Bengals avoid blackout vs. Jaguars; Looking good to avoid any in 2014

In what may end up being the hardest game to sell out this year, the Cincinnati Bengals fans came through once again.

Ticket sales for this Sunday’s 1 p.m. Bengals home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars have reached the threshold to clear the game for live television coverage in the Bengals home market. The game will be aired on CBS affiliates WKRC-TV (Channel 12) in Cincinnati, WHIO-TV (Channel 7) in Dayton and WKYT-TV (Channel 27) in Lexington, Ky.

While the Bengals have accepted an NFL option to have blackouts lifted this season with 85 percent of non-premium tickets sold, the team has also said good seats on all three levels of Paul Brown Stadium remain available for the Jaguars game.

The only games left at home are AFC North rivalry games vs. the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as a Monday Night Football clash with the Denver Broncos. It's safe to think those three games will sell out, and thus, Cincinnati will have avoided a blackout for the second straight season.