2008 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule to Test a Fragile Team Early

I have an Alicia Keys-sized conspiracy theory: the NFL screwed the Bengals. Or, at least they are testing them big time while rewarding the Steelers. Yes, the rich get richer and the bad apple is getting some serious tests to prove their mettle early.

The Bengals Schedule

9/7     at  Baltimore

9/14  Tennessee

9/21   at N.Y. Giants

9/28  Cleveland

10/5   at Dallas

10/12 at N.Y. Jets

10/19 Pittsburgh

10/26 Bye Week

11/2   Jacksonville

11/9    at Houston

 
11/16 Philadelphia

11/20 at Pittsburgh

11/30 Baltimore

12/7   at Indianapolis

12/14 Washington

12/21  at Cleveland

12/28 Kansas City

After a road opener at Baltimore, the Bengals schedule then gets pretty dicey in the early going. They will perhaps have a shot at a win in B-more against a rebuilding Black Birds team before heading home to play the always tough Tennessee Titans and Vince Young. After that, trips to the Meadowlands to play the Giants and a visit to Dallas to play the Cowboys sandwich their in-state rivalry game with Cleveland. The Bengals then return to the Meadowlands where they have won, ONE TIME in their history (1981) to play the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets. That all leads up to the last game before their bye at home against the Steelers, a team they have not beaten in five seasons at Paul Brown Stadium.

While the first half of the year and that brutal stretch may test the team. The second half eases some with the tough ones at home other than their trip up I-74 to play the Colts. Overall, the Bengals have a tough row to hoe any way you look at it and even if you consider that the team may be able to overcome the tough start with perhaps wins over B-More, Cleveland and Tennessee, you’re probably looking at no better than (3-3) by the time they reach the Steelers loss.

It’s all speculation to be certain, however, the Bengals schedule really did do them in last season and again this year it looks to be a challenge. With the team in a fragile state, I could see them imploding big time with Marvin Lewis out even before the season is over if things turn south. If they cannot get above .500 heading into their bye week, they may quit on Lewis as they seemed to do down the stretch last year with awful losses to teams like San Francisco.

If you’re an optimist, you can point to the fact that they do have a tough inter-conference game and the NFC cross-over games at home in the second half with Jacksonville joining Philadelphia and Washington coming to Paul Brown Stadium (the Iggles and Skins, for the first time). 

The Bengals only sniff prime time once as currently scheduled, with Cincinnati heading to Pittsburgh on October 20th for a Thursday nighter. Meanwhile, the Steelers will be in their fifth primetime game by then and will have enjoyed the only three-game home stand in the AFC. Go figure. See, conspiracy (I'm laughing with you, it's called sarcasm).

I’m not feeling it though. I think at best, this team is in for a dog fight for a wild-card spot and if they’re lucky can get over the hump to perhaps (9-7) and sneak into the playoffs. All I do know is, I’m eye-balling the home game against the Browns and the home dates against the Ravens and Chiefs as the only games I’m going to be able to see in person this year. We’ll just have to see.