Dave Lapham, the Cincinnati Bengals radio broadcaster for decades, knows cold weather football.He was an offensive lineman in the “Freezer Bowl.””It was bone chilling. I’ve never been that cold in my life,” Lapham said. “Mentally and physically, there’s no question, it was probably the biggest challenge of my life.”Friday, in the upstairs restaurant of the downtown Cincinnati Kroger, Lapham hosted former Bengal Sam Hubbard for a live radio broadcast looking ahead at possible single digit temps at kickoff Sunday.”We’re going no matter what, we never miss a game,” Bengals fan Greg Lowe, from Bethel, said. “I handle it pretty well, I’ve got a few extra layers on my body, so it’s all good. Couple cold beers, it’ll be all great.”The battle against the Ravens is set to be one of the top five coldest Bengals home games ever. Nowhere near as frigid as the Freezer Bowl in January of 1982 but cold enough to bring back icy memories of the AFC championship game that launched Cincinnati into its first Super Bowl.”We sat underneath the scoreboard at the old Riverfront Stadium. We were way up there,” Jay Mehn said. “Each one of us brought a sleeping back and it was good, I mean it was cold but we were good.”Fans who are going Sunday say they’ll bundle up for the Bengals. But nearly 44 years ago, Lapham had other ideas.”About mid-week, I think I’m going to go sleeveless. I know they say it’s going to be cold but I’d rather suffer through the cold then have you be pulled around and not be in control of what I wanted to do,” Lapham said.No matter what’s worn Sunday, bodies in the stands will keep everyone warm and spirits high. “The cold it makes it a little bit rough, but I’ll always be there regardless,” Lowe said.

CINCINNATI —

Dave Lapham, the Cincinnati Bengals radio broadcaster for decades, knows cold weather football.

He was an offensive lineman in the “Freezer Bowl.”

“It was bone chilling. I’ve never been that cold in my life,” Lapham said. “Mentally and physically, there’s no question, it was probably the biggest challenge of my life.”

Friday, in the upstairs restaurant of the downtown Cincinnati Kroger, Lapham hosted former Bengal Sam Hubbard for a live radio broadcast looking ahead at possible single digit temps at kickoff Sunday.

“We’re going no matter what, we never miss a game,” Bengals fan Greg Lowe, from Bethel, said. “I handle it pretty well, I’ve got a few extra layers on my body, so it’s all good. Couple cold beers, it’ll be all great.”

The battle against the Ravens is set to be one of the top five coldest Bengals home games ever.

Nowhere near as frigid as the Freezer Bowl in January of 1982 but cold enough to bring back icy memories of the AFC championship game that launched Cincinnati into its first Super Bowl.

“We sat underneath the scoreboard at the old Riverfront Stadium. We were way up there,” Jay Mehn said. “Each one of us brought a sleeping back and it was good, I mean it was cold but we were good.”

Fans who are going Sunday say they’ll bundle up for the Bengals. But nearly 44 years ago, Lapham had other ideas.

“About mid-week, I think I’m going to go sleeveless. I know they say it’s going to be cold but I’d rather suffer through the cold then have you be pulled around and not be in control of what I wanted to do,” Lapham said.

No matter what’s worn Sunday, bodies in the stands will keep everyone warm and spirits high.

“The cold it makes it a little bit rough, but I’ll always be there regardless,” Lowe said.