
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo
The NFL schedule has officially been released and it’s time to look forward to the 2022 season. The Cincinnati Bengals have the third toughest strength of schedule heading into 2022 with the majority of the difficult games on the back half of the schedule.
Bengals 2022 Schedule
Week 1: Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 3: at New York Jets
Week 4: Miami Dolphins (TNF)
Week 5: at Baltimore Ravens (SNF)
Week 6: at New Orleans Saints
Week 7: Atlanta Falcons
Week 8: at Cleveland Browns (MNF)
Week 9: Carolina Panthers
Week 10: Bye Week
Week 11: at Pittsburgh Steelers (SNF)
Week 12: at Tennessee Titans
Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14: Cleveland Browns
Week 15: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 16: at New England Patriots
Week 17: Buffalo Bills (MNF)
Week 18: Baltimore Ravens
Important Notes on the 2022 Schedule
When looking at their schedule, the first thing that sticks out is that Cincinnati earned the maximum number of five primetime games. It starts with a Thursday night game against the Dolphins to finally give the fans the Tua versus Burrow matchup that people have been talking about since the 2019 Alabama vs LSU game. That’s followed up with three primetime division games on the road and finishes with a tough Week 17 battle at home against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. After only one game under the lights in 2021, the Cincinnati Bengals will get to prove to the nation that last year was no fluke.
From an advantage/disadvantage standpoint, the post-bye gauntlet for the Bengals is truly staggering. Six of their last eight matchups are against playoff teams, with the other two teams looking to make a deep playoff run themselves after struggling with injuries in 2021. Getting off to a hot start is imperative if Cincinnati hopes to reign as King of the North and make another Super Bowl run.
2022 Bengals Record Prediction
The Bengals’ roster improved since the Super Bowl run. They lost some key pieces but the front office made up for those losses and then some. With improved depth across the offensive line, defensive line, and secondary, Cincinnati looks to prove their doubters wrong once again.
I’ve got the Bengals finishing the year 12-5 with losses to Dallas, Baltimore, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo. A 12-win season should have Cincinnati atop the AFC North throne and possibly put them in contention for a first-round playoff bye.