The Bengals' 2016 schedule is here!
Week | Opponent | Home or Away? | Date/Time |
Week 1 | New York Jets | Away | Sunday, September 11, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Away | Sunday, September 18 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 3 | Denver Broncos | Home | Sunday, September 25 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 4 | Miami Dolphins | Home | Thursday September 29, 2016, 8:25 p.m. ET |
Week 5 | Dallas Cowboys | Away | Sunday, October 9, 2016, 4:25 p.m. ET |
Week 6 | New England Patriots | Away | Sunday, October 16, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 7 | Cleveland Browns | Home | Sunday, October 23 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 8 | Washington | London (Home) | Sunday, October 30, 2016, 9:30 a.m. ET |
Week 9 | BYE | BYE | Sunday, November 6, 2016 |
Week 10 | New York Giants | Away | Monday, November 14, 2016, 8:25 p.m. ET |
Week 11 | Buffalo Bills | Home | Sunday, November 20, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 12 | Baltimore Ravens | Away | Sunday, November 27, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | Home | Sunday, December 4, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 14 | Cleveland Browns | Away | Sunday, December 11, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
Week 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Home | Sunday, December 18, 2016, 8:30 p.m. ET |
Week 16 | Houston Texans | Away | Saturday, December 24, 2016, 8:25 p.m. ET |
Week 17 | Baltimore Ravens | Home | Sunday, January 1, 2016, 1:00 p.m. ET |
The Bengals have the longest streak in the NFL of opening the season on the road and that streak will extend this year to eight consecutive seasons as Cincinnati opens the season against the New York Jets in New Jersey. The Bengals will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, during Vontaze Burfict's suspension. Many thought the NFL would purposely schedule the Bengals to play the Steelers in Week 4 during Burfict's return but, the first matchup between the two teams will be played in Pittsburgh and will be during Burfict's suspension. The Bengals will play Pittsburgh again in Week 15 on Sunday Night Football.
Preseason schedule:
Date | Opponent |
Friday, August 12, 7:30 p.m. ET | vs Minnesota |
Thursday, August 18, 7:30 p.m. ET | at Detroit |
Sunday, August 28, 8:00 p.m. ET | at Jacksonville |
Thursday, September 1, 7:30 p.m. ET | vs Indianapolis |
The Bengals have the 4th easiest strength of schedule, based on 2015 records, which means pretty little considering last year they had the 2nd hardest strength of schedule before the season started, but that changed drastically by the end of the year.
As a recap, here's how the NFL's scheduling formula works to determine opponents for all 32 teams each year:
- 6 division games: 3 home and 3 away
- 4 games against another division within the same conference: AFC East (rotates every three years)
- 4 games against a division in the other conference: NFC East (rotates every four years)
- 2 intraconference games based on the prior year's division standings: Broncos and Texans (two same-conference teams the team is not scheduled to play that season but finished the prior season with the same standing in their division)
What do you think of the Bengals' 2016 schedule?