Cincinnati Bengals: 5 potential primetime games on 2021 schedule

The NFL is releasing the 2021 schedule on May 12. While the Cincinnati Bengals aren’t a premier team in the league, they should be able to land a few primetime slots. Which matchups could be the ones played under the lights?

Even though Sunday Night Football games are typically reserved for the better teams in the league, the Cincinnati Bengals will still get to play on Thursday Night Football and likely Monday Night Football as well. They have Joe Burrow and now his LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase, which should make them a more appealing team to put on primetime.

After looking at the Bengals’ 2021 opponents, which matchups could land in primetime? Let’s take a look.

Primetime Games on Cincinnati Bengals 2021 Schedule

No. 5: Jacksonville Jaguars

This game might not seem all that exciting on the surface but these two teams have held the No. 1 overall pick in the last two drafts and both took quarterbacks. That makes them more intriguing for sure.

The Bengals, of course, have Joe Burrow, who was looking like a nice quarterback for them moving forward until he was injured late in the season. The Jaguars hit the jackpot this past year and secured the right to select Clemson product Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick.

These two were not only the No. 1 picks in their respective drafts but they faced off in the National Championship Game in the 2019 season with Burrow’s LSU Tigers defeating Lawrence’s Clemson Tigers.

While the Bengals vs the Jaguars isn’t exactly Sunday Night Football material, these two could square off on Monday Night Football or, since it’s no longer strictly based on division rivals, maybe they’ll meet on Thursday Night Football. Either should make for a compelling game.