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Cincinnati Bengals NFL schedule tracker 2024: Schedule includes 5 prime-time games

jason hoffman and haadiza ogwude, cincinnati enquirer
·4 min read

All 32 teams now know when they'll play their 17 regular-season games. The Bengals announced yesterday, they'll travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 and the game is slated for 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Local 12).

The Bengals' opponents for this season were set when the 2023 regular season ended and by virtue of finishing last in the AFC North, Cincinnati will play a fourth-place schedule.

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Cincinnati Bengals' 2024 NFL schedule revealed

The Bengals' schedule was announced via press release from the team and includes five prime-time games – two at Paycor Stadium and three on the road. Cincinnati also will play in two "Thursday Night Football" games, one at Baltimore on Nov. 7 and the other at home against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 19. The Bengals have nine road games and eight home games this season.

What do NFL players look for when the schedule is released?

Former All-Pro defensive end JJ Watt offered some insight on what players look for when the schedule comes out. No, it's not when they play their rivals. Watt explained it in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

When is the first 'Thursday Night Football' game?

The Buffalo Bills will visit the Miami Dolphins in Week 2 on the first of Amazon Prime's "Thursday Night Football" broadcast of the season. The NFL season opens on Thursday, Sept. 5, with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens, but that game will be televised on NBC.

Which Cincinnati Bengals games will be in prime time?

While many expected the Bengals-Chiefs game to be in prime time, that didn't happen. NFL teams can have a maximum of six prime-time games, and USA TODAY's Chris Bumbaca wants to see the Bengals play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. Bumbaca wrote: "By Week 4, we’re ready to see some smash-mouth AFC North football. The division has won 62.6% (106-63) of its games against non-AFC North opponents since 2020, according to Sharp Football Analysis. The freneticism when the teams play each other is worthy of prime time."

No international games for the Cincinnati Bengals

The NFL announced its international series games this morning and the Bengals weren't included. There are five games in three different countries in the 2024 international series:

Cincinnati Bengals 2024 opponents

Although we know who the Bengals will play, we're still waiting to find out when the games will take place. But here's a look at Cincinnati's 2024 opponents in alphabetical order:

How is the NFL schedule created?

The Bengals finished fourth in their division, so they'll play a fourth-place schedule against the rest of the AFC. That's why they face the Titans and Patriots, who also finished fourth in their divisions.

The NFL also has each division play against two other divisions. This year, the Bengals will play against the AFC West and NFC East for a total of eight games. Teams then play two games each against the opponents in their own divisions, comprising six of the 17 games.

That's 16 of the 17 games the Bengals will play. The last game is against a non-conference opponent based on final standings from the previous season. That's where the trip to face the Panthers comes into play, which fills out the 17-game schedule.

How many prime-time games does an NFL team have?

NFL teams are no longer guaranteed a primetime game, but teams are limited to no more than six primetime games during the season. The NFL also has exclusive rights to flex games in the final week of the season if needed.

The final week is division-only games, meaning the Bengals will play either the Browns, Ravens or Steelers.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals 2024 schedule tracker: Updates on opponents, games