With training camp starting to ramp up and the preseason just a handful of weeks away, Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of all 32 NFL teams. Each team’s 16-game schedule will be split into its most difficult (1-8) and its easiest (9-16) games. For this article, here are the Cincinnati Bengals most difficult games of the 2020 season.
Cincinnati Bengals Easiest 2020 Games
2020 Cincinnati Bengals Most Difficult Games
1. Week 5 @ Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the AFC North. Don’t let their early exit from the playoffs in 2019 fool you. Lamar Jackson will be back for his second full year, and they’ve upgraded their vaunted defense as well. The Bengals will have a very tough time containing Jackson. Last year in Cincinnati alone, he was 15/17 for 223 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 65 yards. You might remember one of his runs in this game that included his Madden Football like spin move that faked out 3 Bengal defenders. This is likely the Bengals toughest test of the season.
2. Week 3 @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are an interesting team, always in contention and recently winners of a Super Bowl title. The big story with them is that they can never stay healthy. This is ranked so high because, barring an injury of some sorts, Philly will be at full strength. Furthermore, this game is also at “The Linc” where the Eagles always play well. The Bengals will have to strike early and often if they want to have a chance at this one. Carson Wentz & co. will have a field day if not, especially now that he will have his weapons back. Add in Miles Sanders as an up and coming running back, and the Bengals will want to keep the Eagles offense from flying away from them.
3. Week 11 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
There is a working trend for this article, and it’s mostly including the Bengals toughest games being away from home. Playing at Heinz Field is no easy task for any fan, but especially for the hated Bengals. Joe Burrow and Company will have to bring their “A” game, especially now that the Pittsburgh Steelers will have Ben Roethlisberger back under center. This will be a heavy hitter, as most divisional games are in the AFC North, but Cincy will have to keep their foot on the gas all 60 minutes of this one to pull out a win, especially since the Steelers will likely be in playoff contention come game time.
4. Week 15 vs Dallas Cowboys
This game could go one of two ways. The Dallas Cowboys come in hot and smoke the Bengals, or Dallas plays down to their competition and squeaks it out or loses entirely. In their only matchup with Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott four years ago, it wasn’t pretty for Cincinnati. Prescott and Elliott were in the zone, as they were tearing up the NFL landscape as rookies. Elliott gathered 15 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with 171 total yards, and Prescott finished 18-24 for 227 yards and a touchdown himself. The Bengals can’t afford a repeat of that performance and must prepare for Elliott. Although, now they’ll also have to contain Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and rookie CeeDee Lamb as well this time around.
5. Week 17 vs Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens land on this list twice because, well, they handled Cincinnati both times in 2019. The Bengals will have the benefit of playing at home this time around, and Burrow will have the whole season under his belt. The Ravens will likely be fighting for the division crown, and Cincinnati would have the chance to play spoiler, which every fan loves to see. Burrow will have an easier time getting adjusted at home, and will have the chance to have a great game against young phenom Lamar Jackson, and possibly show his stuff against a top defense.
6. Week 16 @ Houston Texans
The Bengals struggle against Houston Texans, but this lands lower on our list because Houston isn’t the same offense this year. After senselessly trading DeAndre Hopkins, Deshaun Watson will have to look elsewhere in his offense to produce big plays. This is the perfect chance for the Bengals to make a statement win against another AFC conference team they’ve struggled against. In order for that to happen, they need to contain Watson and contain superstar J.J. Watt on the other side of the ball.
7. Week 9 vs Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans made a cinderella run last year in the playoffs, riding Derrick Henry all the way into the AFC Title game. Unfortunately, the clock struck midnight on them when Patrick Mahomes arrived to the stadium. They would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champs, but they remain mostly intact as a team. The Bengals will have to slow down the violent runner Henry and keep him bottled up to even have a chance. This remains an easier “hard” game for Cincinnati though, as they will be playing at home.
8. Week 2 @ Cleveland Browns
This is the Bengals easiest “difficult” game of the season. As stated many times before, divisional games are always slugfests, and this will not be different. Although Cincinnati won’t have the comfort of playing at home, this game against the Cleveland Browns is winnable. If they can score when they’re on the field, they will force Baker Mayfield and company to make tough decisions. If the Bengals can force Mayfield to make some mistakes, and he will, they will be in business.
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