By Brenna R. Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

16 game photos

By the time the Bengals scored their first touchdown of the new season Sunday, most of the fans who filled Paul Brown Stadium at kickoff had long since headed to the parking lot.

High hopes for a strong start to the first season under a new coach were trampled by the second quarter. By the third, fans were filing out as the Denver Broncos added to their lead for a 30-10 victory.

"It's bad when you look at the start of the third quarter and there's nobody in the stands," said John Zenk of Pleasant Ridge, who had rekindled a grill for post-game tailgating. "We thought this would be more fun."

A few hours earlier, Bengals fans had celebrated the beginning of the coach Marvin Lewis era, hoping that he would be the leader to bring the Bengals their first winning season since 1990. In one end zone, fans hung a "In Marvin We Trust" banner.

"We were really optimistic coming in," said Chris Huerkamp of Oakley, who was leaving in the third quarter. "The crowd was hungry for something."

But long-suffering fans said they would endure - and come back for more.

With his hair painted in orange-and-black stripes, Glen Faessler of Mt. Healthy and three friends cheered and shouted, "Who dey!" as the Bengals scored a field goal in the second quarter.

Faessler has had season tickets for 12 years, "ever since they have been losing."

But he keeps coming back. "I like football, I live in Cincinnati," Faessler said. "They've been good in the past. It's going to happen sooner or later - you don't want to not be here when it happens."

Sunday's loss was still hard to take. The main difference over last year's opener was the all-black uniforms unveiled Sunday.

"Nothing changed," said Jeff Crow of Covedale. . "It's the same old Bengals. It's so disappointing.

"But, you know what? I'll be back. I live in Cincinnati. I love the Bengals."

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E-mail bkelly@enquirer.com

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