1997 Cardinals at Bengals Week 1

[@BuffaloNyBornRaised]

loved those 1990s Phoenix cardinals away uniforms simple but CLEAN!!!

[@jdog34505]

Lost 7 in a row after this game...but this season was also the return of Boomer Esaison!

[@Mark-xl1ze]

Only time in NFL history has the regular season started in the month of August to this day.

[@jasonwalker9091]

Mark271792 And the last year that games would start at 4:00 for all late action and the final year of NFL on NBC and The " Judge " Bill Pieto has been removed from the bench and its the Stuart Scott era on Primetime ( RIP) and the farewell year of Primetime with late game updates on the board and 3 co host team as they got a new studio . And sadly the " Nitro" era is over on TNT

[@KyleCaughlin]

Cardinals first trip to Cincinnati since 1988

[@jasonwalker9091]

Welcome to 1997 NFL semester with lot of gunfight games and much more excitement than 96 in the season and you'll get to see four tours of the " No Limit Mile High Soliders" Tour of Terrell Davis and Elway march thier way to the Super Bowl 32 in Davis hometown of San Diego and undefeated at home , " The Motown Lion King" Tour of Barry Sanders and the Lions as he chases 2,000 rushing yards and the tour of America's Cinderella story of Tampa bay of the " Bounty Hunting Bucs " Tour espically in Week 1 and first few weeks, undefeated!!! , and a mini tour of the 1997 Jets with 6 late games with new sheriff of Bill Parcells of the " Late Game Jets " tour . And two soap operas not of the Jets this time with Dallas as we say farewell to a dynasty that once was and Mike Ditka out of retirement this time in New Orleans of " The Juice Box Guy Blues" before Will Ferrell 's " Kicking and Screaming. And youll see 4 teams tie and have our 1st time game since 1989 in Week 11. And also Dick Vermeil would return after 14 years absent from coaching this time on the Rams. ( Primetime late update on 4:00 action NYJ/SEA has ended,SF/TB has ended in a nightmare shocker,KC/DEN has ended, JAX/BAL is still going in a close tug match) .Our 1st lesson we start in August 31st, the only times its opened up the season of the Cardinals and Bengals early on FOX/ NFL Sunday Ticket is : Thiniking Playoffs.....Same Old Bungles 🐅🐅🐅😑🏈. There a new look in Cincinnati with new uniforms and new name of Cinegry Field, after a 2nd half comeback season last year, Bengals gonna have a good year in 97 with Jeff Blake, Ki-Jana Carter back healthy ,Carl Pickens they start off good in a tug of war opener with Arizona Kent Graham, Larry Centers who keep the game close but Blake delivers on opening day with Pickens for the GW TD and everything is gonna as planned......until after this their 1-6 and another Bengal is waiting for his turn of Boomer Esiason makes his return to Cincinnati as Carter continues to struggle with injuries, it would open the door for Rookie Corey Dillion later in the season. And anybody that Cincy was gonna make playoffs, who are you lol. End of Lesson ( Kenny Albert and Tim Green on the call on this game 1:00 ) 😁.

[@pasadena1992]

TV Announcers: Kenny Albert & Tim Green

[@EdmacZ]

Believe it or not, the 1997 Bengals actually had expectations going into the season.

[@jasonwalker9091]

The night before opening day if anybody remembers Princess Diana died in a car crash in London and all news including NFL Countdown, NFL on NBC and FOX pregrame announces her death and there was no social media bullshit back then.

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

I don’t think ESPN ever used this theme for primetime again

[@chrisuncleahmad]

“Kent Graham looks like Otto Graham”

[@jasonwalker9091]

Chris Kreager And his replacement would be Jake" The Snake" Plummer and got drafted by Arizona fresh off the Rose bowl with Arizona State.

[@barrybach3685]

I was at this game!!! I’ve been eagerly anticipating the 1997 season highlights for a long time because I hoped this game would be featured!! Still one of the best games I’ve ever been too!! The crowd was electric after the game!!

[@jasonwalker9091]

Barry Bach You should have gotten merch at the store, at least you got to visit Riverfront i never liked the name Cingery field 😁.

[@barrybach3685]

Jason WAlker Same. I spent half my teenage years at Riverfront for Reds and Bengals games haha.

[@kevinramsey9265]

I was there also.This was my very first NFL game live

[@kevinramsey9265]

I am a Chargers and Cardinals fan.I remember the Bengals winning this one and didn't win again until later in season against the Chargers.This game against the Cardinals was my very first NFL game live.I went to this game instead of having a bachelor party.Now here I am decades later and I now make the helmets for the NFL working at Riddell

[@SS-th9wz]

Battle between two of the worst franchises in NFL history - Arizona was 4-12 and Cincinnati was 7-9 in 1997.

[@roguegust8832]

1997 was an interesting year. A lot of changing of the guard was in motion. The Bengals were picked by many to get to the playoffs in 97. They stumbled and lost 7 in a row after but won 7 of 8 to end the year as Corey Dillon emerged to balance that offense and Boomer Esiason picked up where he left off in Arizona the previous November.

[@BuffaloNyBornRaised]

first year without jim kelly as our starting day qb since 1987 welcome todd Collins

[@vincentyork1234]

@@BuffaloNyBornRaised Actually the last time the Bills did not had Jim Kelly as their starting QB on opening day was in 1985, in which Vince Ferragamo was their starting QB. Kelly did start opening day in 1986 and 1987.