The STUPIDEST DEFENSE in Cincinnati Bengals HISTORY | Buccaneers @ Bengals (1980)

Does it seem like a good idea to put a 9th round rookie playing his very first game on one of the best tight ends in football, with no help whatsoever? Well, in a 1980 week 1 NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cincinnati Bengals, head coach Forrest Gregg, and defensive coordinator Hank Bullough decided to do just that, and put DB Greg Bright, a rookie from Morehead State, on TE Jimmie Giles, who led the NFC in receiving touchdowns amongst all tight ends the year before. It went about as well as you'd expect. This is the story behind that disaster
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Members of the 1980 Bengals:
Jim Breech
Sandro Vitiello
Jack Thompson
Ken Riley
Ken Anderson
Ian Sunter
Jim Browner
Deacon Turner
Shafer Suggs
Bryan Hicks
Cleo Montgomery
Dick Jauron
Louis Breeden
Nathan Poole
Jo Heath
Charles Alexander
Ray Griffin
Archie Griffin
Pete Johnson
Greg Bright
Glenn Cameron
Rick Razzano
Tom Dinkel
Bo Harris
Jim LeClair
Ron Simpkins
Reggie Williams
Blair Bush
Andrew Melontree
Blake Moore
Dave Lapham
Mike White
William Glass
Max Montoya
Gary Burley
Rod Horn
Mike St. Clair
Eddie Edwards
Glenn Bujnoch
Wilson Whitley
Mike Wilson
Anthony Munoz
Ross Browner
Jim Corbett
Alton Alexis
ML Harris
Don Bass
Isaac Curtis
Steve Kreider
Pat McInally
Mike Levenseller
Dan Ross
Forrest Gregg (head coach)
Paul Brown (owner)
Members of the 1980 Buccaneers:
Garo Yepremian
Doug Williams
Chuck Fusina
Tom Blanchard
Neal Colzie
Curtis Jordan
Tony Davis
Gary Davis
Mark Cotney
Cedric Brown
Rick Berns
Johnny Davis
Mike Washington
Norris Thomas
Ricky Bell
Jerry Eckwood
Danny Reece
Steve Wilson
Scot Brantley
Richard Wood
Aaron Brown
Cecil Johnson
Dave Lewis
Dewey Selmon
Andy Hawkins
Greg Roberts
Jim Leonard
Lee Roy Selmon
Dave Stalls
George Yarno
Darrell Austin
Mike Calhoun
Randy Crowder
Ray Snell
Charley Hannah
Gene Sanders
Dave Reavis
David Logan
Bill Kollar
Bruce Radford
Reggie Lewis
Tony Samuels
Conrad Rucker
Isaac Hagins
Mike Shumann
Gordon Jones
Jim Obradovich
Larry Mucker
Jimmie Giles
Kevin House
John McKay (head coach)
Hugh Culverhouse (owner)

[@jayNicks10]

Giles had 3 catches for 62 yards and 2 TD’s? And the score was only 17-12? WOW, I was expecting a WAY bigger performance out of Giles. You’re blowing this way out of proportion dude.

[@YungMonn]

0:44 “Congratulations, you’re really stupid!” 😂😂😂

[@nasetvideos]

No, it does not seem like a good idea to put a 9th round rookie playing his very first game on one of the best tight ends in football, with no help whatsoever! Unreal--I always wonder "what could they possibly be thinking?"...this one is head scratching material, for sure. Happy new year! Great start with an awesome video

[@DolFan316]

That '80 Bengals draft was such a disaster post-Anthony Munoz that's it's a legit miracle they reached a Super Bowl the next season. Of the 13 players drafted not named Munoz, three never played a down in the NFL, *nine* more were out of the league after '81, and another was gone after '82. Jo Heath actually came back and played for the '87 Jets as a scab guy, but other than Munoz only LB Ron Simpkins lasted more than three NFL seasons, and I'd never heard of him before checking this.

[@michaelbanaszak7775]

Paul Brown's better days were behind him at this point....the game had passed him by... I agree with you that it truly was a miracle the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl the very next season. That might have had something to do with Head Coach Forrest Gregg cracking the whip...

[@PrepTopia1]

Giles ended the game with 3 catches for 62 yards, hardly a dominant game. And it looks like the Bengals are playing a zone in that second TD. Seems like an overexaggeration to call the game plan stupid, since the Bengals horrible D had held the Bucs to 10 points before the giveaway inside the 5 yard line.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Agree. He seems to be into using superlatives now. This is the second "stupidest" video he's done which is a head scratcher.

[@DolFan316]

Yeah, when I looked up the box score and saw just 3 catches for Giles I was like, "Okay..."

[@jayNicks10]

I agree, I was expecting a WAY Bigger game. He’s cutting to the TD plays and I’m like. The score was only 3-3? Sounds like Bright’s doing a decent job.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

I'll tell you what, JG9, I'd love to see those decisions by players and coaches that seem totally stupid - and yet, they WORK. Something like a similar mismatch, but the late rounder bottles up the star player completely, or, if we're being fair, almost completely.

[@DolFan316]

I'm old enough to remember the Bengals changing their unis before the '81 season. The stripes were a mind blowing and cutting edge paradigm shift in terms of uniform design at the time.

[@thecawdsquad875]

Bengals' 1980s uniforms were great. Now they've gone crazy with stripes and ugly monochrome. They should bring back the Esiason-era unis.

[@fromthehaven94]

@@thecawdsquad875 The current ones are still good. The ones used for the last 15 years or so, are awful by comparison.

[@benjaminfeige7986]

On Jimmy Giles second touchdown; Greg Bright was covering the deep half of the field (or endzone in this case) opposite of Jimmy Giles.

[@thecawdsquad875]

Leaving Jerry Rice in single coverage in the 1987 week two game with two seconds on the clock was pretty bad as well.

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Got you covered. Did a Dumb Decisions on that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHm9pJ13e914bNk This video was over the course of the entire game, but in terms of any individual play, that’s the clear winner

[@DolFan316]

@@OfficialJaguarGator9 That play might be the dumbest single play by any team in NFL history. It's either that or the play that preceded it.

[@Tubewings]

@@OfficialJaguarGator9 Oh, and not punting or taking the safety when they had the chance either.

[@TheMrSuge]

I thought, when I first clicked on this video, that the '87 debacle vs. the 49ers was going to be the subject. Sam Wyche was a flaming moron. In that division he was consistently outcoached by both Marty Schottenheimer and Chuck Noll. The only coach in the division back then that didn't routinely embarrass him was the equally wacky Jerry Glanville

[@thecawdsquad875]

@@TheMrSuge Glanville had some really good teams in Houston and never even sniffed the super bowl.

[@Daniel-cu8zt]

He had 3 catches for 62 yards. Yes, 2 td catches.. but we've seen worse performances. Another good video.

[@msarzo]

Talk about a dumb decision! "Not so Bright." I see what you did there.

[@russellseilhamer4552]

I looked it up and Giles was a part of the monster trade with the Oilers trying to get Earl Campbell. The Oilers gave up Giles, a 1 and a 3 in 1978, then a 3 and a 5 pick in 1979. Giles was the only thing that panned out for the Bucs and Tampa already had Ricky Bell. Giles was pretty awesome in Tampa, later there was an underrated player named James Wilder who was great for many years

[@bjnt92281]

The pick the got from the Oilers in 78 was also used on Doug Williams. So I’d say it was more than just Giles.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

James Wilder was a helluva player, underrated back. Tampa had a few really good players in the mid 80s, but they were awful.

[@armchairqb2994]

Jimmy Giles is very very underrated

[@DolFan316]

Giles still has more catches and yards than any TE in Bucs history, and believe it or not the second most receiving TDs of any Bucs player period.

[@DolFan316]

The '80 Bengals D actually wasn't the problem for them. They weren't great but allowed less than 20 points a game and were 14th in points allowed, thoroughly average. The offense on the other hand was 27th in scoring, out of 28 teams at the time.

[@tm-cv3qt]

Thanks again for these awesome videos. Football history, and the way you tell the stories, is a great mix of art and science. Great work. 🏈👍

[@redmustangredmustang]

Jimmy Giles is what made Tampa a playoff team if you also include Doug Williams and Ricky Bell. They finally had a dominant pass catcher that teams had to focus on.

[@DolFan316]

Giles still has more catches and yards than any TE in Bucs history, and believe it or not the second most receiving TDs of any Bucs player period.

[@CTubeMan]

Just to complete the point you made in this video, Cincinnati, San Francisco, and Detroit had the three worst records in 1979. Two years later Cincinnati and San Francisco would play in the Super Bowl…in Detroit. So the Bengals played an NFC team that made the playoffs the year before in their home opener. And they left a rookie defensive back in single coverage against their opponents best receiver in a crucial situation. That’s the last time they’d do that. Happy New Year!

[@McConkey_Productions]

That’s insane I would have never figured that out

[@thecawdsquad875]

SF was better than their record indicated in 1979. Bill Walsh implemented the West Coast offense that year and their passing game was quite good. They just wouldn't have a defense until 1981.

[@thecawdsquad875]

@@matthewdaley746 The Chargers in those days signed players to cheap contracts with small salary increases each year to lock them up. Dean was probably the league's best pass rusher at that time and made nothing in San Diego. He was right to hold out.

[@DolFan316]

The '81 Bengals and 49ers became the first teams to reach the Super Bowl after having a losing record the previous season. It wasn't done again until the '88 Bengals got there after a 4-win disaster of an '87 season. There has still never been another Super Bowl in which both teams had losing records the season before. A couple were close, but one of the teams finished 8-8 the prior season.

[@marcus813]

As a Bucs fan, I'm glad to get a reminder of how awesome Giles was. He certainly earned that Ring of Honor spot!

[@Davepool-hs7vr]

Greg Bright allows two touchdowns in this game Denver Broncos defense in 2023 week 3: hold my beer

[@johnliberty3647]

I would never have the same coverage on that TE. twice in a row, but that's just me... the guy who tries to ad a half a second of thought to the QBs process by making him spend extra energy reading a defense. Never lock your best cover guy on a TE, its too easy to read and Kevin House will burn you as you shut down Giles.

[@johnberger51]

Happy New Year's JaguarGator9.

[@Jason_Maier]

I just want to see a waterlogged rainstorm of a Super Bowl someday 😂

[@c71score]

Pat McInally was probably extra pissed about the muffed snap considering he was a WR. McInally was also one of the last "duel threat" punters along with Danny White and Tom Tupa. Invented Starting Lineup figures. Scored the only perfect score on the Wonderlic Test. Broke his leg in last College All-Star game, which was part of the reason they quit playing

[@eugenedenbrook322]

A really interesting guy, to be sure!

[@TheMrSuge]

I believe he was an Ivy Leaguer. Harvard ?

[@RobHolecko]

This would make a more interesting video than this one

[@danielbowden6330]

When the Tampa Bay player scores at 1:30, I was thinking what's with the line that parallels the sideline? Then I remembered the Tea Men and the NASL.

[@diaz5292]

I've always loved saying the name 'Jimmy Giles'. Not as much as I loved saying the name Sam Rutigliano, but close...lol

[@scottconner7930]

42 Years Ago

[@Steve-wo7gt]

The *ORIGINAL* Jimmie G.

[@dentonyoung4314]

I can see putting Bright on him if you give him safety help over the top. But one-on-one? Yeah, stupid.

[@chanharris1924]

Damn we couldn't cover a TE then either 🤨🤔

[@velvetdogg7375]

Okay this gave me a idea for a movie. It's going to be a comedy called Loser Leaves Ohio. It will be about the NFL deciding there's only room for one team in Ohio it will be decide the team with the best record gets to stay. Of course this will lead to all sorts of shenanigans on and off the field. At the end of the movie it will come down to the last game of the year and the two team's are going to go head to head. However it end's in a tie and a mad bitter Commissioner who hate's Ohio but seeing how much they love there team's decides it would be best for both team's to stay in Ohio and not ruin his league by one of them leaving.

[@christopherengel7436]

Some younger fans may not appreciate those numbers. Back then those were great stats. Jimmie Giles was a beast, absolutely a monster for a couple years.

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

more bungling from the Bungles. Let's see if they can win a playoff game this time around.

[@DolFan316]

They're going to lose to my team so...no.

[@67marlins]

Thanks for posting, I almost forgot about Jimmy Giles. I also appreciate the indirect praise for Doug Williams, who is never fully appreciated. I grew up a Steelers/Dolphins/Oilers fan, so I love to see the two Ohio teams get humiliated. It's a shame they didn't have enough sense to coach that talented young DB to success. A real coach would never shove a rookie into that situation.

[@sandy19872005]

Happy New Year's

[@jaxking904]

8:35 The 07 Stealers said hold my beer. But in all seriousness what were Dey thinking?!

[@mireyajones810]

On the second TD, Bright was on the defensive Right (offensive left). Giles lined up as TE on the right. So I do not think that he were responsible for coverage of the TE on that play. There were two linebackers who were to cover the underneath zone on that play. In fact, Bright was covering the WR in the deep third (or defensive right half). The coverage looks like 2-deep, five man under.

[@qw3rtypd4ng3r]

God look how awful Astroturf used to be. They aren’t even wearing cleats

[@dmitrifailla6408]

That had to take the sails out of their winds !!!!

[@scottaznavourian3720]

Hilariously the legendary qb throwing to jiles Is somehow an aftetthought...

[@realtyranny3310]

I noticed you like doing bengal stories. here's one for you....Did Sam Wyche quite, or did Brown fire him? Wyche loved coaching Boomer, Munoz, Krumrie, Fulcher, etc, but I think he knew his job (and the future of the organization) was in trouble the instant Paul Brown died. There was an interesting/tragic dynamic going on there. A video on the Colts move from Baltimore would be good, with all the little known details and inside stories. One on the Colts drafting John Elway, or the bengals plan to draft Steve Young, in '84 would be great.

[@realtyranny3310]

@@matthewdaley746 Sam stuck around through a 4 win 1987, then three more seasons after that 49ers SB. But not a single season after Paul died (August 1991). Paul liked him. Mike didn't, and I think Sam knew it.

[@stevengrvp]

Best way to start 2022

[@chadwickwhite6107]

I have said it BEFORE and I will say it AGAIN. The Cincinnati Bengals have ALWAYS BEEN and ALWAYS WILL BE BELOW a 39.6 rating. They would be BETTER OFF just SPIKING the football into the ground on EVERY single OFFENSIVE play!!!! Happy New Year and LET'S GO BRANDON!!!

[@scottaznavourian3720]

Wow curt gowdy doing play by play during a thunderstorm...

[@dougdrazga4461]

On CBS. I forgot he left NBC. Something about a swap with Don Criqui.

[@mcmlxv9827]

Giles was not the best TE in football, far from it. Kellen WInslow, Dave Casper, Raymond Chester, Ozzie Newsome, Russ Francis, Mike Barber, Riley Odoms were all better. In 1980 Giles was 12th amongst TE's in receptions. Even Cincinnati's TE, Dan Ross, had 23 more receptions than Giles. IMO, Giles was possibly the 8th best tight end in 1980, possibly lower. Giles only had 33 receptions all of 1980, 2 catches per game. IN this game he only had 3 catches, hardly dominant.

[@TheMrSuge]

Agreed. When he started talking up Giles at the beginning of this video I started ticking off in my head all the TE's back then I'd have rather had on my team. It was a long list. Winslow and Newsome in particular (and Todd Christiansen a couple years later) really re-defined the TE position in this era. I don't really remember Giles being in that conversation.

[@gothard5]

You should really do a video on the biggest mistake in Bengals history. Paul Brown not choosing his assistant coach, BILL WALSH, to be his successor as head coach.

[@willhammers9761]

I thought they were going to score 50 points... only couple touchdowns, so he didn't do that badly

[@DolFan316]

Giles only had 3 catches so...yeah. It's not like he went off for 15 catches and 200 yards or anything crazy.

[@pullt]

...and on that 2nd TD, he doesn't appear to be playing straight man on the TE.

[@jamessimon2067]

It was a good learning experience....

[@guyhill6269]

Jimmy Giles was a problem. And my Houston Oilers traded him away. 🙄😥

[@dougdrazga4461]

How did you find video of Morehead State football from 1979?

[@jeremybiewer5465]

Can't compare stats to today's NFL. What doesn't look that great back then was much more impressive than it looks. I'm talking about the passing game numbers.. Much harder to throw the football back then and quarterbacks had the legit worry of getting there heads taken off.

[@r.jackson7162]

You didn't have any info on the defensive coordinator other than his name. After looking him up Bullough was a good coach who made a mistake( was DC the next year for the Super Bowl.). And after some of the comments here it looks like he adjusted.

[@arrowdave646]

Still how many 9th rounders last as long as Bright did?

[@pullt]

Is Bright actually playing man on that second TD?

[@thomascrowley9122]

Welcome to the NFL

[@miamimercenary9623]

first of all Giles had 3 catches on the day. secondly, that 2nd td was zone coverage so Bright can’t be faulted for “blown coverage” as that LB is supposed to carry the TE up the seam. you act like the guy got torched for 350 like Utah‘s defense against OSU. guy got beat on 1 corner route by a quality TE in his first game ever. that’s not as egregious as the title makes it sound. and without that special teams blunder, who says the Bucs score a td there. can we really blame the coach putting him in that spot? seems like a solid first game except for that td right before halftime

[@earltealjr6334]

Sounds like they THROUGH the GAME... only thing that makes sense, @ least to me anyways!!!!!🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@madmanszalinski]

Welcome to dumb decision

[@TheMrSuge]

My God, those cookie-cutter stadiums, with their astro turf and their mobile temporary seating, were ugly and awful

[@1USACitizen192]

This video is typical JG9 clickbait.