Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Did Bengals get HOSED by schedule-makers? | 2025 NFL Schedule Release Reaction

Episode Date: May 15, 2025

Another year, another road Thursday Night Football game in Baltimore. Hosts Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down the challenges of imbalanced home and away games, primetime slots, and a critical st...retch of games against the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills. Recurring themes include the importance of a strong start, along with the TNF game in Baltimore and more primetime road games than home games, with a potential soft landing in Weeks 17 and 18.Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind 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/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 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.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cincinnati Bengals 2020 schedule is here, and I have one question. Why are you the schedule makers hate the Bengals? 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. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. I'm Jake Liskow. He's James Rapine, and we're your host of the Lockdowne
Starting point is 00:00:36 Bengals podcast covering the Cincinnati Bengals here on Lockdown Bengals since 2016. The everydayers already know that. If you're not an everydayer, you'd like to become one, as we'll have you covered throughout the off season, into training camp, into the regular season, all calendar long, all year long, all year round. You're in the right place. You can hit that subscribe button to make sure you don't miss an episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast.
Starting point is 00:00:57 And shout out to all of you who make us your first listen as well. Today, James, we dive into the Cincinnati Bengals 2025 schedule. And it's a little tongue in cheek, but only a little bit when I asked a question, why do the schedule makers hate the Bengals? As I look through the schedule and try to parse it in all the different ways, they were always going to have one more home game than road game this year. So that's not anything the schedule makers said. There's so many imbalances here.
Starting point is 00:01:27 It's a little frustrating on first glance the way this schedule falls to me, looking at it from my perspective. Yeah, I mean, first game, starting in Cleveland, instantly you're like, ugh, got to do that, like awful matchup. We know it. We know they don't match up well. But then just the first four, three of four on the road, at least two of those teams, probably not just in playoff contention, but likely making the playoffs.
Starting point is 00:01:57 And then your second home game is against arguably the best team in the NFC. Like, it's just, it is, it is not easy to start. there aren't really many easy chunks, buckets. If you want to break it down into quarters, it's an interesting schedule, but the thing that stood out to me at first when it came out was at Browns, then you're home. Then it's at Vikings, at Broncos, then you're home. And those two teams could be good.
Starting point is 00:02:26 The Jags, who knows, maybe they're upstart with their new coach. And then the Lions. And then you go at Green Bay, that four out of six on the road to start the season, They don't play their third home game until October 16th. And it's a short week against the division rival. At least it's a primetime game at home. Got one of those this year. But yeah, I think the early part just from a,
Starting point is 00:02:50 there's been a lot that's gone on the past couple days about the travel standpoint and how they're only traveling like 8,700 miles. It's the lowest in the league. Fine. They're going to be on the road a lot early in the season. They have two stretches this year that they're four out of six games on the road. I'm just complaining at this point to be clear about things that are annoying to me. These probably aren't massive issues.
Starting point is 00:03:16 There's probably not huge in equity here because they have more home games and road games. But they have four out of six on the road twice. They have a three game home stretch in the middle of the year and they finish with two at home. So that three game home stretch in the middle of the year before the buy week is nice. and the two at home to finish a year is nice. But the inequity that stands out to me the most here, James, and I'm sure we'll hear stuff about, you know, rest disparity and everything. But there's one game that stands out to me the most,
Starting point is 00:03:47 and then there's one trend that sends out to me the most. And the one that I think might be the more annoying of the two is the time slot split for the home versus roguer. games. When the Bengals are at home, they're playing predominantly at 1 p.m. There's a couple of TBDs in there for week 17 and week 18. We don't know those time slots or even days necessarily in some in the case of week 18 yet. But we don't have time slots for a couple of those games. But outside of that, at home, they do finally get a Thursday night home primetime game against the Steelers. But that's pretty much it. They have one other.
Starting point is 00:04:30 non-1 p.m. start at home. You look at their road games, and they have, what, three 1 p.m. starts versus three primetime games and two late window games. All of these premium time slot games and prime time games this year are on the road. Again, after last year, they had a crazy primetime home road split. The fact that that can happen in back-to-back years is really what prompts the question, like, what did they do to use schedule makers? Why does this keep happening?
Starting point is 00:05:02 Is it a coincidence? It's unfathomable that the split could go this way two years in a row. Yeah. And you look at those road prime time. And I'm going to focus in on one of them at Denver. Okay, Monday night. That's fun. It's kind of got the 2004 season.
Starting point is 00:05:23 They were home Monday night football. Chad Johnson beat Champ Bailey Deep. And I believe the Bengals won that game again. Denver. So that was a fun one. That was Monday night. It ended the Monday night drought in Cincinnati. So I remember that one. So it's like, oh, okay, well, that's, that's fun. In my mind, a lot of people listening and watching, don't think that way, fine. But on the road, that's a tough one. The Miami one, got it in December, by the way. I'm not going to complain there. But the Miami one, December 21st, Sunday night football at 820. But I don't know what it is with the schedule makers and their
Starting point is 00:05:57 obsession with the Bengals eating crab cakes on a short week. But do you have to send them to Baltimore on Thursday night all the time? And this year, Thanksgiving night. Thanksgiving night. And it starts what is the, to me, the toughest, you could say month, but I would say toughest three weeks for sure of the Bengals schedule, even with the mini buy built in there, the fact that you have at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night. then at Buffalo and then Ravens at home.
Starting point is 00:06:30 The Ravens twice in three weeks. I mean, the AFC North, everyone thought it was because of Hard Knocks, but a lot of these AFC North games in December again, and that Ravens won on a short week. I just, like, gosh, you got to keep going to Baltimore on a short week, and clearly they do. You might as well just book it for next year.
Starting point is 00:06:49 They're going to do it. Might as well start planning from a Thursday perspective if you want to go watch the Bengals in Baltimore because it's going to be on a short week. it's going to be a prime time game buckle up three years in a row yep and we have seen the well publicized home road splits for a fc north primetime road games that gets even more divisive on thursday night road games it's just three years in a row at baltimore thursday night football that is crazy like i i i really don't know how to do that
Starting point is 00:07:27 that happens it's it's thanksgiving this year it's their second thursday night game so this is a quote unquote bonus thursday night game but man i would i would leave that one i don't need that bonus i'm good i i agree i this was because i i had some stuff ahead of time like i'm feel free to this is the first game i heard of and i was like what what there's no way like i didn't believe it like there was rumors like the Christmas Day rumor with Buffalo. I had heard Buffalo week one. Obviously neither of those came true. But holy good.
Starting point is 00:08:07 Like Thanksgiving, fine. I get it. Do a holiday game at some point. It makes sense. It's Joe Burrell. It's the holiday. By the way, the Thursday game or the Thanksgiving games are crazy this year.
Starting point is 00:08:18 Pretty good. But you have that. Fine. I don't mind that it's at night. but rode against the Ravens. Why not just flip that? Why not just flip that and have that Thanksgiving at home against the Ravens Thursday night? And that is it because it's their second Thursday night?
Starting point is 00:08:41 Like I don't know. But flip it to where when the Ravens come to town week 15, that's when you go to Baltimore for that 1 o'clock game. That's what I would have done. But obviously the schedule makers don't really give a damn what I think. Not even a little bit. I mean, it would erase a lot of the complaints. If they have two Thursday night home, AFC North games, I'm not complaining at all. Well, then it's two prime time appeased, you know, two road, two home.
Starting point is 00:09:07 Both division games are here. Yeah. We've hit on my biggest complaints here, which are the imbalance of home road time slots and that Thursday night game at Baltimore again. Like, that one is, I think we joked about this yesterday when we weren't recording. Like, man, can you imagine if they put. them on the road in Baltimore Thursday night again. I'm pretty, like, that's one of the worst case outcomes to me personally.
Starting point is 00:09:33 And they can certainly overcome it. They can certainly win that game. We saw them come very close, should have won that game last year. And that's probably part of why they put it on the biggest Thursday night time slot of the year, because it was one of the best games of the year, most entertaining games of the year. But it could have been. in Cincinnati.
Starting point is 00:09:55 Like, I don't have individual complaints about the other primetime games. I don't really, like the week 16 game in Miami wouldn't be remotely surprised that gets moved out of prime time. Not even a little surprise if that happens. But there is a possibility of like, yeah, a little bit. I don't know what else is happening that week. I didn't go look, but there could be some division game that's much more interesting or some higher playoff stake at that point in the season.
Starting point is 00:10:23 I have a take on that Miami game. All right. We will get to that and much, much more because the schedule is here, Jake, coming up next. Today's show is brought to by Fandul. America's number one sports book and the NBA playoffs are in full swing. And the Indiana Pacers, they're just rolling. They're just rolling. Impossible to stop on offense.
Starting point is 00:10:45 We'll see if they can keep it rolling all the way to the NBA finals. It wouldn't shock me one bit. Wouldn't shock me one bit with how loaded they are, how they come in waves on offense. And if that happens, while you're talking about a two-hour drive to not just the Easter Conference finals, but maybe the NBA finals. So if you live in Cincinnati and you want to check out NBA games, well, you can do it in person or you can do it at home. And the beauty is you can do it with Fandall.
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Starting point is 00:12:00 they granted my wish of it being in December. But the take is, of course I would love to plan my travel personally around a night game. All right. Just for it to be a one o'clock game and it get flexed out of that night game. So then you get Sunday night on the beach and you can have a nice dinner. See, so selfishly wouldn't mind that getting flexed out. I thought this was going to be a real hot take.
Starting point is 00:12:30 Like there's no way they're flexing that game out. The Miami Dolphins are going to be 11 and 4 at that point. This season, I was trying to count how many games. Oh, yeah, I'm a big toa guy. Yeah, big to a guy. You heard it here first. James Rapine, big to a guy. Can you say that in the same sentence,
Starting point is 00:12:47 considering he's like my height? I don't know. Anyways, it's a big, big, big Kyler guy. Like, he kind of, you know. You got to have solidarity with your, with your hype brothers. A move like Kyler, not Tua. The bright sides of the schedule, shall we try to find them?
Starting point is 00:13:05 Some of the silver linings here? Sure. The best thing about this schedule is the location of the buy week. From a high level perspective, a week 10 buy is about as ideal as it gets on average. That is where your Super Bowl winners tend to have their buy. Sometimes between week nine and week 12 is the typical. time you see teams that make deep playoff runs, have their buys. It is advantageous to have a buy in the middle of the season instead of the beginning of
Starting point is 00:13:34 the season. So they didn't get stuck with a week five buy. In Philly, last year had a week five buy. They overcame that. They won the Super Bowl. It was the first time in a long time. A team has had to buy that early. So that's something that stands out as a positive.
Starting point is 00:13:47 They got a favorable buy week there in week 10. And that's coming off of their three-game home stretch. So you get a stretch there from, yes, It's their third home game, and it doesn't come until October 16th, but they will not play a road game between October 12th and October, or sorry, November 16th. So they go a month of no travel in the middle of the season from week seven to week 10 with that buy in there. Yeah. No, I think that that's a definitely a positive is having it there. I like the time of year, too, just personally, because I'm going to shed that light on that. No, but the other benefit, I would say, is after being on the road a ton early, and we pointed that out.
Starting point is 00:14:31 Three straight home games going into the buy is, it's awesome. And that's with a mini buy in there. Like, it sucks to go from Green Bay at 425 short week Thursday night, but at least you're at home for the Steelers. You get the mini buy, and then it's Jets, Bears, buy week. So it really does hit in a nice spot where one, hopefully you're rolling going into the buy a little bit. Obviously, we'll talk about the hot start 50,000 times between now and September 7th when the season starts. But then at the same time, you have that reset where the Bengals have historically really ended the season strong and gotten hot in the back half. Well, now if they get hot in the back half and the streak picks up or they start to really get a hot week.
Starting point is 00:15:20 11 or week 12, you're just keeping it rolling back to back to back. That's a really tough stretch to stay hot, but you never know. So I do think that the weeks leading into the buy, all this travel that they have the first month and a half of the season, then they're homebound, literally for three weeks, then they can hit the beach for a week on the buy and then come back and get ready to go to Pittsburgh for a 1 o'clock game. I think that that's a pretty, pretty fun stretch. and really where they're going to have to make their hay
Starting point is 00:15:51 from the middle of October through the middle of November. Yeah. And the other thing that this stands out to me as a potential positive, and we don't really know how this plays out by the time it's late in the season. But week 17, week 18,
Starting point is 00:16:06 Cardinals, Browns at home, finishing the season against the Browns and week 18 is certainly different than finishing the season against the Ravens. And they get those Ravens games out of the way in a three-week window, which is going to probably define the season, week 13 to week 15, unless it's the beginning of the season.
Starting point is 00:16:28 We'll talk about that, I think, in a minute here. But finishing the season with the Cardinals and the Browns at home, on paper, and I think the Cardinals could be feisty this year. Don't get me wrong. But finishing with those teams at home is a relatively nice way to finish the season if they've got themselves in a good position at that point. Yeah, no doubt. No doubt.
Starting point is 00:16:49 I mean, your home, if you survive that month stretch, and maybe that Miami game isn't as tough, but Baltimore, Buffalo, Baltimore, you're right.
Starting point is 00:17:00 And can you be seven and four going into that stretch and somehow go two and one over those three? Like if you do that, then you really set yourself up because you're going to Miami, you have the nice warm weather vibes, good luck trying to guard Jamar and Miami. And then after that, it's two home games against teams.
Starting point is 00:17:18 Arizona is not going to love playing in the cold. And then the Browns, we'll see what they are. We'll see who their quarterback is. There's just so much uncertainty there with what that team would be and can be by then. But I agree with you. I mean, if you could finish the year at home, not have to hit the road. Because it was a tough Pittsburgh game last year. And their season was still on the line at the time.
Starting point is 00:17:43 Talked a lot about Trey Hendricks and yesterday. Trey kind of slammed the door on things. and it was a big reason why they won that game. So it's tough to go on the road to end the season, even when you're playing for something. It's tough. So to be home is certainly a benefit. Let's play a little game on that Browns Week 18 game.
Starting point is 00:18:03 Where do you set the over under on number of starting quarterbacks for the Browns in the season by the time they get to that week 18 game? Like three and a half? Two and a half or three and a half? It'd probably be two and a half and I'd take the over because I think it'd be three. Because you're going to get, isn't Flacco back in Cleveland? Like, Flacco's going to start at some point. Shadur is going to start at some point.
Starting point is 00:18:23 Flacco, Pickett. And maybe they trade one of these guys, Gabriel Sanders. I think Sanders starts at some point. I really do. I mean, why wouldn't you? Some point. By week 18, if they're bad, why not? I think he's better than Dylan Gabriel anyway, to be honest.
Starting point is 00:18:40 So, yeah, I think at least, Flacco probably starts week one if I had to guess. Kenny Pickett will linger and maybe get a start for whatever, whatever reason. And then I think Sanders ends up winning. And so maybe they move Gabriel or maybe Gabriel meets out Sanders. Who knows? But I do think three. Why wouldn't three of those start? And injuries happen too, obviously.
Starting point is 00:19:05 Yeah. Especially 40 years old. And the Browns have their sorted history of starting infinity quarterbacks because they can't get it right. It was a little fun. little fun over under for you for weekend yeah yeah i i would hit the over i would hit the over for sure let's let's finish up the show next by talking about the most important parts of this schedule maybe should have talked about this a little bit earlier we talked about the bad we talked about the good let's talk about the important here coming up next all right jake the the most important part
Starting point is 00:19:44 of the schedule and i'm looking right at it the the entire schedule i'm saying um i honestly I think it's got to be the first six weeks, and if you want to do it, then the first month. And the reason why, would you say? I said, it's hard to argue. There's two parts, but it's hard to argue with that part. The first month, because the first month, you start in Cleveland, a place that you've really struggled to win at, a team that you've really struggled against. And I get last year, last year was pretty unique.
Starting point is 00:20:12 And then you come home for, again, I get it's Jacksonville, but it's a pretty unique situation there. the team could feel a lot different. And I do think that they have talent. And then you hit the road for two games against teams that are playoff bound, potentially, and going to be tough environments, tough places to play. By the way, another gift from the schedule makers from my perspective. Minnesota and September, sign me up, baby.
Starting point is 00:20:38 But yeah, I think that first month, it defined last season. They couldn't get out of it. They couldn't get out of that hole, even though they tried. That first month really defined it. They should have started three in one last season. And they couldn't even get to two and two. And that's the difference. That makes all the difference in the world.
Starting point is 00:20:58 So going to Cleveland in winning is huge, finding a way to be at least at 500 after the first month and probably have a winning record going into that Detroit game because that's going to be a tough game too. I mean, it's not like it gets easy after that. but we just know that the first month has really impacted the Bengals. So finding a way to get off to a good start is just so huge, most important part of the schedule. Yeah, it's hard to argue with that. They need to get out of that stretch, that first six game stretch where they play three of their four NFC North games. So they have one AFC North game in that time. Obviously, AFC North record and winning in the AFC North is a huge part of this team.
Starting point is 00:21:46 And for that, it's a later in the year issue. But if you can get through those first six games or first month and have a winning record, before and two at worst, after six games, you've set yourself up for success the rest of the season. You cannot deal with another slow start. So because of their history, it's impossible to look past the early part of the schedule and say anything other than they need to overcome. the slow start issues. And to your point, we don't know exactly what these teams are going to be, but they're teams that you can't say one way or the other, the Bengals should feel particularly good about right now. If they're good, you should feel good about them, but we don't really
Starting point is 00:22:33 know what to expect from this defense right now. We don't know who their guards are right now. It looks like it was Dylan Fairchild and Cody Ford on Tuesday, but at this point, the offseason, and can't really read into that. But just underlying the, underlying the point there, they've got to get out of that stretch in a good place. And the NFC North this year, the Bengals have had success against the NFC North, I think, in recent history.
Starting point is 00:22:58 But this is the best it's been in recent history with the Vikings, Lions, and Packers, all teams that will be staking their playoff claims, even though the Vikings may have a bit of a questionable quarterback situation right now, talented team. No doubt. Outside of that. And the Bears are talented, by the way.
Starting point is 00:23:15 Just talking about the NFC North. I know that's not part of that gauntlet. No doubt. They've added a lot of talent. They've stocked up with the rookie contract for Caleb up there. So you don't know what you're getting with the Bears, I would say, is why I'm not including them. They're less proven.
Starting point is 00:23:32 But a lot of talent on that team. Can't really argue that. So you got the first six weeks that is the start fast NFC North, four row games and six weeks. week's part of the schedule. And then you get the Steelers, Jets, Bears, into the by that we talked about. But this middle part of the schedule here from week seven to week 15,
Starting point is 00:23:53 which is broader than I want to go. But you have four AFC North games there with the Steelers and the Ravens. Those AFC North games obviously critical, but really got to focus, and we alluded to this earlier, on 13 to 15. Ravens, Bill's, Ravens. Thursday night football in Baltimore. late afternoon, premium game in Buffalo, in December,
Starting point is 00:24:18 and then hosting the Ravens in week 15. If they're in a good spot and don't stumble out of the gates again or trip and faceplant maybe out of the gates again like they did last year, those three games, 13, 14, 15, at Ravens, at bills, Ravens at home, feel like they're going to be massive. And difficult at that part in the year. No doubt. That's the hardest part.
Starting point is 00:24:48 Like the most important is basically because of history, right? Obviously, December games could matter a ton and there could be a ton of value. And you hope that in September, what they do is they put themselves in position for those December games to matter. But my God. Those three, I mean, you're talking about all it's missing is the Chiefs. Those should be the top four teams in the AFC, realistically. Now, you could argue that, and there are other teams. I'm sure Denver's like, what are you talking about?
Starting point is 00:25:16 And Jacksonville and who else? Maybe Pittsburgh, if they sign Aaron Rogers, like all these different things. But to me, if you're seven and four in your first 11 and then you go into that stretch, well, finding a way to go two and one. And honestly, even if they're not, even if they're six and five or five and six, going two and one in that stretch, I say you take it because it's just it is going to be. Really tough. The good news is as tough as that Ravens game is going to be in Baltimore. You get the mini buy before going to Buffalo. And then you face Baltimore again. And then it is the softer landing. Like if you do get out of there two and one, well, maybe you finish the year five and one. You go to Miami. And then you have the Cardinals and Browns. And so there's two real stretches here where it's really tough. And then it kind of gets a little, depending on what the Browns look like or the Bears look like, these teams with, question marks, even the Steelers, to a large degree. Like the first six weeks, really tough, not many question marks, or you have to go on the road, even if you're playing a team like the Browns.
Starting point is 00:26:23 Then that second part of the season, these three games, and really you could add four because the at Pittsburgh game, I think, coming out of the buy is going to be huge. It's going to matter a lot. That's where the Bengal season kind of ended is December 1st, that first Pittsburgh game last year. So that that matchup could be big. But 13 through 15 is the, I'm not sure there's a tougher slate in a tougher three games for anyone, unless they play the chiefs in there instead of the Ravens twice. I really, it's hard for me to picture.
Starting point is 00:26:55 I mean, you could throw in the Eagles or whatever, but that's one of the tougher three game stretches without looking at anybody else's schedule in the NFL this season. Yeah, you'd have to look at the Raven schedule and see who they're playing a week, week 14, probably. Like if the Ravens are playing the Eagles in week 14, I don't know if the Ravens play the Eagles this year. I haven't looked. Or if the Ravens are playing the Chiefs or something in Week 14, then, you know, similar ball game there. But that is a very tough part of the schedule. And the Bengals have a bit of a history. They do play the Chiefs on the road.
Starting point is 00:27:31 I don't know where. And they also have Buffalo. They obviously can't play the bills. But the Bengals do have a history of finishing year strong when, Joe Burroughs healthy. They got to figure out the starts, but if they can figure out the starts and continue to be a team that hits its stride and figures out how to win and finishes season strong with a healthy Joe Burrow under Zach Taylor, which they have done, then that would be an ideal time if we follow that narrative to play these difficult games down the stretch.
Starting point is 00:28:02 Obviously not ideal to start with some of these potentially challenging non-developing, non-developing Divisional games early, Lions, Broncos, Packers, really standing out in weeks four to six. Because I don't know who's playing quarterback yet for the Vikings. I expect the Vikings to be good. But there's that quarterback question there. Hopefully they're just out of whatever early season issues they have. Hopefully they survive the early stretch. Browns, Jaguars could be a harder start, right?
Starting point is 00:28:33 The Browns could be in disarray this year, again. Could be like that for them. maybe the Jaguars are better, maybe not. Maybe they should handle the Jaguars at home if they're a good team. So maybe you can color that with some orange-tinted glasses. And then maybe if they are stumbling and they stumble their way to wins in those games, they figured it out by week four by the time you face some of these teams that were playoff contenders last year, Broncos, Lions, Packers.
Starting point is 00:28:59 I just looked at what I wrote last year when the schedule released. first bullet of my takeaways fast start question mark we thought we thought the early part of that schedule was so favorable oh my goodness and it should have been well no doubt i don't think it was wrong but the point is is like that lingers so much it's like it's like if they had failed to end strong we'd be like oh yeah well they're good at start in the season and give us false hope and how do they And how do they play in December? And it's the other way. And it's so weird because obviously December football is more meaningful.
Starting point is 00:29:43 But you have to get there for it to Matt. You can't be four and eight or six and eight. And expect to rally and play the wild card and go on the road and do all that. So I start got to be the most important thing. The schedule's here, Jake. It means football is almost here. Camp's not far. We get to talk about some other teams today for the first time in quite a while.
Starting point is 00:30:05 It means I get to take a shot at the Steelers. How crazy is it? that we have the Steelers or the NFL schedule and we do not know who's playing quarterback for the Steelers yet I think he's uh I think he's older than us I think he's Zach Taylor's age might be the one thing that we didn't really talk about today that we've talked about in past years that I have not spent the time to look at quite yet is rest disparity we haven't looked at for example the lion schedule or where other teams might be on short weeks coming in to a Bengals game.
Starting point is 00:30:38 But the Bengals coming off Monday night football have a short week going into week five hosting the Lions. And then they have the short week for Thursday night football, the two AFC North Thursday night games that they have. Haven't looked at rest disparity besides that. We'll see if that's an issue. This year, last year, very imbalanced, not in the Bengals favor. This year, it's, man, that Ravens game.
Starting point is 00:30:59 Thursday night football in Baltimore again. Thanksgiving. We have so many recurring themes. Start Fast, Ravens Thursday night on the road, and home road primetime disparity. Again. Yep. Yeah. That's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast.
Starting point is 00:31:20 Let us know what you are looking forward to here on the Bengals schedule. Until next time, thanks for listening. Ho-Day. And have a good one.

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