A half-dozen stories that help define what happened in 2003 for the Bengals.

YEAR IN REVIEW

• Lewis not satisfied, but says foundation is solid • Teammate: 'Good riddance,' Corey • The envelope please ... • 2003 season recap • 2003 storylines • Lewis plans no changes, credits his co-workers • 17th pick could bolster defense • Major free agent acquisitions pay off in starting lineup • Johnson a hot property • Kitna wants to stay Bengal • Rookie class makes immediate contributions • Season stats

A NEW BEGINNING

When the Bengals hired him as their new head coach Jan. 14, Marvin Lewis gave a hint as to what was in store.

"Before you win, you have to learn how to win," he said. "You have to learn how not to lose.

"We're going to set a standard for how it's going to be."

The franchise's first outside hire since Forrest Gregg in 1980, Lewis came to the Bengals with no head coaching experience. But through 11 seasons as an NFL assistant and 11 more as an assistant in college, Lewis built a reputation as one of the game's brightest defensive minds.

What he did after the Bengals hired him was eradicate a culture of losing through a disciplined team approach.

The results were immediate and impressive, and energized a city and a region that had lacked a winning team for so long.

Losers of a franchise-worst 14 games in 2002, the Lewis-led Bengals became the NFL's top comeback story as they stayed in the playoff race.

"Blame our success on Marvin," wide receiver Chad Johnson said.

Cincinnati finished 8-8, its best mark since 1996, and was eliminated from playoff contention with a 22-14 loss against the Browns on Sunday.

"We just scratched the surface," Lewis said Monday. "Our guys realize that. We've got a ways to go. We had fun."

Kevin Kelly

NEW COACH, NEW APPROACH

Coach Marvin Lewis set a new tone for the Bengals' organization early in free agency when he showed the door to linebacker Takeo Spikes.

On March 10, Lewis announced that the Bengals were declining their right in free agency to match the six-year, $32 million offer sheet Spikes had signed three days earlier with Buffalo.

At the same time, Lewis introduced three defensive free agents to the media - linebacker Kevin Hardy, cornerback Tory James and tackle John Thornton.

Though the Bengals defense struggled against the run, the trio of newcomers started each game.

James led the team with four interceptions and was the Bengals' best cover cornerback since the mid-1990s.

Thornton's six sacks tied with another newcomer - end Duane Clemons - for the team lead.

And Hardy's 120 tackles also led the team. Lewis saw the signings as a signal.

"Today is the beginning of a new day in the Bengal organization and in the shaping of the football team under my direction," Lewis said in March.

The Bengals also picked up strong safety Rogers Beckett off waivers after his release by San Diego in June. He started nine games and played in all 16 with three sacks and two interceptions. He had 16 special teams tackles.

Mark Curnutte

A STAR IS BORN

Chad Johnson emerged as the Bengals' marquee player in 2003.

The third-year wide receiver made his first AFC Pro Bowl team and established a franchise receiving yards record with 1,355. He set another career high with 10 touchdown receptions and matched his 2002 total with five 100-yard games.

Johnson had a career-high 90 receptions - the most for a Bengals receiver since Carl Pickens' 100 in 1996. Johnson also gave the Bengals a swagger and confidence, guaranteeing a victory over previously undefeated Kansas City that he and his teammates delivered.

The Bengals beat the Chiefs 24-19. Four days earlier, Johnson received a $12.5 million bonus to sign a five-year contract extension through 2009 that is worth a potential $26 million.

Johnson fell short of his preseason goal of 1,800 receiving yards but was pleased with his and the team's performances.

"It was all right," he said. "As far as the standards I set, it's kind of disappointing."

Johnson has become the face of the new Bengals, and his re-signing sends a message around the NFL.

"Free agents around the league can say, 'Tampa Bay takes care of their guys two years early. Cincinnati, Marvin (Lewis) has got them thinking like the rest of the league,' " said right tackle Willie Anderson, the team's other Pro Bowl selection.

Mark Curnutte

TORCH PASSES AT RUNNING BACK

Chants of "Ru-di, Ru-di, Ru-di" echoed from the Paul Brown Stadium stands.

The third-year tailback, a fourth-round pick from Auburn in 2001, had just 17 rushing attempts in his first two seasons.

But assorted injuries to three-time Pro Bowler Corey Dillon gave Johnson a chance, and he became the first Bengals running back to rush for 150 or more yards three times in one season. He had 43 rushing attempts against Houston, tied for second-most all time in the NFL.

Johnson had four 100-yard games, finished with 957 yards and rushed for nine touchdowns. His No. 32 jersey was the second-best seller at the team's pro shop, behind only Chad Johnson's 85.

Through the start-and-stop season, Johnson never complained. He started five games. He did not even dress for the first three games.

He also played special teams, recovering an onside kick at the end of the San Francisco game. Johnson, who had 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals' 41-38 victory, was leveled by a 49er on the recovery. It exemplified his team-first attitude: "I knew it was coming," Johnson said of the hit. "I just had to take one for the team. I was just doing my job."

Coach Marvin Lewis made note of Johnson's attitude, saying, "And he keeps doing his job."

Mark Curnutte

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE

Carson Palmer, the 2002 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in April's draft, spent his first pro season merely watching.

And learning. And watching some more.

Incumbent Jon Kitna eliminated any potential quarterback controversy early in what amounted to a career season.

Kitna took all 1,038 offensive snaps - the only NFL quarterback to take every snap for his team this season. He threw for 3,591 yards, 26 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The yards and touchdowns were career highs.

In the Bengals' eight victories, Kitna threw 20 touchdowns and just one interception. In the eight losses, he had six touchdown passes and 14 interceptions.

"For me personally, the season was great, but I'm going to get better," Kitna said. "Nobody expected that I would take every snap this year, that we would go 8-8, that I would be a second alternate in the Pro Bowl. (Nobody) would've said any of that."

Palmer, who signed a seven-year, $49 million contract, is just the second No. 1 pick in the past 10 years not to play a snap in his rookie season.

The last was Ki-Jana Carter, the Bengals' top pick in the 1995 draft. Carter missed his rookie season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a preseason game.

Palmer played in all four preseason games and showed big-play ability and a major-league arm. He completed 37 of 54 passes for 451 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions.

"It's not what I wanted," said Palmer, who spent seven games as the Bengals' No. 2 quarterback. "It's not what I expected.

"But I never thought I would learn so much from watching Jon play."

Kevin Kelly

GETTING STRONG NOW

The word around the NFL last season was that the Bengals were an out-of-shape team unprepared for the rigors of a season.

That wasn't the case in 2003.

Aside from the normal bumps and bruises, the Bengals finished an 8-8 season in remarkably good health.

The Bengals were the last team to place a player on injured reserve. Only three players - Matt O'Dwyer, Adrian Ross and Dwayne Levels - were put on the list by season's end.

Credit goes to strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton, who followed head coach Marvin Lewis from Washington, and assistant strength coach Kurtis Shultz.

They installed a 14-week offseason conditioning program that emphasized not only strength, but stamina, explosive ability, speed and agility.

A nutritionist consulted with players about eating habits and diets.

The Bengals invested $250,000 in remodeling their weight room at Paul Brown Stadium. The walls of the weight room were painted white. Mirrors were installed and lighting was improved. Some of Lewis' favorite slogans were painted on the walls: "Finish;" "Outwork, outrun, out-hit;" "Play every down."

"We're a better-conditioned team than we were when we started the offseason program," Morton said in June. "We're stronger than we were when we started. And we're more flexible. I'm encouraged."

Kevin Kelly

2004 opponents

HOME

Baltimore (10-6*, 2003)

Buffalo (6-10)

Cleveland (5-11)

Dallas (10-6*)

Denver (10-6*)

Miami (10-6)

New York Giants (4-12)

Pittsburgh (6-10)

AWAY

Baltimore (10-6*)

Cleveland (5-11)

New England (14-2*)

New York Jets (6-10)

Philadelphia (12-4*)

Pittsburgh (6-10)

Tennessee (12-4*)

Washington (5-11)

* In 2003 playoffs

Bengals sign 10 free agents

The Bengals on Monday signed 10 players to the team's offseason roster:

• Kenny Jackson, LB, Nevada

• Belton Johnson, OL, Mississippi

• Ricot Joseph, DB, Central Florida

• Pete Lougheed, OL, Purdue

• James Lynch, RB, Maryland

• Mike Mabry, C, Central Florida

• Norris McCleary, DL, East Carolina

• Justin Sands, OL, Kansas

• Greg Scott, DL, Hampton

• Adam Ziesel, WR, Missouri Western

Bengals playoff-ticket refunds

Season-ticket holders can get a playoff-ticket refund by writing (Cincinnati Bengals, Ticket Office, One Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati 45202) or faxing (455-8380) the Bengals. Otherwise, the money will be applied to 2004 season-ticket renewals.

Refunds automatically are being sent by the team's ticket office to ticket-pack buyers who purchased playoff tickets.

Sales to the general public were handled by TicketMaster via credit card; TicketMaster is in the process of electronically making those refunds, Bengals officials said.

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