The Cincinnati Bengals may have received an unexpected but welcome gift from the NFL schedule-makers heading into the 2025 season. For a team that has struggled notoriously with sluggish starts under head coach Zac Taylor, the way this year’s schedule has shaped up could be the lifeline the Bengals need to avoid another early-season spiral.
Cincinnati’s recent track record in season openers has been far from inspiring. The most glaring example came last year, when the Bengals opened the season with a shocking loss to a struggling New England Patriots squad. That defeat didn’t just mark a disappointing start — it set the tone for what would become a derailed and underwhelming campaign. Despite the talent on the roster and high expectations following their recent playoff runs, the Bengals couldn’t recover from that early stumble.
Now, with the 2025 schedule officially released, there’s a sense of cautious optimism in Cincinnati. It appears the NFL schedulers may have thrown the Bengals a bone — intentionally or not — by setting up a series of early matchups that could give the team a better shot at hitting the ground running.
A Favorable Opening Stretch
While every NFL game poses its own challenges, the Bengals’ early-season lineup for 2025 looks, at least on paper, significantly more manageable than in years past. Rather than opening the season with a gauntlet of playoff-caliber opponents, Cincinnati has been given a slate that features a mix of mid-tier and rebuilding teams. These are matchups where, if they play up to their potential, the Bengals should be able to establish momentum.
That’s not to say the Bengals can afford to be complacent — they’ve learned the hard way that underestimating any opponent can lead to disaster. But this year, they won’t immediately be facing the likes of the Chiefs, Bills, or 49ers in Weeks 1 or 2. Instead, they’ll have a real opportunity to gain confidence, build chemistry, and get into a rhythm before the schedule inevitably stiffens.
Zac Taylor’s Chance to Flip the Script
The 2025 season might be the most critical of Zac Taylor’s tenure thus far. While he’s guided the Bengals to multiple playoff appearances and a Super Bowl run, the repeated trend of slow starts has been a glaring weakness. It’s become a point of frustration for fans and analysts alike, particularly given the immense talent Cincinnati boasts on both sides of the ball.
This year’s schedule could be the ideal setup for Taylor to rewrite the narrative. Starting strong would not only boost team morale but could also set the Bengals up for a more favorable seeding come playoff time — assuming they maintain consistency through the mid and late season stretches.
A Season Defined by Opportunity
With Joe Burrow healthy and surrounded by offensive weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, along with a retooled defense eager to prove itself, the Bengals are not short on talent. What they’ve lacked in recent years is urgency at the outset of the season. The 2025 schedule might be the missing piece to unlocking their full potential from Week 1 onward.
In a league where every game counts and momentum is everything, the Bengals now have no excuses. The NFL schedule makers may have opened the door — now it’s up to Cincinnati to walk through it.