Cincinnati faces the usual tests in the AFC North against rivals Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland, but this is a year in which the Bengals will find out whether the franchise is built to contend for the division title. Cincinnati faces the NFC South and AFC South this year, which means half of the road games are against playoff teams from last season.
Below is a breakdown of the Bengals schedule in 2018.
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Bengals schedule 2018
Bengals regular-season schedule
Bengals preseason schedule
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Toughest tests: Facing two NFC South playoff teams on the road won’t be easy. Atlanta and Carolina also have two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Matt Ryan and Cam Newton. A split there would be a win for Cincinnati. A trip to Arrowhead Stadium against Kansas City won’t be easy, either. As for the rivalry games against Pittsburgh, keep in mind a Dec. 4 loss to the Steelers last season knocked the Bengals out of the AFC wild-card hunt.
Biggest breaks: Cincinnati doesn’t have to play New Orleans in the Superdome, and it avoids long-distance trips to Denver and Oakland. Despite the tough NFC matchups, the Bengals could go .500 or better against their road schedule.
Bottom line: This is a pivotal year for the franchise given Lewis’ tenuous hold on the head coaching job and back-to-back losing seasons. There’s been a familiar pattern in the division the last two years, too: Cincinnati sweeps Cleveland, splits with Baltimore and loses both games to Pittsburgh. If Cincinnati can find a way to make that record 4-2 or better, then it will be in the AFC wild-card hunt. If it’s less than .500, the Bengals might be looking to change directions once and for all. Record prediction: 8-8
