The Bengals’ Beef With NFL Schedule Makers Continues in 2025

The NFL has done a fantastic job of turning what could be an email into a whole spectacle. In the past, the schedule was just a formality, and nobody really made much of it. Of late, in the era of social media, every little thing the NFL does gets blown up and made into content. Yes, we recognize the irony of the statement.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the most exciting teams in the NFL over the last four seasons, thanks to Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and the week-to-week uncertainty around which offensive line or defense would show up. Thanks to the Bengals’ third-place finish in 2024, it was “rewarded” with a third-place schedule in 2025. Considering last year, the Bengals had a last-place schedule, it may not matter as much as one would assume.

This year, the Bengals’ schedule is full of exciting matchups and plenty of potential playoff previews. Of course, last year was full of playoff previews, and the Bengals missed out thanks to a slow start and legitimately inept defense. There are a few takeaways from this year’s slate of games, but none bigger than: What did the Bengals do to the NFL schedule makers, and why do they continue to give the Bengals the short end of the stick?

The Bengals’ Beef With NFL Schedule Makers Continues in 2025

Divisional Disparity

The Bengals have been on the national radar for a while now, thanks to Burrow and Chase. Naturally, they will get a few primetime matchups to showcase their talent to a national audience. Of course, when it comes to divisional matchups, the pendulum tends to swing in a different direction.

From 2022 through this year’s schedule, the Bengals’ divisional matchups have been:

• at Baltimore Ravens, all primetime (one on SNF, three on TNF)
• vs Baltimore Ravens, all at 1:00 pm ET
• at Pittsburgh Steelers, three primetime/nationally televised
• vs Pittsburgh Steelers, three at 1:00 p.m. ET with this year’s on TNF
• at Cleveland Browns, MNF in 2022 followed by three straight 1:00 p.m.
• vs Cleveland Browns, all 1:00 p.m. ET

So, in 12 inter-divisional matchups, the Bengals have hosted one non-1:00 p.m. game…and it’ll be this season. Meanwhile, 8/12 of the Bengals’ road divisional games were/will be either primetime outright or in that prime 4:25 p.m. timeslot.

It’s the NFL, and the schedule makers are meticulous when crafting the schedules each and every year. They have to plan around other events and try to get the best product in front of as many eyes as humanly possible. The Bengals have been must-see TV ever since Burrow returned from his knee injury suffered in 2020. It became even more evident last season when the defense could not do anything to help the offense out. Week in and week out, Burrow and the offense had to be perfect to put the team in a position to win.

Last year, the Bengals went 3-3 in the division by sweeping the Browns, splitting with the Steelers, and getting swept by the Ravens. Those three losses came by three (in overtime), one, and six…and it was the Steelers who had the largest margin of victory.

Bengals-Ravens has been as even an inter-divisional rivalry as any in the NFL over the last few seasons. Last year, the two games were decided by four points. In 2023, the Ravens prevailed by three in the first matchup and then 14 after the Bengals lost Burrow to injury. The Ravens have had the Bengals’ number ever since Sam Hubbard‘s scoop-and-score to win in the Wild Card round after the 2022 season.

This year, the rivalry will be the nightcap on Thanksgiving.