According to  Katherine Terrell, Bengals had a 12-year losing skid in 2002, which led to the resignation of Dick LeBeau and the appointment of Marvin Lewis. The Bengals had the league’s weakest defense, allowing 28.5 points per game.

They cycled through three quarterbacks during the season because they couldn’t work out their quarterback issue. Their ineptitude eventually earned them the first overall selection in the draft the following year, when they picked Carson Palmer and began a new era for the organization.

On the season, the Bengals were outscored 279-456. The defense almost allowed opponents to score 200 points more than them. Despite the presence of Takeo Spikes and Justin Smith on the roster.

The Bengals offense rushed for just over 1,700 yards, but their opponents rushed for nearly 2,000 yards. After what he did on the field in Cincinnati, it’s hard to believe Dick LeBeau went on to coach such a complex defense with Pittsburgh.

That is, in a nutshell, the 2002 team’s narrative. They didn’t have a particularly good quarterback, and their defense didn’t give them much of a chance in most of their game.

The thing about the 2002 season is that it was necessary for it to happen in order to obtain the things that lead to one of the most successful eras of Bengals football in history.