For some reason, the loser of the Super Bowl typically struggles the following year.

The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to change that in 2022, but it won't be easy, at all.

It's not because of past history, or anything like that. It's primarily due to the Bengals' strength of schedule heading into this season. Based of Vegas' expected win total for 2022, the Bengals have the seventh-hardest schedule in the NFL.

And it's full of huge, late-season matchups.

That's obviously a big deal. And it's even more obvious the Bengals need to win said matchups if they want to get back to the playoffs.

But, according to Vegas, that will be easier said than done. Especially against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15.

As it currently stands, the Bengals are (+7) underdogs in that game, per Sportsbetting.ag. If you're not familiar with spreads, that's a pretty big number.

Home teams usually receive an automatic three points, which is understandable. But once you get north of five points, things start to get hairy.

Just put it this way: The Bengals are currently (-7) point favorites against the Panthers in Week 9.

It's never easy going against Tom Brady, especially when he's playing at home. The Buccaneers also have a very formidable roster and are considered to be one of the best teams in both the NFC and the NFL.

But at the same time, the Bengals are pretty damn good in their own right. And they improved a lot in the offseason. The Buccaneers made some rather notable additions, themselves, but it's fair to argue the pieces they lost are bigger than the ones they gained, or kept.

There's little doubt this game will be without fanfare and hype going in. If both teams are healthy and on track, we could potentially see a Super Bowl LVII preview.

But if the Bengals do end up losing as Vegas sees it, at least it'll be to an NFC team. Meaning, it won't affect AFC playoff tiebreakers, for the most part.

Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK