The Cincinnati Bengals, by virtue of finishing third in the division last season, should get an easier schedule. Aside from the division rivals (twice), an AFC division, and an NFC division, the Bengals get to play the third-place teams of the two other AFC divisions. In theory, this should make the Bengals’ schedule easier. When the NFL announced all the games, the team’s schedule actually ranked as the eighth easiest. On the surface, this is great, but a deeper dive reveals this schedule is actually pretty difficult.
The Bengals’ schedule lays out as follows. Of course, the team will play the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns twice each.