Editing Super Bowl XXIII (section)

===Cincinnati Bengals===
{{main|1988 Cincinnati Bengals season}}

The Bengals were also a team on the rebound. During the [[1987 NFL season|strike-shortened 1987 season]], quarterback [[Boomer Esiason]] and head coach [[Sam Wyche]] had openly feuded, and the team finished with a miserable 4–11 record, including 0–3 in games played by replacement players. The coach and quarterback worked out their differences in the offseason, and Esiason ended up having the best season of his career en route to Super Bowl XXIII. During the regular season, he threw for 3,572 yards and 28 touchdowns with only 14 interceptions, while also rushing for 248 yards and a touchdown on 43 carries. Esiason's performance made him the top-rated quarterback in the league with a 97.4 [[passer rating]] and earned him the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]].

Cincinnati had a number of offensive weapons, boasting six [[Pro Bowl]] selections. Wide receiver [[Eddie Brown (wide receiver)|Eddie Brown]] was the top receiver on the team, with 54 receptions for 1,273 yards and 9 touchdowns, setting franchise records for most receiving yards in season, highest yards per catch average in a season (24.0) and most receiving yards in a single game (216 against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]). Wide receiver [[Tim McGee]] and Pro Bowl tight end [[Rodney Holman]] were also major threats, combining for 75 receptions, 1,213 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Rookie fullback [[Ickey Woods]] was their top rusher with 1,066 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 199 yards and gaining a lot of media attention with his "[[Ickey Shuffle]]", a dance routine he did in the end zone to celebrate his touchdowns. Multi-talented running back [[James Brooks (running back)|James Brooks]] was also a key contributor, gaining a total of 1,218 combined rushing and receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. And the Bengals' offensive line was led by such Pro Bowl players as right guard [[Max Montoya]] and left tackle [[Anthony Muñoz]]. Muñoz was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year for the third time in his career, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the 8th season in a row. With all these weapons, Cincinnati's offense led the NFL in scoring (448 points), rushing yards (2,710), and total yards (6,302).

The Bengals' defense ranked 17th in the league, allowing 5,556 yards and 329 points during the regular season. Cincinnati had a superb defensive line{{Citation needed|date=April 2012}}, led by Pro Bowl defensive tackle [[Tim Krumrie]] (3 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries), along with linemen [[Jim Skow]] (9.5 sacks), [[David Grant (American football)|David Grant]] (5 sacks), and [[Jason Buck]] (6 sacks). Their linebacking corps was led by 13-year veteran [[Reggie Williams (linebacker)|Reggie Williams]], one of six players remaining from their 1981 Super Bowl team. Pro Bowl defensive backs [[Eric Thomas (cornerback)|Eric Thomas]] and [[David Fulcher]] combined for 12 interceptions, while safety [[Lewis Billups]] added 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. The team ended up winning the AFC Central with a 12–4 record.