Of course, the Bengals have to actually beat the Browns and Jaguars for this gift of an opening slate to matter. And with more contract drama hanging in the air before training camp via Trey Hendrickson, who knows if a slow start can be avoided again.

The Bengals are scheduled to play two Thursday Night Football games again this coming season for the second campaign in a row (scheduled out of their second one in 2024), but they still got named a CBS Sports winner from the 2025 NFL schedule release.

Cincinnati's push to return to the postseason won't be easy, as their 2025 schedule features a cross-conference clash with the NFC North. The four NFC North squads finished the 2024 season with a combined record of 45-23, with three teams making the playoffs.