The NFL has released the 2006 schedule for the Cincinnati Bengals.
PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time)
* Sunday, Aug. 13, WASHINGTON (NBC), 8 p.m.
* Friday, Aug. 18, at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
* Monday, Aug. 28, GREEN BAY (ESPN), 8 p.m.
* Friday, Sept. 1, at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.
REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time)
* Sunday, Sept. 10, at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Sept. 17, CLEVELAND, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Sept. 24, at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Oct. 1, NEW ENGLAND, 4:15 p.m.
* Sunday, Oct. 8, (BYE)
* Sunday, Oct. 15, at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Oct. 22, CAROLINA, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Oct. 29, ATLANTA, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Nov. 5, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Nov. 12, SAN DIEGO, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Nov. 19, at New Orleans, 1 p.m.
* Sunday, Nov. 26, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
* Thursday, Nov. 30, BALTIMORE (NFL Network), 8 p.m.
* Sunday, Dec. 10, OAKLAND, 1 p.m.
* Monday, Dec. 18, at Indianapolis (ESPN), 8:30 p.m.
* Sunday, Dec. 24, at Denver, 4:15 p.m.
* Sunday, Dec. 31, PITTSBURGH, 1 p.m.
Below is the press release the Bengals sent to WCPO.com:
The Bengals' 2006 schedule, released today by the NFL, features a challenging opening run of four straight games within the American Football Conference, plus a season-ending Dec. 31 home game against defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.
The Bengals defeated Pittsburgh for the 2005 AFC North Division championship, but in their last visit to Paul Brown Stadium, this past Jan. 8, the Steelers defeated Cincinnati in the first round of the playoffs.
Cincinnati will open the regular season on the road for the third straight year, visiting Kansas City on Sunday, Sept. 10. The home opener on Sept. 17 will feature the Cleveland Browns in the 66th edition of the “Battle of Ohio.”
The Bengals currently are scheduled for two prime-time night games. They also are slated for two late-afternoon Sunday contests that will be featured national doubleheader games on CBS.
The night games are Thursday, Nov. 30 at home against Baltimore (NFL Network) and Monday, Dec. 18 at Indianapolis (ESPN). The broadcast of both of those games will also be aired in the Cincinnati market on a local, non-cable television station to be announced.
The CBS national doubleheader Sunday games, both scheduled for 4:15 p.m. (Eastern time), are Oct. 1 at home against New England and Dec. 24 at Denver.
The Bengals could also have a national game on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, as seven of the last eight Sunday night contests are yet to be determined under the NFL’s new “flexible scheduling” format.
Both Bengals home preseason games also are slated for national TV — Sunday, Aug. 13 against Washington (NBC) and Monday, Aug. 28 against Green Bay (ESPN).
Cincinnati closes the season with three straight games against fellow 2005 AFC playoff qualifiers — Indianapolis, Denver and Pittsburgh. Those teams combined for a 38-10 record in ’05.
“We’re excited that the schedule is out; it helps keep you energized,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. “It’s a difficult schedule. We’ve got the World Champions (Pittsburgh) twice, and we’ve got the other three AFC Division champs besides ourselves (Denver, Indianapolis, New England). In the NFC, we’ve got the championship game runner-up (Carolina) and another division champ (Tampa Bay).
“It’s a challenge, but you don’t win anything without facing a challenge. We welcome the opportunity to earn our way back into the playoffs.”
Bengals season tickets are on sale now
Tickets for all home games on the 2006 Bengals schedule, including the preseason, are on sale now as part of a Season Ticket Package. For more information, or to purchase Bengals season tickets, please contact the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-TDTD (8383) or call toll free at 866-621-TDTD. Season ticket information can also be found in the “Tickets” menu on the Bengals’ official website, www.bengals.com.
Sunday afternoon games could switch to prime-time
Bengals fans are asked to take note that in seven of the last eight weeks of the 2006 NFL season, games currently scheduled for Sunday afternoon will be eligible to be moved to an 8:15 p.m. kickoff on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
The league’s “flexible scheduling” element will ensure quality matchups for the Sunday prime-time games, and will give playoff-contending teams the chance to increase their late-season national exposure. No teams currently are listed in the Sunday night time slots for Weeks 10-15 and 17, meaning that in each of the seven ‘flex’ weeks, one afternoon game will be moved to Sunday night. (Week 16 Sunday afternoon games, including Cincinnati’s national doubleheader contest at Denver, will not be made eligible for 8:15 p.m. starts, due to travel and scheduling considerations for the holiday weekend).
For games of Weeks 10-15, the NFL will provide at least 12 days notice of a switch to Sunday night. For example, if the Bengals game on Nov. 12 vs. San Diego were to be moved to 8:15 p.m. from its present 1 p.m. slot, the change would be announced no later than Tuesday, Oct. 31. For games of Week 17, to ensure contending teams will be on the final Sunday night broadcast, the change could be made with six days notice.
Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday, Saturday or Monday nights.
Bengals home games eligible to be moved to Sunday night are Nov. 12 vs. San Diego, Dec. 10 vs. Oakland and Dec. 31 vs. Pittsburgh. Bengals road games eligible to be moved to Sunday night are Nov. 19 at New Orleans and Nov. 26 at Cleveland.
As in past seasons, Bengals games scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sundays also will be eligible to be moved to 4:15 p.m. for greater national TV exposure. Last season, Cincinnati’s Nov. 20 showcase home game against Indianapolis was moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., with the change announced on Oct. 31, nearly three weeks in advance.
http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/04/06/bengals.html