The Cincinnati Bengals face a challenging path to the playoffs through a highly competitive AFC North. Here are three crucial non-divisional games they must win to maintain playoff contention:

Week 4 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Thursday Night Football)

• Bengals' only primetime game of 2021
• Must overcome poor primetime performance history
• Favorable matchup against rookie QB Trevor Lawrence and first-year coach Urban Meyer
• Home field advantage should be leveraged

Week 6 at Detroit Lions

• Key road game against rebuilding Lions
• Detroit's defense ranked last in points allowed previous season
• New coach Dan Campbell still establishing team culture
• Bengals' offense should capitalize on Lions' defensive struggles

Week 8 at New York Jets

• Critical mid-season road matchup
• Jets featuring rookie QB Zach Wilson and new coach Robert Saleh
• Wilson's NFL adaptation remains uncertain
• Another winnable game against an inexperienced team

These early-season games are vital for playoff positioning in a strong AFC North. Success against these developing teams could determine the Bengals' postseason fate. The team must capitalize on these opportunities while facing less experienced opponents to build momentum for tougher divisional matchups.

Related Articles

Previous Articles