Bengals' midyear gauntlet of 2023 schedule can't go unnoticed
Winning the AFC North has always been the first goal for the Cincinnati Bengals. They achieved that in back-to-back years (for the first time in the division's 21-year history) in 2021 and 2022, and doing so was not an easy task. The Bengals are a combined 8-5 against AFC North foes in the last two […]
Winning the AFC North has always been the first goal for the Cincinnati Bengals. They achieved that in back-to-back years (for the first time in the division's 21-year history) in 2021 and 2022, and doing so was not an easy task.
The Bengals are a combined 8-5 against AFC North foes in the last two seasons, including the playoffs in which they defeated the Baltimore Ravens. In comparison, they are 19-8 against teams from outside the division.
Getting past the Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns has been Cincinnati's primary battle, and while those opponents won't be pushovers this year, the heart of the Bengals' schedule is as tough as nails despite no AFC North teams in it.
Following two manageable road games against the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals, the Bengals will continue an out-of-division tour against three playoff teams from the 2022 season.
It's this three-game stretch against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills that needs to be circled for the Bengals. The only saving grace is the bye week comes in-between hosting the Seahawks, and traveling to face the 49ers; two teams that faced off in the NFC Wild Card last year.
Once their NFC West affairs conclude, a primetime rematch of the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Bills is on the docket. Buffalo will return to the same venue as the infamous cancelled Week 16 matchup in which Damar Hamlin needed to be resuscitated, and Josh Allen will be looking to play far better than how he fared in January.
"The Bengals’ toughest stretch of the season doesn’t include divisional opponents. In Week 6, the Bengals host the Seahawks, who have a loaded team after adding first-round picks Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. After a bye week, the Bengals play on the road against the 49ers, arguably the best team in the NFC. To conclude the rugged three-game stretch, NFL fans get Burrow vs. Josh Allen when the Bills travel to Cincinnati." — SI's Gilberto Manzano
The kicker here is that the Bengals' first-place schedule only has 33% to do with this. The Bengals were going to face the Seahawks and 49ers no matter what as the AFC North will play all of the NFC West this year. A primetime game against the Bills is the result of finishing atop the division.
Three-peating the AFC North was already set to be a monumental ask for the Bengals. Should they survive this stretch with their wits about them, it will be more than possible to accomplish.
Bengals get a huge advantage with 2023 schedule
This should prove useful.
Featured image via © Kareem Elgazzar / USA TODAY NETWORK
