CINCINNATI — If the Bengals are finally going to get back to the playoffs in 2025 after a two-year hiatus, starting fast and finishing strong would be a great place to start when looking at the 2025 schedule handed down by the NFL on Wednesday.
The narrative as old as time – or at least as long as Zac Taylor has been coach – is that the Bengals are not good in the first two weeks of the season. In the month of September under Taylor, they are 7-14-1 in the last six seasons. The Bengals are 1-11 in the first two weeks under Taylor since he took over in 2019.
The Bengals should be favorites in their first two games, at Cleveland on Sept. 7 and the home opener against Jacksonville on Sept. 14. But recall the 2023 opener when the Bengals went up to Cleveland and were manhandled by the Browns, coming home with a 27-3 loss.
Last year, the Bengals were again big favorites against the New England Patriots and laid a complete egg, looking unprepared emotionally to go out and mash an inferior opponent. They didn’t “Open in Orange” – they opened in embarrassment, 16-10. They’ll try that same “Open in Orange” theme in the home opener against Jacksonville. We’ll see if it produces a better result.
There are two stretches that will define the Bengals season. First, the four consecutive games against 2024 playoff teams, starting with Minnesota and Denver on the road on Monday night, followed by Detroit at home and a rare trip to Lambeau Field to take on Green Bay. The second will be a five-game test starting with Pittsburgh on the road on Nov. 16, then a home game with a vastly improved Patriots team, then road games against Baltimore (on Thanksgiving) and at Buffalo 10 days later. The five-game stretch ends with a second game against Baltimore in 17 days.
If the Bengals can survive those nine games with a winning record, then a return to the playoffs is very likely. A 5-4 mark is very achievable in those nine and 6-2 in the other eight for a solid 11-6 mark and an AFC North division title. If the Bengals can avoid an 0-2 start again and flip that, which they should, then that’s how they are two games better than the 9-8 marks of 2023 and ’24.
A short film.#WhoDey
🎟️: https://t.co/KeJFObdbEs pic.twitter.com/prECg9dp7q
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) May 15, 2025
Here are a few other takeaways:
(All times are Eastern. Home games are in CAPS. An asterisk [*] denotes a game subject to possible flexible scheduling.)
PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
Thursday, Aug. 7, at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Bengals Preseason TV Network
Mon., Aug. 18, at Washington, 8 p.m., ESPN
Saturday, Aug. 23, INDIANAPOLIS, 1 p.m., Bengals Preseason TV Network
REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
Sun., Sept. 7, at Cleveland, 1 p.m., FOX (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Sept. 14, JACKSONVILLE, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Sept. 21, at Minnesota, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: LOSS)
Mon., Sept. 29, at Denver, 8:15 p.m., ESPN (Outlook: LOSS)
Sun., Oct. 5, DETROIT*, 4:25 p.m., FOX (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Oct. 12, at Green Bay*, 4:25 p.m., CBS (Outlook: LOSS)
Thu., Oct. 16, PITTSBURGH, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Oct. 26, N.Y. JETS*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Nov. 2, CHICAGO*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Nov. 9, — BYE —
Sun., Nov. 16, at Pittsburgh*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Nov. 23, NEW ENGLAND*, 1 p.m. CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Thu., Nov. 27, at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m., NBC (Outlook: LOSS)
Sun., Dec. 7, at Buffalo*, 4:25 p.m., FOX (Outlook: LOSS)
Sun., Dec. 14, BALTIMORE*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Dec. 21, at Miami*, 8:20 p.m., NBC (Outlook: WIN)
(day/date TBD), ARIZONA, (time TBD), (TV network TBD) (Outlook: LOSS)
(day/date TBD), CLEVELAND, (time TBD), (TV network TBD) (Outlook: WIN)
