The Cincinnati Bengals are just about to kick off perhaps the most anticipated season in franchise history, and they'll do so with one of the easier schedules on paper in the NFL. That should be a big help in their effort to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 season.
While I've personally forecast a 4-1 start for the Bengals, they're not immune to poor starts to the year. Head coach Zac Taylor can't seem to get the team ready to rock right out of the gates.
But much of that has to do with Joe Burrow either getting dinged up or rehabbing a major injury during training camp. That wasn't the case this year. Plus, the offense returns all 11 starters, and the revamped defense led by Dexter Lawrence is so much better on paper.
Sharp Football has the Bengals with the second-easiest schedule. That's based on Vegas over/under wins, not 2025 records. The closer you look at the slate, the more facile it looks for Cincy.
How the early bye actually works in Cincinnati's favor
As the offense transitions to more of an under center attack, there will probably be some growing pains that come with that. It didn't look awesome in the little we saw during the preseason, but an early Week 6 bye gives the Bengals a golden opportunity to self-scout and lock it all in.
All Cincinnati needs to do is avoid a 0-5 or 1-4 start. If it's a 2-3 hole as the worst-case scenario, so be it. I believe the Bengals will come out of the bye ready to fire on all cylinders for Week 7's road trip to Baltimore.
Having an extra week to prepare for the Ravens, led by a new coaching staff with Jesse Minter at the top, should be a massive advantage.
Week 2 at Houston and Week 7 at Baltimore may be the only games all year in which the Bengals aren't favorites. If they split those, and only take one other loss in an opening slate that features the lowly Dolphins and the declining Steelers, well, it should be a good little stretch.
Ah, and as for that under-center offense: Fantasy owners may want to seriously consider targeting Chase Brown as a trade candidate. That man is gonna pop off post-bye.
The Madrid excursion and prime-time pivot points
After a cupcake home game to presumably blow out the immemorable Titans, Week 9 takes the Bengals on an epic trip to Madrid to face the Atlanta Falcons. Who will start at quarterback for them? Cooper Rush is their guy in Week 1 with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined. Michael Penix Jr. is still recovering from a torn ACL. I reckon that'll be another comfortable triumph for the good guys.
Then, the Bengals come home stateside for two prime-time clashes in a row: home against Pittsburgh in Week 10, and at Washington in Week 11. That former contest will be the penultimate game in which Cincinnati faces the Ravens or Steelers in the division. It's a real chance to get a stranglehold on first place in the AFC North in front of a juiced-up home crowd.
In a difficult NFC East, people seem asleep on the Commanders. They'll be a tough out. A healthy Jayden Daniels shredded the Bengals on Monday Night Football in 2024. I really wanted one of Washington's key free-agent additions in Leo Chenal, and I was desperate for Sonny Styles in the draft. What a linebacker duo that would've been.
There was a world where the Bengals could've easily had both of them and Dexter Lawrence, but nah.
Giants receive: 10th overall pick, 41st overall pick, DT T.J. Slaton, plus 2027 2nd- & 3rd-round picks
— Stripe Hype (@StripeHype) April 7, 2026
Bengals receive: 5th overall pick, DT Dexter Lawrence & 2027 4th-round pick
Blockbuster Dexter Lawrence trade baked into new Bengals mock draft https://t.co/jHsK04dB50
Easy closing schedule and two home division games create serious AFC North leverage
Say there's a bit of a letdown post-Madrid/crushing the Steelers yet again. From Weeks 12 through 16, the schedule looks like this:
- vs. Saints
- at Browns
- vs. Chiefs
- at Panthers
- at Colts
...And then it's home versus the Ravens and Browns to cap things off. I don't see many sure losses in there, or even threatening foes. Maybe the Chiefs? But the Bengals will be so keen to spoil Taylor Swift's birthday that I don't know how they lose that one at Paycor Stadium.
Many of these games to close out the schedule feel so gettable. We gotta assume Cleveland is a clean sweep, right? What are the Browns gonna do, trade back for Joe Flacco? No take-backsies!
And look at the rest of those opponents. I'm not dreading roadies in Charlotte and Indy.
The Panthers employ the smallest NFL QB I've ever seen, Bryce Young, and have not had a winning record since 2017. I swear that's a true fact.
Regarding the Colts, well, they have one playoff appearance dating back to 2019, and none in the last half-decade. Until proven otherwise, they are not a threat.
At the very least, I think it's safe to assume the Bengals will be in the AFC North/playoff race heading into Week 17. They should know exactly where they stand and know what they have to do to punch their ticket to the postseason, clinch the division crown, or shoot, gun for the No. 1 seed!
I mean y'all, is this breaking nicely for the Bengals or what!? As Joe Burrow has said all along, however, it's about going out and executing now. I couldn't be more confident that they will.
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