The Cincinnati Bengals have been the poster boys for bad behavior in the NFL for the last decade. But the Bengals have cleaned up their act, and the baton has been passed to the Minnesota Vikings. According to Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Adrian Peterson arrest over the weekend means that the Vikings have 10 arrests in the last 18 months, and 39 since 2000, both league highs.

The division rival Detroit Lions seem excited about becoming the NFL bad boys with six arrests so far this calendar year, but they had none the year before that. Minnesota’s 10 arrests since the start of 2011 is way ahead of Detroit and everyone else over the last 18 months. Cincinnati has had five arrests in the same span, so the Vikings have now surpassed the Bengals with 39 vs. 37 arrests since the start of 2000.

A blow-by-blow analysis of Bengals vs. Vikings arrests from the UT-San Diego database shows that the Vikings have had more DUI or alcohol-related offenses (14 to 10) while the Bengals tended toward assaults and fights (12 to 7). The Vikings had one mistaken identity that was dropped (Ronyell Whitaker) so the tally is even closer. Both have an arrest for resisting arrest at a Houston nightclub (Reggie McNeal for Cincinnati)! The Bengals had Chris Henry, whose offenses ranged from giving alcohol to underage girls to fighting. Cincinnati can claim the only arrest for bad checks.

Minnesota, meanwhile, wins the creative and group collaboration awards. Nothing beats Randy Moss vs the parking meter lady, and then there was the Party Boat.

Maybe we need to revise which franchise we compare for bad behavior. The Minnesota Vikings have moved past Cincinnati and are the new Bengals.

[photo via US Presswire]