For those who like it in text form ... (I save it in my phone notes). Orange is home.

Full Bengals 2026 Schedule:

Preseason:
- 🟠 Aug 13 vs Lions 7:00 PM
- 🟠 Aug 22 vs Bears 7:00 PM
- ⚫ Aug 28 @ Eagles 8:00 PM

Regular Season:
- 🟠 Sep 13 vs Buccaneers 1:00 PM
- ⚫ Sep 20 @ Texans 1:00 PM
- ⚫ Sep 27 @ Steelers 1:00 PM
- 🟠 Oct 4 vs Jaguars 1:00 PM
- ⚫ Oct 11 @ Dolphins 1:00 PM
- BYE WEEK
- ⚫ Oct 25 @ Ravens 1:00 PM
- 🟠 Nov 1 vs Titans 1:00 PM
- 🇪🇸 Nov 8 vs Falcons 9:30 AM (Madrid)
- 🟠 Nov 15 vs Steelers 8:20 PM
- ⚫ Nov 23 @ Commanders 8:15 PM
- 🟠 Nov 29 vs Saints 1:00 PM
- ⚫ Dec 6 @ Browns 1:00 PM
- 🟠 Dec 13 vs Chiefs 4:25 PM
- ⚫ Dec 20 @ Panthers 1:00 PM
- ⚫ Dec 26/27 @ Colts TBD
- 🟠 Dec 31 vs Ravens 8:15 PM
- 🟠 Jan 9/10 vs Browns TBD

4 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

I would rather have a later bye week, but having it the week before playing at Baltimore is a fair trade off. The early schedule is tough. On the road at HOU, PIT, and BAL in the first 6 games is going to be a challenge. It’s impossible to know right now if teams like WAS or IND will be contenders, but the schedule is much more favorable starting Week 8.

But if they come out of that 5-1, WHOOOOOOOOO!!!!

1 hour ago, Jamie_B said:

But but the linebackers 😕

38 minutes ago, spicoli said:

But but the linebackers 😕

Still a concern. We have the 3rd easiest schedule, so I expected we should be favored in most games. It's when we get to the playoffs that that changes.

15 hours ago, kennethmw said:

But if they come out of that 5-1, WHOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I would take a 4-2 start right now as long as at least one of the wins is an AFCN road game. The first goal of the new season should be winning the AFC North. The 2 toughest road games at least on paper (where no games are ever played) come in weeks 3 and 6. Split those 2 games and the season will suddenly look far more promising.

After further review... I really hope that early Bye Week doesn't

come back to bite them in the ass.

And I'm sure we will pick up a linebacker some time before

the season starts like we did when we got A J Hawk.

8 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

Still a concern. We have the 3rd easiest schedule, so I expected we should be favored in most games. It's when we get to the playoffs that that changes.

Here’s the thing about LB play in the NFL….they are very dependent on the guys that are in front of them. Last year you had two rookies playing behind a bunch of nobodies that teams didn’t respect even a little bit. That changes drastically this year with Lawrence and Allen. Even if you don’t think highly of Allen, he’s going to benefit greatly playing next to DL. All of them will benefit from playing next to him. End of day though, no one benefits more than the two young LBers.

15 minutes ago, spicoli said:

Here’s the thing about LB play in the NFL….they are very dependent on the guys that are in front of them. Last year you had two rookies playing behind a bunch of nobodies that teams didn’t respect even a little bit. That changes drastically this year with Lawrence and Allen. Even if you don’t think highly of Allen, he’s going to benefit greatly playing next to DL. All of them will benefit from playing next to him. End of day though, no one benefits more than the two young LBers.

I dont disagree when it comes to coming in and making tackles on the RB or blitzing the QB, but these guys still have to play in space and cover routes over the middle too, that doesn't really have much to do with the guys in front of them.

50 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

I dont disagree when it comes to coming in and making tackles on the RB or blitzing the QB, but these guys still have to play in space and cover routes over the middle too, that doesn't really have much to do with the guys in front of them.

It does if you’re getting pressure on the QB. A guy in the middle that teams have to consistently double and triple team opens up every aspect on the defensive side of the football.

1 hour ago, spicoli said:

It does if you’re getting pressure on the QB. A guy in the middle that teams have to consistently double and triple team opens up every aspect on the defensive side of the football.

Thats exactly where we need the LBs to preform. If we're getting pressure up the middle you can expect teams to play the short quick routes that we need the LBs and whoever is going to play nickle to shutdown

2 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

Thats exactly where we need the LBs to preform. If we're getting pressure up the middle you can expect teams to play the short quick routes that we need the LBs and whoever is going to play nickle to shutdown

Ok? And you think that they can’t improve in that aspect for some reason? You don’t think getting thrown to the wolves last year is going to benefit them in the long run?

9 hours ago, spicoli said:

Ok? And you think that they can’t improve in that aspect for some reason? You don’t think getting thrown to the wolves last year is going to benefit them in the long run?

Maybe, but until I see that, it remains a concern is all

5 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

Maybe, but until I see that, it remains a concern is all

this is a tough one for me, some folks on here act like we are starting Nick Vigil and Malik Jefferson and hoping for the best.

Knight was an averaged 45.8 Defensive grade before the bye and the evacuation of the defensive cancer that was Logan Wilson.

Knight was a 58.7 after the bye.

The superbowl cham Seahawks linebackers were 65, 65, and 51 defensive ranks

the superbowl patriots linebackers were 59 and 2 defensive ranks.

the second half of the season the bengals played 3 playoffs teams and the ravens twice. so 5 of the 8 games were against good oppnents. and the young palyers on defense play quite a bit better on that half.

it shows clear and visible progress.

the guys on the field showed everyone they can be amung the performance level, as rookies, of the linebackers who played for the two superbowl teams.

its also not 2006 anymore, and ray lewis linebackers neither exist nor are part of what defenses are today. so i think bengals fans are putting too much stake in what the linebacker roles are in the NFL today.

25% (exactly) of Knights snaps were on the line for pressure, which isnt his role or skillset or purpose, injuries to half of our DE's forced that to be part of it.

if we want to make the list of reasons for failure and poor performance its a long and easy one:

• rookies

• new system so no vets to teach system

• no vet LB aside from defensive cancer who got paid to play elsewhere to bring them along quicker

• injuries in front of them forced them out of their roles that they were just learning in the first place

• injuries and poor play in front and behind them put them in trash positions in games, covering too long, left on an island, etc.

and still showed improvement, growth and production as much as you think they should, let alone being thrown to the wolves.

how many of the big plays or drive extending plays were scramble drill plays? no one can cover forever, and rookies, on the field too long, in various roles,

so in a system that seems it will be featuring maybe 2 linebacker most of the time, with Mafe/Howell etc playing some coverage roles now and then, i dont really see any reason be have any concerns about the LB talent we have.

depth, whole new story, but over the last 5-6 years the LB has become the least important role on a defense, if you can get an insant talent that is versatile and top 5 guy, its a huge gain and a huge win.. but the league has turned into has a small top tier (5-8 guys in the league) a huge middle tier (the next 30-40 guys) then the lower tier, like what logan wilson was doing on the field last year.

and if you wanna dig into that pool even more, of the top 20 defensive raked LB's, 25% of them didnt even play 500 snaps. and are situational role guys who are edge LB and non traditional LB guys who only line up on the line to blitz really.

IMO, if linebacker is our weakest position, we are in great shape.

Here's the thing with our LBs: Will they actually tackle people? It's a controversial question "can poor tacklers ever improve or it that one of those things, you're either a good tackler or you're not?" Geno Stone was not

At this rate, each team will have one international game a season

19 hours ago, GoBengals said:

this is a tough one for me, some folks on here act like we are starting Nick Vigil and Malik Jefferson and hoping for the best.

Knight was an averaged 45.8 Defensive grade before the bye and the evacuation of the defensive cancer that was Logan Wilson.

Knight was a 58.7 after the bye.

The superbowl cham Seahawks linebackers were 65, 65, and 51 defensive ranks

the superbowl patriots linebackers were 59 and 2 defensive ranks.

the second half of the season the bengals played 3 playoffs teams and the ravens twice. so 5 of the 8 games were against good oppnents. and the young palyers on defense play quite a bit better on that half.

it shows clear and visible progress.

the guys on the field showed everyone they can be amung the performance level, as rookies, of the linebackers who played for the two superbowl teams.

its also not 2006 anymore, and ray lewis linebackers neither exist nor are part of what defenses are today. so i think bengals fans are putting too much stake in what the linebacker roles are in the NFL today.

25% (exactly) of Knights snaps were on the line for pressure, which isnt his role or skillset or purpose, injuries to half of our DE's forced that to be part of it.

if we want to make the list of reasons for failure and poor performance its a long and easy one:

• rookies

• new system so no vets to teach system

• no vet LB aside from defensive cancer who got paid to play elsewhere to bring them along quicker

• injuries in front of them forced them out of their roles that they were just learning in the first place

• injuries and poor play in front and behind them put them in trash positions in games, covering too long, left on an island, etc.

and still showed improvement, growth and production as much as you think they should, let alone being thrown to the wolves.

how many of the big plays or drive extending plays were scramble drill plays? no one can cover forever, and rookies, on the field too long, in various roles,

so in a system that seems it will be featuring maybe 2 linebacker most of the time, with Mafe/Howell etc playing some coverage roles now and then, i dont really see any reason be have any concerns about the LB talent we have.

depth, whole new story, but over the last 5-6 years the LB has become the least important role on a defense, if you can get an insant talent that is versatile and top 5 guy, its a huge gain and a huge win.. but the league has turned into has a small top tier (5-8 guys in the league) a huge middle tier (the next 30-40 guys) then the lower tier, like what logan wilson was doing on the field last year.

and if you wanna dig into that pool even more, of the top 20 defensive raked LB's, 25% of them didnt even play 500 snaps. and are situational role guys who are edge LB and non traditional LB guys who only line up on the line to blitz really.

IMO, if linebacker is our weakest position, we are in great shape.

Interesting I thought Knight showed the most promise when we moved him up to the line to blitz. Its the coverage part is where Im hope both guys can at least be competent