Predicting the Bengals' 2023 Season Record and Other Schedule Takeaways

Cincinnati is hoping to win the AFC North for a third consecutive season.

CINCINNATI — The Bengals' 2023 regular season schedule was released on Thursday night. 

Cincinnati will open the season in Cleveland, before ending the 2023 regular season with a home matchup against the Browns.

Here are some initial thoughts on the schedule and a way too early record prediction for the reigning AFC North Champions:

Primetime Games

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The Bengals are scheduled to play four primetime games this season. They have home matchups against the Rams and Bills. They also hit the road to play the Ravens and Jaguars. 

That may seem like a low number, especially considering 10 teams have five or more primetime games on the schedule. They do have four games in the 4 p.m. time slot, including late season matchups with the Chiefs and Steelers, so it's easy to see why the NFL made the decision. 

Those Week 16 and 17 matchups in Pittsburgh and Kansas City are essentially prime time games. They'll command a huge audience and the NFL has the ability to flex any of Cincinnati's end of season matchups into primetime. 

If they want to move the Bengals' Week 15 game against the Vikings or put the regular season finale against the Browns in primetime, they can do it without worrying about Cincinnati hitting the maximum of seven primetime contests.  

Biggest Home Game

© Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Welcoming the Buffalo Bills back to Cincinnati in Week 9 for Sunday Night Football is a huge matchup. 

Of course it could have huge playoff implications for this season, but it's also a rematch of the Divisional Round last season and it'll be the first time the Bills are in town since Damar Hamlin collapsed at Paycor Stadium. 

Hopefully Hamlin is back on the field for this matchup, as Buffalo and Cincinnati are planning to be two of the top teams in the AFC again this season. 

The Bengals have matchups against the Bills and Chiefs. Winning both games is crucial to their chances of getting the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs, which should be the goal this season. 

Battle of Ohio Opener

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The Bengals got off to an 0-2 start last year and their blowout loss to the Browns on Monday Night Football on Halloween dropped them to 4-4 on the season. 

Cincinnati won 8-straight games to end the regular season following that loss, but if they had gotten off to a better start, they would've had a much better chance at earning the top seed in the AFC playoffs. 

Long story short: The Bengals can't struggle out of the gates this season. 

They open in Cleveland, before playing the Ravens and Rams at home. They follow that up with road matchups against Tennessee and Arizona, before hosting Seattle before their Week 7 bye week. 

A 4-2 start (or better) is required if the Bengals are going to make a push to be the top team in the AFC. 

Toughest Stretch

© Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bengals play the 49ers and Bills in Weeks 8 and 9, following their bye. Then they host the Texans, before playing the Ravens in Baltimore on a short week, the Steelers at home and the Jaguars on Monday Night Football. 

It's safe to say that Weeks 8-13 is the hardest part of their schedule this season, but Weeks 16-18 won't be a picnic either. 

Their final three games are road matchups against the Steelers and Chiefs, before finishing the season with a home contest against Cleveland. 

WAY Too Early Record Prediction

After going through the schedule more times than I care to admit, the Bengals could and probably should finish with a better record than they did last season. 

A 13-4 mark seems reasonable. It would be the first time in franchise history that they won 13 regular season games. 

They should start much better than they did last year and there's no reason why they can't get hot down the stretch, much like they've done in each of the past two years. 

I have Cincinnati finishing 4-2 in the AFC North, but beating the Bills and the Chiefs to secure their first No. 1 seed in the postseason since 1988. 

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