Bengals' schedule isn't going to be the thing that defines their season

Bengals' schedule isn't going to be the thing that defines their season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Bengals look to have an easy schedule for the 2026 NFL season.

That was a big takeaway on Thursday night as the league's full slate was unveiled, and it has people dreaming big things for the Bengals.

For example, ESPN's Ben Solak thinks the Bengals are now set up to reach the AFC Championship Game.

"The Bengals -- based again on the 2025 win-loss records of their 2026 opponents -- have the league's third-easiest schedule," Solak writes. "All they need is for the defense to not be detrimental, and one assumes they can be a playoff team again without too much trouble."

Ah, but that last line, the defense.

That will determine everything. Easy schedule or not, the Bengals have bigger concerns than how the other teams look on paper.

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Is the Bengals' defense any good?

The reality is that the defense has let the Bengals down for years.