Bengals 2018 schedule: Opponents, dates, game times, locations, TV channel and more

The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2018 schedule is now available and single-game tickets for the season are on sale.

The regular-season opener will be on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. The two teams faced off in Paul Brown Stadium last season. A Carlos Dunlap pick-six gave the Bengals a 24-23 win over the Jacoby Brissett-led Colts, who hope to have Andrew Luck back under center this time around. It’s not certain Luck makes it back in time for Week 1 as he’s still dealing with a shoulder injury.

The Bengals will play the AFC North at home and away in addition to games against the Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins at home and the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts away.

The Bengals will have their home opener in Week 2 when they welcome to Baltimore Ravens to Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday Night Football. The two division rivals split the 2017 series with each team winning on the road.

The Bengals will then embark on a very difficult road swing against the Panthers and Falcons, two teams that made the playoffs last season.

The Bengals then return for a two-game homestand that begins with the Miami Dolphins. The Pittsburgh Steelers then come to PBS in Week 6, as the Bengals will be looking to snap a six-game skid against their division nemesis.

The Bengals then welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to PBS in Week 8 before getting a much-needed bye in Week 9. If you’re keeping track, that’s four playoff teams and five teams that finished with winning records in 2017 that the Bengals will face before their bye. But, a Week 9 bye sure is nice, right in the middle of the year.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier coming out of the bye though, as the New Orleans Saints come to town in Week 10 fresh off their NFC South crown. Then comes a rematch with the Ravens in Baltimore the following week, followed by a home matchup with the Cleveland Browns.

Then a slate of AFC West games begin as the Bengals welcome the Denver Broncos to PBS, followed by a road clash with the Los Angeles Chargers. Then the Oakland Raiders come to PBS in Week 15.

The Bengals will finish with back-to-back AFC North matchups, beginning at Cleveland in Week 16, the finishing out at Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale.

Bengals’ full regular-season schedule:

Week 1: Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, September 9, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 2: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, September 13, 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network

Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, September 23, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 4: Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, September 30, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 5: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, October 7, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 6: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, October 14, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 7: Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, October 21, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 8: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, October 28, 1 p.m. on FOX

Week 9: BYE WEEK

Week 10: New Orleans Saints at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, November 11. 1 p.m. on FOX

Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, November 18, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 12: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, November 25, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 13: Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, December 2, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 14: Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, December 9, 4:05 p.m. on CBS

Week 15: Oakland Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, December 16, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 16: Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns, Sunday, December 23, 1 p.m. on CBS

Week 17: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, December 30, 1 p.m. on CBS

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Bengals preseason schedule

Week 1: Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals, Aug. 9, 7 p.m.

Week 2: Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys, Aug. 18, 7 p.m.

Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Aug. 26, 4 p.m. on FOX

Week 4: Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday Aug. 30, 7 p.m.

Strength of schedule

The Bengals have the 29th ranked strength of schedule based on the team’s opponents and how they finished last season. With that said, strength of schedule often ends up meaning nothing.