3 Make-or-Break Games on Bengals 2022 Schedule

Schedules for each of the 32 NFL franchises were officially released on Thursday night as excitement begins to grow across the country. Football may still be months away, but the Cincinnati Bengals are already working hard to overcome their Super Bowl loss last season by bouncing back in a big way.

When looking at the Bengals schedule, a few marquee matchups stick out from the rest. These games are going to make a major impact on what kind of season Cincinnati is able to put together, so let's dive deeper into three make-or-break games for head coach Zac Taylor's team.

Cincinnati Bengals 2022 Schedule

1. Week 8: vs. Cleveland Browns (Monday Night Football)

The Bengals kick off the season with a relatively manageable first seven weeks that includes matchups against three NFC teams as well as the New York Jets. Playing against the Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 8 will act as a chance for the Cincinnati to make true statement in front of a national audience. This will be the first time the Bengals have to face quarterback Deshaun Watson and will look to counter with a big game from Joe Burrow. Keep in mind Burrow is 0-3 in three career games against the Browns. Cleveland has also beat Cincinnati in seven of their last eight head-to-head matchups. This one will be huge for the AFC North standings.

2. Week 13: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET)

The Bengals are tasked with a daunting end to the regular season as they face five teams that finished with double-digit wins in 2021 during the final seven weeks. That stretch is kicked off by a 2021 AFC Championship rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs come to Paul Brown Stadium with revenge on their minds in a game that will likely play a role in playoff seeding. If Cincinnati can rattle quarterback Patrick Mahomes with physical coverage and unrelenting crowd noise, they have a shot to win this game. A loss would be a big blow to the Bengals' playoff hopes, while a victory would go a long way in building some positive momentum.

3. Week 18: vs. Baltimore Ravens (TBD)

The Ravens head into the 2022 season tied for the best odds to win the AFC North at +200, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Bengals are right on their tail with odds set at +210, though. That sets up this Week 18 battle as one that could end up determining which team takes home the divisional crown. It's worth noting that Cincinnati swept Baltimore last season and won each of the two games by at least 20 points. Head coach John Harbaugh should be motivated to avoid that kind of scenario this time around and have his team ready to play. A Week 5 battle between these two teams is another game to keep an eye on.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.