The Bengals' favorable schedule gives them a chance for early success
The Bengals' schedule was released on Thursday night.
They take on the NFC East and the AFC South this year, along with their division games and two more matchups against AFC opponents outside of their division.
The NFL has conducted most of its' offseason virtually due to COVID-19. They're planning on the season starting on time, but no one knows if that will happen.
If that is the case, the Bengals will begin the year at Paul Brown Stadium for just the second time since 2009.
Here are my takeaways from the Bengals' schedule reveal.
Primetime
The Bengals get two primetime games this season, including a Week 2 matchup against the Browns in Cleveland.
This could be beginning of a rivalry between Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield. The 'Battle of Ohio' has been a joke for many years. That should change with two Heisman Trophy winners leading their respective organizations.
The idea of having an Ohio rivalry is much more exciting to me than reigniting an old flame with the Steelers.
The Bengals and the Browns had some great matchups in the 1980s. The two teams played 19 times during that decade. Cincinnati won the series 10-9, but both organizations were not only relevant, but they also made multiple playoff runs. A Thursday night matchup like this could rekindle the rivalry.
The Bengals host the Steelers in Week 15 on Monday Night Football. This will be Burrow's second matchup against Pittsburgh, but his first in primetime. Everyone knows how much the Bengals have struggled against the Steelers in the past. This is a chance for Cincinnati to show the world that things are different with Burrow in town.
COVID-19
The NFL scheduled at least one division game for each team within the first two weeks of the season. Some speculated that they could push division games back to the middle and end of the year due to COVID-19.
ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the NFL has contingency plans in place that include moving the first four weeks to the end of the schedule if the season is delayed.
That means Weeks 1-4 could become Weeks 18-19 if there is a delay due to the pandemic.
There aren't any division games scheduled in Weeks 3-4. This gives the NFL flexibility if they needed to make changes.
Moving the first four games would be unfortunate for the Bengals, who have a realistic chance of being 2-2 prior to their Week 5 trip to Baltimore.
Momentum is Everything
Opening up at home against Justin Herbert (or Tyrod Taylor) and the Chargers is an ideal matchup. It's a winnable game for Joe Burrow, who will make his NFL debut at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Bengals could easily start the season 2-2, which would be huge for a team that went 2-14 last season. The only game out of the first four that feels like a loss is a Week 3 matchup in Philadelphia.
The Bengals can beat Jacksonville and Los Angeles. A road matchup against the Browns is tough, but it's the second game of the season. Cleveland has talent, but a loss isn't a foregone conclusion.
Burrow and the Bengals could get off to a decent start, which would help morale and give the team a boost moving into the second quarter of the schedule.
Momentum is a real thing, especially for a young team like Cincinnati.
Toughest Stretch
Three of the Bengals' last four games are at Paul Brown Stadium, but it might be the hardest part of the schedule.
First, they'll welcome Andy Dalton (and Dak Prescott) to town in a matchup against the Cowboys. Then, they host the Steelers on Monday Night Football, before traveling to Houston on a short week to play the Texans. They end the season on Jan. 3 at home against the Ravens.
Easiest Stretch
The Bengals could put together a 3-game winning streak in November and December. They play in Washington, against New York and at Miami in weeks 11-13.
All three of those games are winnable. Burrow could get his first crack at Dwayne Haskins, Daniel Jones and Tua Tagovailoa.
The Bengals have to win all of the 'winnable games' if they're going to exceed expectations this season. That means taking care of business during this stretch.
One Thing I Love
Playing Cleveland in September and October is perfect. There's nothing worse than going to the 'Battle of Ohio' in December, which has happened in each of the past few seasons. This time it should be relatively warm for both matchups, which is great for everyone.
Balance
This schedule is extremely balanced. The Bengals play four home games and four road games in the first half of the season. They also have three division games on the schedule over that span.
They have their bye week smack dab in the middle of the season in Week 9.
The balance continues with four home and four road matchups with three division games in the second half of the season.
The Bengals don't go on the road for more than two weeks in a row. Most of their road games are short trips. They don't have to fly across the country. Their Week 16 matchup against Houston will be their longest flight of the season.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of reasons for Bengals fans to be excited and the schedule is one of them. They open with some winnable games. They should be competitive right away. No, that doesn't mean fans should print their playoff tickets.
Burrow will have a chance to go up against some of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL. There's a lot to like about this schedule.
One Last Thing
Maybe I like the schedule so much because I just want football this season. The Bengals could play the 2000 Ravens, 2007 Patriots and the 1985 Bears to start the year and I'd still be ecstatic.
