Cincinnati Bengals' List of 2025 Opponents Finalized After Monday Night Outcome

Jay Morrison | Dec 31, 2024

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt (57) celebrates an interception in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Bengals took a 30-24 win in overtime to remain in the post season chase. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Cincinnati Bengals

CINCINNATI – The Monday Night Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions didn’t have any implications for the 2024 playoff picture, but it had significance for the Cincinnati Bengals, nonetheless.

The Lions’ 40-34 victory locked the 49ers into a last-place finish in the NFC West, thereby finalizing the Bengals’ list of 2025 opponents.

Cincinnati and the rest of the AFC North teams already knew the two divisions the AFC North would face in the schedule rotation – the AFC East and the NFC West.

Against the AFC East, the Bengals will play the New England Patriots and the New York Jets at home and the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins on the road.

Against the NFC North, the Bengals will play the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears at home and the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers on the road.

There’s also the standard home-away series with the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving three opponents that were not decided until recently, the last of which finalized Monday night.

By finishing in third place in the AFC North, the Bengals will play the third-place teams from the AFC South and NFC West at home, and they will travel to face the third-place team from the AFC West.

San Francisco’s loss cemented the Arizona Cardinals into third place in the NFC West, which means they will visit Paycor Stadium for the first time since 2019.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ victory against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday finalized the AFC South standings, sending the Jaguars to Cincinnati for the fourth time since 2019.

And the Bengals’ overtime victory against Denver on Saturday night locked the Broncos into third place in the AFC West, setting up a rematch in the Mile High City next season.

The dates and times for the games will be announced in May, and there is a good chance one of the home games will be part of the NFL’s International Series.

Bengals 2025 Opponents

Home

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Arizona Cardinals

Road

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers

Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins

Green Bay Packers

Minnesota Vikings

Denver Broncos

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