CINCINNATI — There is definitely a case to be made for the Bengals to get off to a quick start this season.
The Bengals are 1-9 in the first two weeks under Zac Taylor since he took over in 2019. While a 1-1 split against the Patriots and Chiefs is the reasonable expectation, if Joe Burrow is back at full strength and if the defense is rebuilt, beating Patrick Mahomes early in the season is not out of the question.
The Bills pulled it off last year in KC in the regular season, and the Bengals – with a healthy Joe Burrow – are more than capable.
The Bengals open their 2024 season at Paycor Stadium on Sept. 8 against the rebuilding New England Patriots, the first game of the post-Bill Belichick era.
This is the first time the Bengals will be opening against the Patriots in Cincinnati since Sept. 9, 2001, two days before 9/11. In that game, Corey Dillon and the Bengals prevailed over Belichick and Drew Bledsoe, 23-17, at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Patriots began that season 0-2 before Tom Brady took over and led the Patriots to the first of their six Super Bowl titles.
The Patriots will have a new coach Jerod Mayo and a new quarterback – either veteran Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye – at the helm. The Bengals then go on the road for a matchup against Patrick Mahomes and two-time defending champ, Kansas City.
But then the schedule gets easier with a home game against Washington and a road game at Carolina. The Bengals host the Ravens in Week 5 before traveling to New York and a road Monday night game against the Giants.
Here are a few quirks:
The game against the Browns will be the Bengals’ second appearance on Thursday Night Football, and their second such matchup against an AFC North Division rival. Cincinnati also will travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens on Thursday, Nov. 7 (8:15 p.m. on Prime Video). This marks the first time in team history that the Bengals are scheduled to play on Thursday Night Football twice in the same season.
The Bengals also will hit the road for a Sunday Night Football showdown against the New York Giants on Oct. 13 (8:20 p.m. on NBC), and for their second Monday Night Football appearance of the season at Dallas on Dec. 9 (8:15 p.m. on ESPN).
Additionally, Cincinnati will play three games in the 4:25 p.m. Sunday time slot on CBS — Sept. 15 at Kansas City, Oct. 27 vs. Philadelphia, and Nov. 17 at the L.A. Chargers. The Week 2 contest against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs will mark the fourth time in four seasons that the Bengals play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, which includes two AFC Championship games.
The Bengals will kick off the regular season at home against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 8 (1 p.m. on CBS), and close out their schedule with a road clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 (date/time TBD).
Preseason opponents also have been finalized. Cincinnati will open the preseason at home against Tampa Bay on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m., then travel to Chicago to face the Bears on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. Each of the first two preseason games will be broadcast on the Bengals Preseason TV Network. Cincinnati will return to Paycor Stadium to host the Indianapolis Colts in a nationally televised preseason finale on Thursday, Aug. 22 (8 p.m. on Prime Video).
Single game tickets for all 10 Bengals home games are on sale now. Season ticket waitlist deposits also are available. Fans interested in purchasing tickets should visit bengals.com/tickets.
(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)
Sat., Aug. 10, TAMPA BAY, 7 p.m., Bengals Preseason TV Network
Sat., Aug. 17, at Chicago, 1 p.m., Bengals Preseason TV Network
Thurs., Aug. 22, INDIANAPOLIS, 8 p.m., Prime Video
REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time, TV network)
Sun., Sept. 8, NEW ENGLAND, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Sept. 15, at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m., CBS (Outlook: LOSS)
Mon., Sept. 23, WASHINGTON, 8:15 p.m., ABC (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Sept. 29, at Carolina, 1 p.m., FOX (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Oct. 6, BALTIMORE*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Oct. 13, at N.Y. Giants*, 8:20 p.m., NBC (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Oct. 20 at Cleveland*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: LOSS)
Sun., Oct. 27, PHILADELPHIA*, 4:25 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Nov. 3, LAS VEGAS*, 1 p.m., FOX (Outlook: WIN)
Thurs., Nov. 7, at Baltimore*, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video (Outlook: LOSS)
Sun., Nov. 17, at L.A. Chargers*, 4:25 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Sun., Nov. 24, — BYE —
Sun., Dec. 1, PITTSBURGH*, 1 p.m., CBS (Outlook: WIN)
Mon. Dec. 9, at Dallas*, 8:15 p.m., ESPN (Outlook: LOSS)
Sun., Dec. 15, at Tennessee*, 1 p.m., FOX (Outlook: WIN)
Thurs., Dec. 19, CLEVELAND*, 8:15 p.m., Prime Video (Outlook: WIN)
(day TBD), Dec. 28-29, DENVER, (time TBD), (TV network TBD) (Outlook: WIN)
(day TBD), Jan. 4-5, at Pittsburgh, (time TBD), (TV network TBD) (Outlook: LOSS)
