Bengals Bytes (4/15): Blockbuster move

2016 Cincinnati Bengals game-by-game predictions
Even without Vontaze Burfict to start the season, the Bengals should again be able to reach the postseason with double-digit wins.

England effect -- Do NFL teams that play in London suffer afterward?
The NFL has three regular-season games scheduled for London in 2016, so we examined how previous teams have performed after playing in the U.K. You might be surprised by the results.

Making of the NFL schedule
Go behind the scenes of the team of four who build the NFL schedule, and learn about the man who started it all, Val Pinchbeck.

Vontaze Burfict missing a meeting with Steelers
It won't take the 2016 Cincinnati Bengals long to find out how good they are. After a season-opening road trip to New York on the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, they travel to Pittsburgh for the first of two games against the Steelers. Pittsburgh beat the Bengals in the wild-card round of January's AFC playoffs, adding another year to Cincinnati's NFL-long 25-year playoff wins drought. Linebacker Vontaze Burfict had a big interception and then an even bigger penalty late in that game. Because of the penalty and other recent infractions, the league suspended Burfict the first three games of the season. So he won't be on the field for this Week 2 division showdown. He will be back in time for all four of Cincinnati's prime time games, though, including his Week 4 return in a Thursday night game against Miami, and the Week 15 Steelers-Bengals game in Cincinnati.

Best, worst of Bengals' schedule
Analyzing the Bengals' schedule looking at best schedule break, worst schedule break, what sticks out, game that got tougher, game that got easier, best road trip and best game to watch from home.

Bengals enter stage right for 2016 schedule
In the wake of their second AFC North title in three years, the Bengals drew another franchise record with four prime-time games for the second straight year, led by NBC’s Sunday night game on Dec. 18 at Paul Brown Stadium in their ever simmering AFC North rivalry with the Steelers. That's their only prime time game that could be flexed to a day game.

Random Bytes

Rooney II on Steelers' 2016 schedule
Steelers President Art Rooney II shared his thoughts on the team's 2016 schedule. "I doubt that," Art Rooney when asked about if the Bengals are playing the Steelers in Week 2 to add extra punishment to Vontaze Burfict. "I’m sure the league wanted a game that would be an interesting game for us to open our season at home, and that certainly fits the bill in terms of renewing the rivalry with the Bengals early in the season."

2016 NFL schedule - Season predictions, analysis, regular season picks, games
NFL Nation reporters predict regular-season records for every team. Carolina at Denver kicks off the 2016 regular season as teams begin the march to Houston and Super Bowl LI.

Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith among NFL draft’s medical re-checks | The MMQB with Peter King
UCLA’s Myles Jack and Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith are among the players returning to Indianapolis for "critical" medical re-checks

Winners, losers in Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams 2016 NFL draft trade for first overall pick
To win over the Los Angeles market, the Rams made the bold move to trade for the No. 1 pick to take a quarterback. Moves this big create winners and losers. Let's go to the scoreboard.

Percy Harvin tells Buffalo Bills that he's retiring
Wide receiver Percy Harvin has told the Buffalo Bills that he's retiring, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Thursday. Harvin, 27, had played for three teams since the start of the 2014 season and has seen his production dip since posting career highs in catches (87) and receiving yards (967) for the Minnesota Vikings in 2011.

Conflicting reports on whether Rams prefer Goff or Wentz
The Rams are doing everything they can to make the NFL draft suspenseful. After trading up to the first overall pick today, different sources within the Rams are saying different things to different reporters about whether they plan to draft North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz or Cal quarterback Jared Goff.

2016 NFL Mock Draft: How Does Titans-Rams Trade Impact Round 1?
The 2016 NFL draft was turned on its head when the Los Angeles Rams announced a trade with the Tennessee Titans to take control of the No. 1 overall selection. With the Rams officially on the clock and the Titans sitting pretty with six selections in the top 76, every mock draft before now is irrelevant.