Bengals-Ravens among top 10 NFL games of 2026 season, per NFL.com

With the NFL schedule release expected May 13 or 14, according to reports, NFL.com's Eric Edholm identified the 10 games during the 2026 season he's most anticipating.

Edholm's ninth-ranked game is Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals.

"Why would two non-playoff teams from 2025 facing off qualify as such a big game?" Edholm wrote. "Well, the storylines do run fairly deep with this one."

Edholm mentioned that defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who played the past five seasons for the Bengals and led the NFL in sacks in 2024, will return to Cincinnati for the first time since leaving for the Ravens in free agency during the offseason.

"(Bengals quarterback Joe) Burrow and (Ravens quarterback Lamar) Jackson both are coming off injury-plagued seasons and are arguably entering career crossroads of sorts," Edholm wrote. "Jackson has a new head coach this season, and after missing the postseason three straight years, the Bengals' Zac Taylor likely needs a playoff appearance to avoid questions about his future in Cincinnati."

The Bengals last defeated the Ravens at Paycor Stadium when Sam Hubbard returned the "" 98 yards for a touchdown in a playoff game in January 2023.