The Cincinnati Bengals are back to where they were a few years ago as they attempt to go from worst-to-first in the AFC North.
No favors were handed out last year as quarterback Joe Burrow dealt with major injuries, and 11 of their 17 games came against playoff teams. Per NFL analyst Warren Sharp, that's the most a team has faced in a single season since 2000!
Cincinnati's path in 2024 looks a lot more manageable.
Bengals' strength of schedule outlook
When looking at projected win totals from around the league, the Bengals are slated to face the sixth-easiest strength of schedule in 2024. They ended up playing the toughest schedule in the entire NFL in 2023.
Per Sharp, that's the biggest year-over-year improvement for any team.
Instead of using win-loss records from the previous season, Sharp's methodology involves how well sportsbooks project teams faring in the upcoming season for a better outlook of how tough or easy each opponent will be.
The Bengals' win total sits at 10.5, which is the tied for the second-highest in the league, and only two of their 2024 opponents are projected to win more. The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens are each at 11.5 wins.
Of course, projections are just projections at the end of the day, but the odds of Cincinnati having to play double-digit games against playoff teams for a second straight years are incredibly small. Six of those games from last year were against their own division rivals as well.
No matter which angle you look at it from, the Bengals stand out as a strong candidate to win more often in 2024 compared to 2023.
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