Bengals Fighting an Uphill Battle to Get Off to a Hot Start in 2026

The Cincinnati Bengals have seemingly gone all-in this offseason. They made this clear by swinging an out-of-character trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, which sent the No. 10 pick in the NFL draft back to the New York Giants.

Following the schedule release, the hype around the Bengals only continued to grow, as they are favored in 15 of their 17 matchups this season. Obviously, the betting odds will change as the season unfolds, but this should give a solid outlook on how the Bengals are viewed from an unbiased source.

Still, they're fighting an uphill battle to get off to a hot start this season.

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report recently predicted the Bengals would get off to a "mild" start to the season, despite the fact that they play one of the easiest schedules in the league and are favored in a majority of their matchups this year.

Bengals Might Not Get Off To Scorching Hot Start This Year

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) returns to the sideline after a fumbled ball is returned for a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The Cincinnati Bengals are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022 this year, but to do so the team is going to have to come out of the gate firing," Davenport wrote. "The season opener at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the "easiest" matchup of the campaign's first month, and that is followed by three straight against playoff teams from a year ago—road tilts with the Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers and a home date with the Jaguars."

While the Bengals are favored in a majority of their games this season, they play two of their toughest contests early in the year. The Week 2 matchup in Houston against the Houston Texans is going to be a tough game. The Week 6 matchup on the road against the Baltimore Ravens is also going to be a tough game to win.

Within the first six weeks, the Bengals also travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. AFC North matchups are almost always physical and competitive. Matchups against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers won't be easy either.

Still, the Bengals did a lot to upgrade their roster this offseason. If it all comes together as it should, they could be better than most analysts expect.

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