Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals FAVORED All Year?! Predicting Game-By-Game Wins & Losses

Episode Date: May 24, 2026

It's early, but with Joe Burrow's return, and Dexter Lawrence's arrival feeding optimism that the defense will rebound, the Bengals are favored in 15 games in 2026 - 2nd most in the entire NFL. With that in mind, Jake Liscow and James Rapien play the schedule game and walk through every matchup to predict wins and losses for the Bengals this year. Expectations are sky high as the Bengals should compete for a top seed in the AFC!  Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengals Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Find and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajs Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengals Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Square If you’re starting a business, or running one that deserves better tools, Square helps you sell, manage, and grow without slowing down. Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at https://square.com/go/LockedOnNFL. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Rugiet Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Cincinnati Bengals are favored in 15 of their 17 games in 2026. So let's play the schedule game. You are Locked on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up, Bengals fans, and welcome to another episode of the Locked on Bengals podcast. He's James repeat. I'm Jake Liskow in every year shortly after the schedule comes out. James and I like to go through the schedule.

and in May, way too early, tried to predict wins and losses. We should go back to previous years and see how we did last year, probably pretty far off. They fell far short of expectations. Joe Burrow missed a lot of time. And those are the things that you don't know when you play this game in May, but with the full schedule available to us in Fox Sports, for example, reporting that the Bengals are favored in 15 of their 17 games,

the second most in the NFL behind only the Los Angeles Rams. Well, that's a fun time to play the schedule game with expectations sky high from fans this year, James. And today's episode was brought to the people by Fandul, where new customers can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets of that first bet wins. It had to Fandul.com to get started. And looking at Fandul, it's quite interesting, James, because the Bengals are third highest odds in the AFC to get the number one seed, but seventh highest odds to win. the AFC overall, they're not even favored to win the division right now. And you can look at some individual game odds over at Fandul as well. But we're going to start with week one, of course.

When we work our way through the schedule here, we'll go chronologically. And the two games in which the Bengals weren't favored, according to that Fox Sports article, we're week two in Houston, week seven at Baltimore. Outside of that, we're talking about games in which the Bengals are scheduled. That includes week one where right now Fandul has him at three to half point favorites to start the season at home. against the Buccaneers. I think this is a tough game. I do.

And I'm taking the Bengals to win this game because they are at home because they're going up against a team that I think they're better than on paper. But it's far from easy. And Baker Mayfield's always played well at Paycor. They're transitioning a bit on offense without Mike Evans for the first time in the Baker era and first time in more than a decade. But I look at this matchup and what a test for this revamped offensive line that isn't revamped.

It's the same guys as last year. It's just the same guys that gave Joe Flacco and Joe Burrow a bunch of time. And so revamped was the wrong word to describe it. But this quality line that I think we're all banking on being. And then what a test for the defense that is rebuilt and feels much different and looks different because they're going to have to deal with a mecca abuka. And they're going to have to deal with an offense that I think is pretty darn solid and should be pretty explosive.

So nice early season, juicy, match up to start the year at home. I wouldn't be shocked if both teams are in the high 20s. This is a high scoring affair. Yeah, I think the Bengals need to win this game. They must win week one. I mean, you can't be given away games like this. I'm not saying it's a must win,

but this is a game that the Bengals should win if they are going to hit their expectations this year. But you point out one of the biggest challenges in this game, and that's going to be the pass rush from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where like, yeah, they've got Antoine Winfield Jr. in the secondary. He's a very good player. But outside of that, you should be able to exploit matchups in the passing game. But if Yaya Diabee and Ruben Bay Jr. and Vita Vaya and Kalaya Cancy, who we really liked as a draft prospect, longtime listeners, everydayers will remember, those guys start wrecking havoc on

your offensive line and start bothering Joe Burrow, then things can get tricky. And then on the other hand you're right. Like it's the unveiling of this new look defense for the Cincinnati Bengals. Dexter Lawrence gets an on paper favorable matchup, although I would expect that, you know, a guy like Graham Barton takes a big step this year as he's continuing to play in the middle. There's good tackles for that Tampa offensive line to protect Baker Mayfield. And a smattering of weapons, a deep wide receiver core that goes three deep, it doesn't have Mike Evans anymore. So I think that'll be an interesting factor. And then as the Buccaneers,

moving to the post Mike Evans era, but yeah, I think the Bengals ought to win this game. And I'm not going to say that they're going to lose a game that I think they should win in week one at home. Yeah, I get it. It's not must win, but man,

it would be nice to set a tone, especially before you go on the road against a really tough matchup. And I think we agree there at Houston is a tough matchup. And early on, you look at this schedule and two of their first three are on the road. Three of their first five are on the road. You want to make some headway there at home. So when you get out of the buy and you have to go to Baltimore and you dive into the meat of your schedule, we're not talking about the uphill climb that we've had to see time and time and time again.

2022, we saw it. 2023, we saw it. 2024. We certainly saw it because it was all downhill. and they started making some headway in December. So that's where it's at. Last year they started 2 and O and then things fell apart because of the Joe Burrow injury. Obviously health is a part of it.

Get to 1 and 0. And then I was kind of surprised that Houston wasn't a primetime game or a 4 o'clock game. Just a 1 o'clock game kind of buried because I think this is a heck of a game, heck of a matchup with a football computer in Joe Burrow at quarterback on one side and one of the league's best defenses, one of the league's best best past rushers and Will Anderson, one of the league's best corners and Derek Stangley, obviously Jamar Chase and Joe Burroughs former teammate at LSU. Juicy storylines, plenty of connections and should be a fun one. Yeah, corners that can hang with the wide receivers,

as much as any corners in the NFL can hang with the Bengals wide receiver core. And Jalen Petrie as that slot overhang kind of defender that we talked a lot about as as far as like a safety that could fill that role for the Bengals when we were looking at this draft class. And DeNeil Hunter on the other side. that defensive line. And old friend Sheldon Rankin's, of course, for Dylan Fairchild, Ted Carris, and Dalton Riser to deal with. This is just like one of those slug-best matchups on paper

where the Texans offense still looks very flawed to me. And I think that if the Bengals defense is decent, then C.J. Stroud should also be having a tough time because of the nature of that offense and how they looked last year. But it's really difficult to think that the Bengals are going to go down there and just handle business. This is, like I said, one of the games in which the Bengals are not favored this season, and I think that's for a good reason. If the Bengals are going to be really good, they need to be able to deal with this kind of defense, and they're not going to have a ton of

opportunities on the schedule to do so, like a defense this complete unless, you know, the Steelers or Ravens surprise us that the Browns obviously are stronger on that side of the ball and they play those teams a couple of times this year. But this level of defense, the game-wrecking type of defense, this is a huge challenge early in the year. I think it's a speed bump. I think this is going to be commonly predicted to be a loss for the Bengals. And I am currently sticking with the chalk there and think this will be a challenge for them early. Yep.

I have this as a loss too. We haven't talked about this. So far, we're one and one. We're in lockstep. I just, I think that the Bengals offense is going to find a way to generate enough points week one. Week two, I think this is going to be ugly enough. You have a guy in C.J. Stroud. who has a ton to prove that Houston team is going to and should be on defense ahead of where

the Bengals offense is at that stage of the season. Maybe not. And maybe Joe Burroughs going to hear all of this because you're right. I haven't heard many people predict this as a win. Some, but not a ton. I feel like a lot of people view it as a loss. It's just if you can be sticky in coverage, get pressure on Joe, that's the Cleveland Brown's mindset and how they've been able to have some.

much success against the Bengals. And so it's tough on the road. I think that that stadium is going to be really, really, really loud. And is the Bengals defense ready to win a defensive struggle week two? I think they'll hang in there. I don't think it'll be enough. I'll take the Texans by like a field goal. I think both of these first two games are pretty close and the Bengals finish one and one

in the first two. And the Bengals open in the divisional part of their schedule by traveling to Pittsburgh the next week. and the defense stays challenging. The offense stays, well, Aaron Rogers. And it's kind of a similar game in terms of the way it could feel. We'll discuss how we see the Steelers game going. And we're going to have to pick up the pace here, James,

as we continue playing the schedule. Coming up next. You got to pick up the pace. You can't be so slow like the Cavaliers. Well, in the Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks of rolling them. As of now, they've won 10 straight games. They're going to go to the NBA finals and finish off the calves.

It's just will they sweep them? Will they not? We will see. On the other side, will the Spurs battle back on Sunday night? If you're listening to this on Monday, we'll see. It's two, two, or three, one. The defending champion Thunder are starting to roll a bit after dropping game one to the Spurs. We'll see if that continues, but Fandle is the perfect spot to go for all things.

NBA conference finals and obviously the NBA finals looming. Right now, new customers can bet $5 and get $150. in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Turn five bucks into $150 in bonus bets just for getting started. It's an easy app to navigate. It's super simple to wager on from prop bets to same game parlays to live bets. It doesn't matter. Fandall has you covered. So check them out today and take advantage of their free offer right now. All you got to do, five bucks, turn it into 150 bucks if your first bet wins at fandel.com. That's fandal.com. Fandle, play your game. All right, pick up the pace. We can pick up the pace. I look at this Steelers game and Aaron Rogers move slower than the locked on Bengals guys for sure in the pocket.

The Bengals just lose a defensive struggle on the road. They bounce back. They play better on offense. They contain T.J. Watt and that defensive front and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers to improve to two and one. Yeah, get a road win to win in the division. I like the Bengals here too. I'm going to end up having the Bengals have a tough time with the Steelers a second time around because of the jet lag. though it's a home primetime game,

I still don't like the jet lag effect there coming off of the international game. We'll go to week four, Jacksonville Jaguars, the classic early season. The NFL schedule makers keep having the Jaguars travel to Cincinnati early in the season. This is what the third time in five years or six years or so that we've seen a week four or so,

week two last year, matchup with the, with the Jaguars in Cincinnati. This one, not in prime time. And look, this is a really good offense, but that defense is not quite at the level we've seen the last couple of weeks. I think the Texans and Steelers game both feel very similar, right?

Where strong opposing defenses, the Steelers have on paper improved their quarterback room as well with the addition of Jamal Dean. But then you get to the Jaguars game. And it's a little bit different in this one where that offense certainly is strength and there's some good players.

on the jaguar's defense don't get me wrong i mean Antonio johnson is awesome Josh hines allen is obviously awesome but this is the kind of defense where Joe burrow should be able to do what joe burrow does and we're at the part of the season now where like if there is any that early season slow start stuff from joe he should be in full swing by week four so i like the bengals here at home in a one o'clock game against the jaguars yeah i think a lot of people are going to be on your side in every season there's a game

that we expect them to win that they lose this is one of those for me where I just for some reason at some point they're not going to get the best of the Jags and they've been lucky in some ways to do so the last couple of times for sure yes and that's it

so for me I'm going to go with I'm going to go with the Jags here at some point it's going to happen I think it happens here and it happens and suddenly we're like man the Bengals are two and two and I think some of the themes that I did when I played the schedule, I probably thought about it way more than I needed to or should have. But two and two, it's like, oh my gosh, is this what they are?

After all these moves, are they just going to be a 500 team? And I think that narrative will roll into a road matchup against Miami that everyone is going to pick them to win, including me. They get to three and two. They blow out the dolphins. In one of those, this would be like the Carolina game a few years ago or their own three, they go to Carolina. it's obviously a must win. They're two and two.

It's not going to feel like that, but going into the buy, Baltimore looming after the buy, it feels like I've got to have it type game. I have them getting to three and two going into the buy. Yeah, I mean, Miami is,

you're picking the Bengals win that game every single time. This is going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL, at least on paper, especially on the defensive side of the ball, there's so many issues with this team right now that might just be full on tanking. And so, yeah,

hard to go anyway, other than the Bengals winning in week five. And then coming off the by at Baltimore for again, their second AFC North game, their first two AFC North games on the road with the two other teams that are potentially

in the mix to win the AFC North on paper as of today. And they travel to Baltimore here. And this will be the second game in which James according to Fox Sports, they are not favored at this point in 2026. Yep. And

shocker as the early season struggles have been a theme, they continue to be a theme with me. I have them falling to three and three. And again, it's going to be, it's so similar. 2022 is what I would compare it to because I think

the trip home from Baltimore on October 25th, we're going to be like, well, how good are they? They beat Tampa at Home Week 1. They beat a meh, Pittsburgh team on the road. And then they find a way to beat Miami on the,

and we'd just be like, well, are they good or not? They lose the Houston. They lose to Jacksonville. They lose to Baltimore. So that would be the mindset that I'm thinking, but kind of the storyline that I'm predicting through the first six games of the season. I have this as a loss.

Do you give the people some hope? Do you have them beating Baltimore in this game? So what am I? I'm a four and one, right? Like I only have them losing to Houston so far. Wow. So I think four and two is probably where they're at here. I think the Matt of BK question is a huge one for Baltimore.

right now I'm assuming he plays and if he does play then now you're dealing with Travis Jones Justin Matabee K, Tray Hendrickson on that defensive line on that defensive front from Baltimore and I don't know that they have the guys to like stay with Jamar and T for the entire game obviously we've seen Jamar over the years

demolish the Ravens time and time again but Max Mark Starks Malachi Stark and Kyle Hamilton at safety a couple really solid pieces to to go along with that defense to help slow down the Bengals. And it'll be interesting, right? This is going to be the first opportunity for the Bengals to go against the Jesse

mentor coach defense and the similarities there between he and Mike McDonald. It'll be fun to see how the Bengals prepare for this game, how similar it is to the Mike McDonald matchups. But on the other hand, like, I don't know what exactly this Ravens' offense is going to be. It's obviously going to feature a lot of Lamar Jackson and Derek Henry, but that's why you go get a guy like Dexter Lawrence. So I'm not like writing this game off entirely, but if we're just picking wins and losses,

which is the game we're playing here, then four and two Bengals heading into a home game with the rebuilding Tennessee Titans in Camp War's second year is where I would land. Yeah, there's not a game the Bengals can't win on the schedule. That's where I would say. There's no game where I'm like, oh, that's an automatic loss. You have Joe Burrow, you have a defense that should be competent,

Jamar T to point it out. So I have them at 3 and 3 right now. And this is when the Bengals kick it into gear. The month, the weather changes, Halloween happens and suddenly, bam, Joe Burrow and the Bengals frightening for the rest of the NFL. I have them, I don't know about you. I have them beating the crap out of the Titans by like 5,000, maybe 4,995 if I'm being nice, but I have them just dismantling the Titans to get to 4 and 3.

And then I have them beating the Falcons in Madrid. that turnaround we can dive into, but let's just do both of those. Let's couple those together. I have them going two and oh there to go from three and three and three. Yeah, Tennessee is another one of those games. Unless Tennessee is much more upstart than we think, like I'm not even thinking about it as a potential trap game.

That's just a game that like the Miami game, the Bengals should be a significantly better team. And we're talking on paper in May, that's a game they should win. Feel somewhat similarly about the Falcons game. It's just in Madrid. So those games can be weird. International games can be weird.

The Bengals have played a tie in an international game. So they can be weird, obviously, but I'm going with you on those two games. So I got them at six and two now heading into that. Optimistic. I'm five and three. I mean, we're not far off. Not far off. Just one game different.

It felt really different going through that first stretch, though, because there's a two-game gap there. And yeah, look, it's. this is where they do need to be like six and two five and three this is what we should be talking about coming back for a road or a home matchup but a primetime matchup against Pittsburgh will they sweep Pittsburgh what do you have let's do this one and then we'll get to the at yeah this is where I'm going the other way I think that I'm afraid of the jet lag here I am definitely afraid of the jet lag here and I hope that I'm just proved wrong about it and I'm like making a mountain out of a molehill here.

But coming back from Madrid for a game the next week, I just think that the time change and prime time, AFC North game, something's going to go weird here. And so this is where I have them dropping a game to the Steelers, splitting with the Steelers this season. Yeah, I think that there's going to be a lot of that narrative.

And Joe's going to get asked about it, and Zach's going to get asked about it. And it's going to be asked and asked and asked. And they're going to come out and they're going to meet the Steelers and be like, see, we told you. Like, we're fine. We told you it's not as big of a deal. I just, I think that that you can almost use that as like a rallying, especially after starting three and three in my book.

And so they win and now we look up. We haven't compared notes. We're both six and three going into that week 11 matchup on Monday night against Washington. We will finish the rest of the schedule as the schedule game rolls on next. Today's show is brought to you by Square. Square is the system you need that's going to help your business run smoother. And that's it. Starting a business is super exciting. Running it, challenging. And that's where Square comes in. Is it going to help you with payment, staff, inventory, scheduling, online orders, and so much more.

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Get started today. This Washington game is one of the more fascinating games on the schedule for primarily a reason that is that they kind of had the off season that we were talking about the Bengals having. Before the Bengals traded for Dexter Lawrence on the defensive side of the ball in particular. They remade this defense on every single level. They drafted Sunny Stiles. They went out and signed Leo Chanel. all. They added players on the defensive front with the Daffei OA. They added players in the secondary and Nick Cross at safety, the name there that stands out a whole bunch of Bengals targets,

Kala Von Chase on even, as a depth edge piece. We talked about the Bengals signing and free agency are now playing for the Washington commanders. And the commanders are trying to get back on track from going to the NFC championship game to being a disaster last year and being a position to pick Sonny Stiles in the top 10 this year. This is a kind of fascinating game because I don't really know who the commanders are going to be this year with all of those changes they made on the defensive side of the ball and free agency. Obviously, Jay Daniels is good, but not where he wanted to be, I think, after his

rookie season at this point. I have a really hard time getting a feel for this one, James. Monday night football in Washington, though, in Maryland. So on the road, what are your thoughts here? I think you could tell me the Bengals win this game and outdule them, and I think this is going to be a duel. I think these two quarterbacks are going to show up, play at a high level. These defenses should be much, much better. And so I'm not sure it's going to be 35, 33 here and shoot out like that like it was a few years ago.

I do think it's going to be a heck of a game and entertaining game. And this is one of those where I could go either way, but Bengals having won three straight back-to-back prime games after the Madrid game, They handle business in Madrid, handle business against the Steelers. And then they stub their toe on the Washington commanders. I have the commanders winning this game. I think they're going to bounce back. I believe in Jaden Daniels and what the commanders can be because of what they did on defense this offseason. And so is Joe better than Jaden Daniels?

Absolutely. Do the Bengals have more firepower? Absolutely. Do I think they can win this game? Absolutely. But I think this is one of the games, especially in the back half that you look at, you circle, as a really tough game. on the road, Washington probably

commanding or battling for that NFC East top spot and I think they'll be in that consideration in real contention for that, excuse me. Yeah, I'll go with the commanders in this one and a close one. Bengals drop it after winning three straight they fall to six and four

for me. I'm going to seven and three here. I think the Bengals are winning this one. I think this is a part of the schedule where if the Bengals are healthy, this is where they will be hot. And this is where when Joe Burroughs been healthy and they've been good in the past, this is a part of the calendar

where they just win games. And they start rattling them off. And I think they find that for them a little bit earlier this year because they're a little bit more mature. They've got a little bit more experience. And I think the defense has taken strides to help here. And I think the defense is a big reason here. Like this is a game that I'm kind of circling for Dexter Lawrence.

This is potentially a pretty big game for him, given some of the matchups on page. paper. I think that there are still some issues for Washington on the interior offensive line where I think Sam, Sam Cosmy is really good, but they have some holes outside of that that they have to deal with. So this could be a Dexter Lawrence game. This could be a big test for Josh Connerley in his second year. And I think he'll be good. I think he'll be better. Like he was solid as a rookie. But where Jane Daniels is really good, I just don't like, Terry McLaren's awesome, right? But like we'll see what. balance for them in terms of finding consistency on offense in Washington or if it's just Jane Daniels is going to have to play a bunch of hero ball and do a bunch of it himself with Terry McLaren. So I like the defense helping out the Bengals in this one, but either way, I think like if this is the Bengals team that we think they should be and the defense is solid, like this is

where they should be very hot. And I think that continues in the next week against New Orleans, who again, is going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL, not a strong team on paper. And one of the reasons that the Bengals are predicted to win so many games this year, favorite in so many games this year is that they have the NFC South on the schedule, and the Saints are part of that. Yeah, for sure. So I have them falling to six and four against Washington short week, New Orleans at home business handled.

And they get to seven and four. And that's one everyone's going to predict is a win and one that you just have to have. I think we both agree. I'm not sure anyone's going to mark that one down as a loss. And then you go to Cleveland. Can't go lose a Tyler Shuck. Can't go lose to Cleveland either. Sweep the Browns.

You have to sweep the Browns. I'm sick and tired of talking about how they struggle against the Browns. Now you have a defense that should be able to hold up and shut things down. Find a way to put up 30 on the Browns on the road, December 6th. They do it. They kick the crap out of the Browns and go from six and four after that loss to the commanders. And in a 13 day span, now they're 8 and 4. And in the meat of the AFC playoff race with a huge, huge matchup against the Chiefs looming.

Yeah, I am going to also go with the sweep of the Browns here, but I think this one's going to be painful. Probably. Like, they always are. They're probably both a little bit slug-festy and come down in a lot of ways to how healthy the teams are. The Brown's offense is very hard to find how the Browns are going to score points this year. But the Brown's defense should still probably be pretty darn good.

And we'll see how much the coaching change in Cleveland shakes things. up or doesn't. The Bengals get the Chiefs at home this year in a late window, late afternoon window game. And where do I have the Bengals now? I have them one game ahead of you, right? So you're seven and four and I'm eight and three? I'm eight and four. You're nine and three. Nine and three. Okay. What do you got for the Chiefs game here? Well, this is like, it's sort of like how you mentioned with the commanders. I think that this is what it's like for the Chiefs. I don't think the Chiefs or what they were a few years ago. I think the Bengals are going to,

one, be favored in this game at 8 and 4, going into that week, like week of. And this could be for the number one seat in the AFC. I still think the chiefs will be in the mix and they'll be battling and all of those things. But I look at the Cincinnati Bengals team. This is when they do get hot. This is when Burrow does rise and play.

Because he knows he's going up against the best. And he wants to show the world this year that he's the best in the world and that the Bengals are, legitimate Super Bowl contender, and this is one that you do it in December. I have them winning this game, and it will, the talk will be, are the Bengals the best team in the NFL after they improved a nine and four? And that's what I have.

I have them winning three straight here after falling to six and four. And so they win three straight at three and three, drop a game to Washington, win three and more, and suddenly they're nine and four and one of the best teams in football. I am looking for a loss for the Bengals here down the stretch somewhere. I don't know where it's going to be. Maybe Washington was the spot. I also don't think Kansas City is what they were. I think they're going to be good,

but I think they're not the juggernaut team that they were seen to be in the past. We'll see what's going on with the offensive line and what kind of development occurs there for Josh Simmons and Kingsley-Li-Suehomete. I was a little bit surprised they didn't address it a little bit more fervently in the draft, but they did have a couple of early draft picks. At this point, those players should be more than hitting their stride. Kenneth Walker potentially changes the texture of how the Chiefs will approach games with that running back weapon. So I might take the Chiefs here and, in a,

an interesting game, but I could see that one going either way. I don't have a super strong feel on this game similar to the Washington game. So where I gave them the win in Washington, I'll say the Bengals take a loss here, and then they bounced back against an upstart, I would say, Carolina team the next week on the road, but a Carolina team that I don't think has done enough to be that good. Yeah. It's so funny because you got to find the losses. And there's always one. Like think about New England,

New England a couple years ago. Like what the, like how did they lose to that team? And you could look at it, whatever. There's reasons behind it, injury, all those things.

When if they beat the Chiefs, then you can see this is a trap, let down game on the road against, like I said, an upstart team. And that's what I have because I'm trying to find

one more loss in this back half. Because they're not just going to win all the games. I get it, but they're not. I'm really trying to get it right. and like trying to, okay, well, this is how it could go. I have them losing this game, and I'm not going to be able to explain it because they should win. But like this young upstart Carolina team that finds a way.

And Carolina did this last year. They found some wins in games that we never would have thought they would win. And so maybe it's the opposite and they lose the Kansas City or maybe they lose in Cleveland and then they beat Carolina. But of all these remaining games, December on, this is the least important anyway. And so I could totally see them being like, oh, we lost that game? What? And so, yeah, I have the Bengals here losing this game and dropping to 9 and 5 on the season. Then Louana Rumo in Indy.

What is the bounce back here for or is Louana Rumo going to pull a rabbit out of his hat? Oh, this one is, this one's fun and there's going to be the Loo storyline and all of those things. but after Bryce Young and the Panthers kind of get your attention, you ain't listen to Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce and those guys. And so, yeah, I have the Bengals bouncing back in a big way. And this is the stretch, right? Like you get gut punch December 20th. The next week you have the Colts.

Four days later, it's New Year's Eve against Baltimore at home. And then you have the Browns possibly with the AFC North on the line for you, clinching the AFC North or maybe an AFC one seat on the line. And that's where you're at. Like at 9 and 5, even after losing to Carolina, you'll be playing for a lot, especially with tiebreakers over the Chiefs. You want to try to maybe get that tiebreaker over the Ravens after losing earlier in the year in my projection. And so, yeah, I have them rolling the Colts.

And it's an easy, easy trip to Indianapolis. There'll be plenty of Bengals fans in attendance. I have that. And I assume you have the same on a short week. We'll see. What do you have? Does the mad scientist get it done? No, I don't think he does enough, although I do think that like the Tyler Warren, Jonathan Taylor,

really good offensive line combination from the Colts will give the Bengals some problems in this game. We'll keep Joe Burrow on the sideline to some degree. You can't tell me that Daniel Jones is going to out duel Joe Burrow in this game on paper. So yeah, I've got the Bengals win in this one. So Baltimore, primetime Thursday night, revenge on Thursday night, Bengals win. win Thursday night football at home in the AFC North. Yeah. That's, this is the one that this is the one that's going to decide,

should decide the North because I don't think 10 wins is enough to win this division. And I think the Bengals find a way to get this one. At home, prime time, New Year's Eve, go into the new year with a dub. And they get to 11 and 5 on the season. And it, to me, it's one of those things where you get to 11 and 5, you probably clinched the division here, and you're probably battling for seating the following week. This is the expectation for the Bengals.

And the thing is, Jake, as I see this, I guarantee you they're going to be people that I can't believe you have them losing the five games. You have them losing. Well, I do, but I also have them getting to 11 and 5 and clinching the division on New Jersey. And then you just have Cleveland in week 18. I've lost track of what the record is for me at this point. I have them losing what four games.

The numbers guy can't count. The numbers guy on locked on, can't count. Can't add it up. Here, add it up because I'll do the finale here because I have him at 11 and 5. And then it's Cleveland Week 18. I think there'll be something on the line here. And even if there's not, you know what it is? It's the Joe Flacco audition.

He's auditioning to say, hey, Aaron Rogers, I'm better than you. And I think he's going to dime them up, get a W sweep Cleveland. Bengals go 5 and 1 in the division, which would be huge if they can do that, get to 12 and 5 and are rolling going into the playoffs. I have them finish after the three and three start. They go nine and two. Three games. Three wins.

One loss. Three wins. Nine and two down the stretch. And they're the hottest team in the NFL going into the playoffs. Yeah, I think about four losses here. I think I have one fewer loss than you do. You have them breaking a record then. Well, at some point they're going to lose a game that you don't think they're going to

lose. I do agree with that. But I also think they might, well, it's hard to find a game you don't think they're going to win that they're going to win this year because they're favored in so many games. Maybe that's week two against Houston. Maybe they beat Houston that week and they drop one of these other games that we're talking about is win. That Jacksonville game could flip very easily. But if they're going to do the things that we think they could do this year, then they need to beat Cleveland at the end of the year, too. And the only reason that this would be a loss is if there's no seating implication. Say 13 and 4.

Do it. Yeah. I mean, that's where I'd land, right? I mean, we went through all the games. Obviously,

they could drop one of these that I'm calling a win. And that's why, like, when I actually look at, like, what I think's going to happen in a year and I'll do,

like, a record prediction at some point. Like, I'm looking at it from a more probabilistic perspective, and I'll say, like, yeah, I think like 60% in week one,

50% in week two, and that's going to average out to one win. You know what I mean? So I take it. different approach. But if you're just calling games one by one, then that's apparently where I end up. We're talking about competing for that one seed, which is how Fandul sees it as well. That's the expectation for sure. And it should be. And if you tell me that they're 12 or 13 win

team, then they're going to be right there for a chance to get back to the Super Bowl. And they're going to be right there with the top teams. And that's why they make the Dexter trade. That's why they've done what they've done. Pressure's on for them to deliver now. But yeah, look at us. Look at us setting the expectations are high, my friend. I continue to be amused with the Bengals having the third highest odds in the AFC to get the 1C, but then like there's the sixth, seventh, eighth highest odds in the AFC to go to the playoffs, period.

So that's interesting how Fandall is hedging their bets there with all the games with the Bengals were expected to be favorites. and yet some interesting stuff happening with the odds there in a season that has high, high expectations for the Cincinnati Bengals. And that's going to do it for this episode, this year's edition of the schedule game on the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Until next time, thanks for listening. Hoodey and have a good one.