Game-by-game predictions for Bengals' 2026 season: How many wins?

Prediction: W (2-1)

Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 1 p.m. ET

This feels like a trap game, but not enough to call it a loss. There hasn’t been much of an actual quarterback debate between these two clubs for years now.

Prediction: W (3-1)

Week 5: Oct. 11 at Miami Dolphins 1 p.m. ET

Talk about a friendly start to the season for the Bengals. They wrap up the pre-bye slate against what could be the worst team in the NFL just entering the first stages of a big rebuild.

Prediction: W (4-1)

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: Oct. 25 at Baltimore Ravens 1 p.m. ET

Do we trust Zac Taylor out of a bye? Maybe not. The defense should be fully adjusted now, but they haven’t played anyone like Lamar Jackson up to this point.

Prediction: L (4-2)

Week 8: Nov. 1 vs. Tennessee Titans 1 p.m. ET

Brian Callahan is already up out of there in Tennessee, giving the Bengals what should be a very winnable game against a rebuilder just before the big trip overseas.

Prediction: W (5-2)

Week 9: Nov. 8 at Atlanta Falcons (Madrid) 9:30 a.m. ET

An international game feels like a toss-up even moreso than those weird Thursday night games on short weeks.

Prediction: W (6-2)

Week 10: Nov. 15 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (SNF) 8:20 p.m. ET

The Bengals get a little extra rest after the overseas trip. By this point in the season, if this record holds, it’s safe to suggest the Steelers are pulling a Mike Tomlin-era thing and just hanging around .500. Maybe with some Rodgers drama distracting things, too.

Prediction: W (7-2)

Week 11: Nov. 23 at Washington Commanders (MNF) 8:15 p.m. ET

Hello, trap game. A Monday night stage against a tricky Jayden Daniels-led offense on an odd cross-conference opponent could cause some problems.

Prediction: L (7-3)

Week 12: Nov. 29 vs. New Orleans Saints 1 p.m. ET

The purgatory Saints are a trap because of their NFC ties too, as the Bengals just don’t see them that often. Still, Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler aren’t beating Burrow.

Prediction: W (8-3)

Week 13: Dec. 6 at Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. ET

The Browns are a mess. The cold-weather slugfest on the road won’t make things easy, but it’s not exactly a far trip, either.

Prediction: W (9-3)

Week 14: Dec. 13 vs. Kansas City Chiefs 4:25 p.m. ET

Let’s just presume Patrick Mahomes is back fully healthy at this point and call it a 50-50 game in a likely shootout.

Prediction: L (9-4)

Week 15: Dec. 20 at Carolina Panthers 1 p.m. ET

Tired of hearing about trap games yet? The Panthers from the NFC showed some signs of life last year, clearly. A road trip makes it a tad trickier, too. And yet, the Burrow factor.

Prediction: W (10-4)

Week 16: at Indianapolis Colts TBD

Burrow knows how to work around old friend Lou Anarumo’s defense. Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson, even, probably aren’t going to be able to keep up.

Prediction: W (11-4)

Week 17: vs. Baltimore Ravens (TNF) 8:15 p.m. ET

We have to presume Jackson is healthy, just like we do Burrow. This takes place in Cincinnati, but on a holiday and, even worse, a short week. A shootout is a 50-50.

Prediction: L (11-5)

Week 18: vs. Cleveland Browns TDB

Only one team will probably have something to play for in this game.

Prediction: W (12-5)

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals schedule game-by-game predictions for 2026 season