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SPORTS

Bengals' schedule released, 4 primetime games

Paul Dehner Jr.
pdehnerjr@enquirer.com
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) celebrates with fans after the win over the Denver Broncos at Paul Brown Stadium on Dec. 22.

The Bengals were forced to earn their way into the postseason last year under the bright lights of primetime. The NFL enjoyed the show so much that it'll make Andy Dalton and his teammates do it again in 2015.

With the NFL's release of the regular-season schedule on Tuesday, Cincinnati tied a franchise record for scheduled primetime games with four, all of which will come in the final nine weeks of the season. The stretch includes back-to-back games at San Francisco and at Denver under the lights before closing the year at home against Baltimore.

"I say every year that we already have known all our home and road opponents for the year, but the four national games do stick out," Marvin Lewis said. "It's a compliment to our franchise, a challenge for the team, and exciting for our fans to have the two home night games in November. The other thing you look at as a coach is closing the season against Baltimore, when you expect there could be a lot at stake."

The Week 16 game against Denver will be a rematch of the signature win from the Bengals' 2014 season, a 37-28 playoff-clinching victory also in Week 16.

The other home primetime game also will be a replica of last year with the Bengals hosting Cleveland on Thursday night the first week in November for the second straight season. The situation might bring back nightmares for Bengals fans and their quarterback. Dalton endured the worst game of his career that night, finishing with a putrid 2.0 passer rating in a 24-3 defeat.

Primetime football always means increased focus on Dalton. Last year the Bengals went 1-3 under the lights, losing at New England, at Pittsburgh and at home against Cleveland. Toss in the playoff loss to Indianapolis, and pressure took its toll again on the quarterback.

  • Andy Dalton primetime/playoffs performances
  • Primetime/Playoffs: 87 of 156 (56 percent), 835 yards (167 average), 6 TD, 6 INT
  • Other games: 240 of 360 (66.7 percent), 2,718 (227 average), 13 TD, 11 INT

The national media love also dips into the preseason, where Cincinnati finds itself on Monday Night Football at Tampa Bay. Of all the primetime games, only the Dec. 20 trip to San Francisco is subject to flex scheduling.

More primetime games could be added if Sunday afternoon games are flexed to Sunday night. During a maximum of two weeks for the six-week period of Weeks 5-10, the NFL may choose to flex a Sunday afternoon game to Sunday night, with the originally scheduled Sunday night game moving to Sunday afternoon.

During Weeks 11-17, all Sunday games are subject to possible flex among the three standard kickoff times -- early afternoon, late afternoon and night.

Other quirks in the schedule include the Bengals opening on the road for the sixth consecutive season. The longest active streak of road openers for any other team is three. The Bengals' last home opener came against Denver in 2009, and they'll travel to Oakland to start the season this year.

The last time the Bengals opened the season on the West Coast came under Dave Shula at Seattle in 1992.

PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time)

  • Fri., Aug. 14: N.Y. GIANTS, 7:30 p.m.
  • Mon., Aug. 24: at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Sat., Aug. 29: CHICAGO, 7:30 p.m.
  • Thurs., Sept. 3: at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time)

  • Sun., Sept. 13: at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.
  • Sun., Sept. 20: SAN DIEGO, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Sept. 27: at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Oct. 4: KANSAS CITY, 1 p.m.
  • Sun., Oct. 11: SEATTLE, 1 p.m.*
  • Sun., Oct. 18: at Buffalo, 1 p.m.*
  • Sun., Oct. 25: (BYE WEEK)
  • Sun., Nov. 1: at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.*
  • Thurs., Nov. 5: CLEVELAND, 8:25 p.m. (NFL Network)
  • Mon., Nov. 16: HOUSTON, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Sun., Nov. 22: at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.*
  • Sun., Nov. 29: ST. LOUIS, 1 p.m.*
  • Sun., Dec. 6: at Cleveland, 1 p.m.*
  • Sun., Dec. 13: PITTSBURGH, 1 p.m.*
  • Sun., Dec. 20: at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)*
  • Mon., Dec. 28: at Denver, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Sun., Jan. 3: BALTIMORE, 1 p.m.*

*subject to flex scheduling