The Cincinnati Bengals have their schedule for the 2023 season. While the first half of the schedule doesn't look too bad, it gets difficult pretty quickly.
While the Bengals open their season against the Browns -- a team who has had their number in recent years -- it's not until Week 8 that things start to get hairy.
The Bengals have their BYE week after just six weeks of games and then the real fun begins...
What is the most difficult slate of games for the Bengals?
After their Week 7 BYE, the Bengals head to San Francisco for a date with the 49ers. Both of these teams made it to their respective conference's title game only to lose out and have to watch the Super Bowl from home.
The Niners are an interesting team because they win in spite of solid quarterback play. Brock Purdy could be starting by this point or maybe it's Trey Lance or even Sam Darnold. Whoever is at the helm, they'll have a stout run game and excellent defense to back them up.
The following week, the Bengals return home to host the Buffalo Bills. Cincy ended the Bills' season last year with a curb-stomping in the AFC Divisional Round. The Bills will be ready to seek vengence on the Bengals but the Jungle is going to be hyped when this Sunday night game gets underway.
The game against the Texans the following week isn't a difficult one but it's the definition of a trap game for sure. It'd be easy for the Bengals to look past this one because four days later, they'll be suiting up for a Thursday night tilt in Baltimore against the Ravens. Division games are always tough but the Ravens pose the biggest threat to Cincinnati for the AFC North title this year.
Following that game, the Bengals host the Steelers in what will be their first meeting with the team from the Steel City this season. After that, they'll head to Jacksonville for a Monday night meeting with the Jaguars, a team who is on the rise after years of being inferior.
This is going to be an absolutely brutal stretch of games for our Bengals. What will their record be when they come out on the other side?