–21	8–6	Astrodome	46,212
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 5 at Steelers

Week Five: Cincinnati Bengals (2–2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2–2)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	0	7	0	7	14
Steelers	0	13	0	7	20

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Date: October 17
• Game time: 9:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C)
• Game attendance: 47,950
• TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter No scoring Second quarter PIT – Rocky Bleier 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 7–0. PIT – Rocky Bleier 2-yard run (kick failed). Steelers 13–0. CIN – Glenn Bujnoch 4-yard run (Chris Bahr kick). Steelers 13–7. Third quarter No scoring Fourth quarter PIT – Sidney Thornton 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 20–7. CIN – Reggie Williams recovered special teams fumble in end zone. Steelers 20–14. Top passers CIN – John Reaves – 8/25, 142 yards, 3 INT PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 6/9, 117 yards Top rushers CIN – Lenvil Elliott – 13 rushes, 44 yards PIT – Franco Harris – 16 rushes, 73 yards Top receivers CIN – Isaac Curtis – 5 receptions, 88 yards PIT – Bennie Cunningham – 2 receptions, 49 yards

Bob Trumpy was knocked out of the game by Mel Blount

Week 8

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Bengals	7	0	3	0	10
Browns	0	7	0	0	7

• Date: November 6
• Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
• Game start: 1:00 p.m.
• Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C) • Wind 11 mph (18 km/h)

Scoring summary

1		CIN	Pete Johnson 11 yard run (Chris Bahr kick)	Bengals 7–0
2		CLE	Oscar Roan 4 yard pass from Brian Sipe (Don Cockroft kick)	Tie 7–7
3		CIN	Chris Bahr 47 yard field goal	Bengals 10–7

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Week 11

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	6	0	7	13
• Bengals	20	7	0	3	30

• Date: November 27
• Location: Riverfront Stadium • Cincinnati
• Game start: 1:00 p.m.
• Game attendance: 32,705
• Game weather: Snow • 20 °F (−7 °C) • Wind 10 mph (16 km/h)
• TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and Paul Hornung

Scoring summary

1		CIN	Billy Brooks 58 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick)	Bengals 7–0
1		CIN	Boobie Clark 10 yard run (Chris Bahr kick)	Bengals 14–0
1		CIN	Billy Brooks 30 yard pass from Ken Anderson (kick failed)	Bengals 20–0
2		CIN	Jim Corbett 47 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick)	Bengals 27–0
2		NYG	Jimmy Robinson 5 yard pass from Joe Pisarcik (kick failed)	Bengals 27–6
4		CIN	Chris Bahr 32 yard field goal	Bengals 30–6
4		NYG	Joe Pisarcik 1 yard run (Joe Danelo kick)	Bengals 30–13

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Standings

AFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Pittsburgh Steelers(3)	9	5	0	.643	4–2	7–5	276	243	W1
Houston Oilers	8	6	0	.571	3–3	6–6	299	230	W2
Cincinnati Bengals	8	6	0	.571	3–3	6–5	238	235	L1
Cleveland Browns	6	8	0	.429	2–4	5–7	269	267	L4