The Cincinnati Bengals are set to do something that no other team in NFL history has ever done before: Play five primetime games on the road in a single season.
Bengals to become first team to play 5 primetime games on the road in a single season
Cincinnati's first road primetime game of the season came against the Giants in New York in Week 6. Since then, they've played the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys all in primetime, and all on the road. Their fifth and final primetime road game of the current campaign comes against the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
The list of teams to play 5 primetime road games in a single season in NFL history.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) December 30, 2024
2024 Bengals
That's it. That's the list.
Obviously, playing that many primetime games away from home fans is a tough task for any team, especially for a team trying to overcome a slow start and make a late playoff push. The fact that four out of those five games came after Week 10 makes the gauntlet even tougher.
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The Bengals have gone 2-2 in their away primetime games so far, with wins in New York and Dallas and losses to the Chargers and Ravens. Cincinnati has also had two home primetime games. They lost to the Washington Commanders, 38-33, on Monday Night Football in Week 3, and they bested the Broncos, 30-24, on Saturday night in Week 17. Overall, they've gone 3-3 in primetime games this season.
They'll look to make that 4-3 against the Steelers on Saturday night. With a win, Cincinnati's postseason hopes will remain alive, and they'll need losses from the Broncos and Dolphins in order to secure a spot. But, with a loss in Pittsburgh, the Bengals will be immediately eliminated from postseason contention.
At the end of the day, having primetime games is a good thing. Primetime appearances come with additional eyeballs, and they're typically a sign of relevance. Bad teams lacking exciting players don't usually get too many primetime nods. As a team that is full of star power and right in the thick of the playoff picture in the AFC, the Bengals clearly don't fall into that category.