Ranking the 5 most important games on the Bengals 2023 schedule

Jan 29, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras (64) meets the Chiefs
Jan 29, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras (64) meets the Chiefs | Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports
5 of 5

Week 18 vs. Cleveland Browns

The Bengals' season is book-ended by the Browns. They open the season in Cleveland and then close out the regular season against the Browns in Cincinnati.

I mentioned in the Week 1 section how the Browns have had Cincinnati's number so I don't need to go into detail about that here. This is an important game though because if the Bengals are still playing for seeding in the final week of the season, they can't slip up in their final game.

Cincinnati has been good at playing well in the second half of the season but with a much earlier BYE week this time around, will that still be the case? Will they be able to either avoid getting swept against their division rival or ensure that they sweep Cleveland for the first time in what feels like an eternity?

The Browns have had Cincinnati's number but with this game serving as the season finale, the Bengals cannot afford to let the Browns walk all over them. This could cost them the No. 1 seed, the division title, or a playoff spot altogether if the AFC North ends up being as competitive as it appears to be.

Which games do you consider to be the most important on Cincinnati's schedule?

Schedule