CINCINNATI BENGALS One Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 621-3550 administrative offices (513) 621-3570 administrative fax (513) 621-TDTD (8383) ticket office www.bengals.com WEEKLY NEWS RELEASE AUG. 25, 2019 PRESEASON GAME 4 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-3) THURSDAY, AUG. 29 AT PAUL BROWN STADIUM AT NEXT WEEK: REGULAR-SEASON OPENER CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-2) SEPT. 8 AT SEATTLE GAME NOTES Kickoff: 7 p.m. Eastern. University and enters Thursday’s game leading all Bengals receivers with nine catches for 118 yards and a TD. Television: Live coverage on the Bengals Preseason Network with “Damion has been an ascending player throughout training camp,” Taylor broadcasters Mike Watts (play-by-play), Anthony Munoz (analyst) and Solomon said. “This moment has not been too big for him. It’s been exciting watching him Wilcots (sideline analyst). The network is led by flagship WKRC-TV (CBS compete. We gave him an opportunity (by starting him) against the Giants, and Channel 12) in Cincinnati. Also on the network are WKEF-TV (ABC Ch. 22) in he more than held his own against the starting defense. We’ve been encouraged Dayton, WSYX-TV (ABC Ch. 6) in Columbus, WLIO-TV (FOX Ch. 8.2) in Lima, by what we’ve seen so far.” WDKY-TV FOX Ch. 56) in Lexington, Ky. and WDRB-TV (FOX Ch. 41) in On defense, all eyes are on the continued development of the Bengals’ Louisville, Ky. young and emerging players. Perhaps the most closely watched is rookie LB Germaine Pratt, who is angling for a role in the defensive rotation at the start Radio: The game will air on the Bengals Radio Network, led by Cincinnati of the regular season. And along the defensive line, several tight roster flagship stations WCKY-AM (ESPN 1530; all sports) and WEBN-FM (102.7). battles figure to be shaken out against the Colts. Among those to watch in the Broadcasters are Dan Hoard (play-by-play) and Dave Lapham (analyst). trenches are DE Andrew Brown, DE Jordan Willis, DT Renell Wren and DT Josh Tupou. Setting the scene: The Bengals wrap up the 2019 preseason on The Bengals enter Thursday’s matchup 1-2 in preseason play, while the Thursday night, when the Indianapolis Colts visit Paul Brown Stadium for the Colts are 0-3. teams’ annual exhibition clash in the preseason finale. And while most of the Bengals’ starters are expected to have the night off, as is standard in this contest The series: The Bengals lead the Colts 16-11 in preseason play. each year, there won’t be a shortage of intrigue or entertainment value. Cincinnati holds an 8-6 edge at home, and a 8-5 record as the visiting team. The The Bengals’ offense figures to be led by rookie QB Ryan Finley, who has Colts, however, have won the last three preseason meetings, including a 27-26 drawn praise all preseason for his impressive play. Finley has completed 73.4 victory last year at Paul Brown Stadium. percent of his passes (47 of 64) heading into Thursday night, and has three TDs, Since 1992, the Bengals and Colts have played every year in preseason just one INT and a 99.3 passer rating. except 2000. All 27 preseason games between the two franchises have taken “Ryan’s done a great job,” noted QB Andy Dalton. “He’s gotten better every place since the Colts moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore. day. He’s smart with the ball and very accurate — he puts it in the right spot. For In the official series rivalry, the Colts lead 19-12, including 2-0 in postseason. a rookie to come in and move the offense the way he has and throw Cincinnati, though, has won the last two regular-season meetings, including a touchdowns, he’s done a really good job.” 34-23 thriller in last season’s opener in Indianapolis. Adding to the intrigue will be the play of rookie QB Jake Dolegala, who made The Bengals and Colts are not scheduled to meet in the 2019 regular his debut against the Giants last week. In a little more than a quarter of action, season. Dolegala, who played collegiately at Central Connecticut State, completed 10 of Complete Bengals-Colts preseason results are on page 209 of the Bengals’ 12 passes for 94 yards and two TDs against the Giants, and ended the night with 2019 media guide, with regular-season/postseason results on page 207. a 138.9 passer rating. “Jake hasn’t gotten a ton of reps (in practice),” Dalton said. “But when you The I-74 rivalry: Cincinnati vs. Indianapolis is the closest throw him in there, he knows exactly where to go with the ball. You can see that geographical rivalry among cities in the AFC, with a driving distance of 110 miles with what he showed against he Giants. For him to get that game action and play along Interstate 74. The next closest is Cleveland-Pittsburgh at 137 miles. the way he did, I’m happy for him.” Though the teams are not division rivals, they have met every year but one Another surprise from the Giants game was rookie HB Rodney Anderson, a in preseason since 1992, and they met have met 10 times in the regular season Bengals sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma in April’s draft. After missing the first and once in the playoffs since 2002. two preseason contests due to rehab from a torn ACL suffered in a college game last September, Anderson made his debut against the Giants and dazzled fans Memorable I-74 moments: The most memorable regular-season with athleticism and explosiveness. and playoff games against the Indianapolis Colts: “He’s a tough runner who’s hard to take down on first contact,” said Bengals ● Oct. 22, 1989: The underdog Colts shocked the defending AFC Champion head coach Zac Taylor. “So those are the things that show when he got put out Bengals 23-12 at Riverfront Stadium. It was the second straight upset loss at in space, one-on-one with somebody — good luck to you, especially if you’re a home for the ’89 Bengals, a powerful team that would outscore its opponents skill guy on defense. These are the traits we expected to see from Rodney, and 404-285 but miss the playoffs with an 8-8 record. he showed that (against the Giants).” ● Nov. 20, 1994: The Colts scored on a controversial late TD pass to defeat Anderson spent four years at Oklahoma, but missed all or most of three the Bengals 17-13 at Riverfront. The result stung a Cincinnati crowd of 55,566, seasons with different injuries. In 2017, his only fully healthy season for the which had gathered to celebrate “Blakemania” after seeing QB Jeff Blake deliver Sooners, he rushed for 1161 yards and 13 TDs. Now fully healthy again, his first two victories in the two previous games. Anderson figures to see extended action against the Colts as he continues his ● Sept. 3, 1995: Doug Pelfrey kicked five field goals, including the game- return to form. winner from 47 yards in overtime, as the Bengals won 24-21 in the season At wide receiver, college free agent Damion Willis looks to build on his opener at Indianapolis. impressive preseason thus far and further his push for a roster spot. A relative ● Dec. 22, 1996: The Bengals outlasted the Colts 31-24 at Cinergy Field in unknown coming out of college, Willis has turned heads since arriving from Troy a game that was tied four times. The season-ending victory completed a 5-0 run — 1 — (Memorable I-74 moments, continued) ● Erickson has 107 career kickoff returns, eight shy of FB Eric Ball (115) for fifth place all-time. S/CB Tremain Mack (146) is the Bengals’ all-time leader. at home for the Bengals under head coach Bruce Coslet, and Indianapolis was ● Erickson has 2522 career kickoff return yards, 230 behind RB Stanford denied the home-field edge for the playoffs. Jennings (2752) for fourth place all-time. Mack (3583) is the Bengals’ all-time ● Nov. 9, 1997: In the first significant action of his “encore stint” with the leader. Bengals (following four years with other clubs), QB Boomer Esiason led TD ● DE Carlos Dunlap has 72.5 career sacks, 11 short of DE Eddie Edwards* drives on his first three possessions to spark a 28-13 Bengals victory at the RCA (83.5) for the Bengals’ all-time lead. Dome. The Colts were leading 10-7 in the third quarter when Esiason took the ● DT Geno Atkins has 71 career sacks, 1.5 short of Dunlap (72.5) for reins for Jeff Blake, who had been shaken up. second place all-time. Edwards* (83.5) is the Bengals’ all-time leader ● Oct. 6, 2002: The Colts won 28-21 at the RCA Dome, but not without a ● WR A.J. Green has 63 career receiving TDs, three behind WR Chad frantic finish. The Bengals rallied from deficits of 21-0 and 28-14 to pull within 28- Johnson (66) for the Bengals’ all-time lead. 21 with 0:53 remaining, and after recovering an onside kick, the Bengals drove to ● Green has 63 total TDs, one short of WR Carl Pickens and RB James a first down at the Indianapolis 35. But on the next play, a Jon Kitna pass Brooks (both with 64) for third place all-time. FB Pete Johnson (70) is the bounced off the hands of then-second-year WR Chad Johnson, and the Colts Bengals’ all-time leader.