Breaking Down the Cincinnati Bengals' 2012 NFL Preseason Schedule

It may be only April, but it's never too soon to talk preseason football.

The NFL released the preseason schedule earlier this week, so I thought it would be pretty swell indeed to take a look at the Cincinnati Bengals' four opponents and break down what to watch for in each of the contests. Dates and times are yet to be completely finalized.

Preseason Week 1: vs. New York Jets (August 9-13)

It's just Week 1 of the preseason, so we won't be seeing much of Andy Dalton and the rest of the Bengals starters; same goes for the New York Jets—Mark Sanchez will likely not be on the field very much, giving way for Tebowmania to do its thing in Cincinnati.

Seeing the Tebow-package Jets in the preseason is a great way for a team to get a leg up on whatever tricks they may be planning in the regular season, so it should be an interesting look at how the Bengals can handle him this year.

Otherwise, it's talent evaluation and putting players on, or taking them off the roster bubble. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals' new running back and wide receiver (two positions they're ostensibly adding in the draft) handle the game and if the pass rush has improved.

What to watch for: the infancy of the how-to-stop-the-Jets-with-Tebow defense; improvements in the secondary, especially where depth is concerned; rookie performance; effectiveness of the run game.

Preseason Week 2: at Atlanta Falcons (August 16)

Starters will get more time on the field in this nationally televised Week 2 contest against the Atlanta Falcons. The Bengals defense will need to show improvement in the pass rush as well as in coverage over the middle, and a contest against Matt Ryan and the Falcons is a great opportunity to see which areas still need improvement.

The Bengals should have a much better idea of the quality of their roster depth after this game and should also know which on-the-bubble players are worth retaining and those who just don't fit.

What to watch for: improvements in pass rush and coverage in the secondary; the development of the run game; offensive line protection

Preseason Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers (August 23-27)

The Bengals are facing quite a test in Week 3, when the Green Bay Packers come to town. It's the closest thing to a regular season contest, and they're up against one of the best offenses in the league.

However, that stellar offense had a crummy defense last year. The Packers are likely to work on this in the offseason, but the Bengals would be well-served to try to exploit it anyway.

While Cincy wants more balance in its offense this year, it's trying to be one of the better passing teams in the league, so trying that out against a team like the Packers should prove interesting.

On defense, covering the Packers' many talented receivers is key, as is keeping quarterback Aaron Rodgers from having time to throw. It's a major test and should give the Bengals a lot of material to work with.

What to watch for: coverage in the secondary against many strong receivers; how effectively Rodgers is pressured; whether the Bengals can shred the Packers defense; offensive line protection, again.

Preseason Week 4: at Indianapolis Colts (August 30 or 31)

The Bengals defense won't see too much of presumed Colts quarterback Andrew Luck in this game, as starters get a bit of rest in the final preseason game of the season.

Instead, this game is the final step in roster evaluation, allowing the team to determine who gets cut and who stays on.

It's also a chance to continue to tweak the playbook, determine starting lineups and rotations and see how the depth on the roster holds up against the Colts' second string.

What to watch for: who steps up and who steps back; how well the depth holds up on both sides of the ball—especially on offensive line.

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