The Bengals have failed to meet high expectations throughout the last two seasons. It has only been a few years since Cincinnati ran to the Super Bowl, eventually falling to the Los Angeles Rams in the 4th quarter. However, rather than raising their level of play so they can make another Super Bowl run, Cincinnati has been in a state of internal and external conflict. In addition to those conflicts, the Bengals franchise has failed to take care of opportunities in close games, and as a result, they have missed the playoffs for the last two seasons. Cincinnati resolved some offseason conflicts by reaching contract extensions with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Consequently, the Bengals must cash in on their offensive investment and return to championship contender status.
The Cincinnati Bengals Schedule
Due to the Bengals 4th fourth-place finish in the AFC North in 2024, the Bengals have a favorable schedule. The Bengals will have to face their division rivals in the AFC North, and they will also need to face a loaded NFL North division, which includes three playoff teams from 2024. Cincinnati will have the opportunity to face the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. In addition, the Bengals will get two additional “primetime” games while facing the Pittsburgh Steelers for a Thursday night game, and they will face the Baltimore Ravens in “primetime” on Thanksgiving. If the Bengals intend to return to the playoffs, they will need to manage the season, and to help with the analysis process, we will examine the Bengals’ schedule in three-week “pods” of games.2025 Pre-Season
2025 Pre-Season Games
IIn preparation for the 2025 season, the Bengals will only play in three preseason games. Offensively, the Bengals will play their star players on offense sparingly, which will give young Bengals players a chance to step up and earn themselves a role on offense. The Bengals’ first two preseason games are against the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, and both of those opponents should give Al Golden a chance to prepare to face some of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL. To close out the preseason, Cincinnati will face the Indianapolis Colts in a regional rivalry game as players deep on the depth chart fight for the opportunity to continue their careers with the Bengals.
Pod 1 of the 2025 Season
During the past three seasons, the Bengals have developed a bad habit of starting the season 0-2. Those disappointing starts have put the Bengals in a challenging position as they work to return to the playoffs. If that 0-2 trend continues, the Bengals first three games would be considered an absolute disaster. Cincinnati opens the season on the road to face a Cleveland Browns team that has a chaotic personnel situation on offense, and the Bengals will need to be able to take advantage of that chaos. The Bengals host a Jacksonville Jaguars team that is starting the process of re-building their roster, and if the Bengals could start 2-0 they will have significant momentum. They will need that momentum as they go on the road to face the Minnesota Vikings, the Vikings were a playoff team in 2024.
Pod 2 of the 2025 Season
The Bengals will then travel to Colorado to face the Denver Broncos in a Monday night game that could have playoff implications throughout the season. It will be critical for the Bengals to pick up a rare “primetime” win because the next two games will be against two NFC North division contenders. Hosting the Detroit Lions will be a difficult matchup for Cincinnati, and the following week, Cincinnati will travel to Wisconsin to face the Green Bay Packers. Winning two of these games would be a huge success, but achieving that goal will be very difficult for a Bengals team that has recently struggled to stop the run.
Pod 3 of the 2025 Season
In contrast with the 2nd pod of games, the Bengals’ pod has three games, which should give them a chance to recover from a tough stretch of matchups against the Vikings and Lions. Cincinnati hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Thursday night matchup with both teams coming off a short week of preparation. Like Cleveland, the Steelers have quarterback issues and likely will struggle on the offensive side of the ball. The Bengals follow up that Steelers matchup with a long week of rest before they face the New York Jets at home. In a third straight home game, the Bengals will face the improved Chicago Bears, which should be Cincinnati’s best chance to pick up a win against an NFC North team.
Pod 4 of the 2025 Season
In Week 10, the Bengals get a chance to recover during their bye week. They will then face the Steelers once again, this time on the road, and Cincinnati could have a chance to sweep the Steelers for the first time in a long time. New England will travel to face the Bengals in Cincinnati, and this game will give the Bengals a chance to redeem themselves after losing against the Patriots in 2024 due to sloppy play on the offensive side of the ball.
Pod 5 of the 2025 Season
As the Bengals prepare to make a serious run to the 2025 playoffs, Cincinnati faces an intimidating sandwich of games involving the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills. Cincinnati starts that sandwich while traveling to Baltimore on Thanksgiving night, and they will need to match the physicality of the Ravens’ offense. The following week, the Bengals face another strong running game and dynamic quarterback when they travel to Buffalo. The Bengals then return home to face the Ravens again, and it will be critical to pick up this road win against Baltimore if Cincinnati intends to be a serious contender in the AFC North.
Pod 6 of the 2025 Season
The Bengals have an excellent opportunity to finish the 2025 season strong with wins against the Miami Dolphins and sweep the Cleveland Browns. Cincinnati starts that series of games traveling to Miami. Then they host what could be a dynamic Arizona Cardinals team on a Saturday broadcast that could be preparation for the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The season-ending matchup against the Cleveland Browns will most likely be a game the Bengals need to win to clinch a berth in the 2025 playoffs.
2025 Season Prediction
The Bengals have not met preseason expectations during the last two seasons. Those expectations have rested on the shoulders of the dynamic playmakers on the Bengals’ offense. If Cincinnati can stay healthy on offense and improve its defense to a top-15 level, the Bengals could win 11 or 10 games. Winning 11 games should result in a Wild Card spot in the playoffs, but if the Bengals fall to 10 wins, then they could need some help as they work to return to the postseason.
Check out more football content on Football Scientific
Follow me on X: @AaronSauter7
