Cincy Jungle
With the 2025 schedule released, let’s take a look at a realistic record.
The 2025 schedule is officially released, and now it’s time to take a look and see what a realistic outcome is.
I mentioned it in a previous post that it’s a necessity this team starts off hot. That has been their issue for the last few years as they staff typically all not play the starters a lot in preseason thus leading to frequent slow starts.
This year is seems to be a headliner of the Zac Taylor era. The draft didn’t go as well as some people had expected, but nevertheless, they still hit on most of the positions they were lacking. Now it’s time for those guys to get good reps in training camp, as well as the preseason. and come out firing regular season, hitting on all cylinders.
The Bengals are ranked as having the 14th hardest schedule, which is about middle of the pack, but still in the top half of the NFL.
Week 1, opening up in Cleveland for the first Battle of Ohio game.
Week 2, home opener against Jacksonville, followed by Minnesota and Denver on the road for week 3 and 4.
They come home for a week 5 against the Lions, then back on the road to Lambeau against the Packers for week 6.
They come home for three in row against the Steelers, Jets and Bears for weeks 7-9.
Week 10 is a bye week.
After their bye week, they open the second half of the season in Pittsburgh for week 11, then back home for week 12 against the Patriots. Then back-to-back on the road for weeks 13 and 14, against the Ravens for a primetime Thanksgiving Day matchup and then the Buffalo Bills.
Not exciting enough yet? How about a quick turnaround as they come and face the Ravens for their second matchup for week 15, and then they travel to Miami for week 16 facing the Dolphins.
Then they close out the season at home for weeks 17 and 18, against the Cardinals and their second Battle of Ohio game against the Browns, as they open and close their season with Cleveland.
A lot to breakdown here. They only have one primetime game at home and it’s week 7 against the Steelers, while they have three on the road in week 4 against Denver, week 13 against Baltimore for Thanksgiving and week 16 in Miami. Arguably the biggest AFC rivalry the last few postseason, Cincinnati will not face the Chiefs at all. Although they ultimately may face them in the postseason, hopefully at home.
As you can see there aren’t too many games where you think it’s an easy win. They have pretty tough matchups each week, and depending on how the season goes, major matchups every few weeks. Meaning a fast start is important as ever.
Let’s walk through a prediction of how this season might go:
Week 1: @ CLE - W
Week...
