My take on the Bengals 2007 schedule

Here’s a deeper look into some of the intricacies of the upcoming 2007 schedule of the Cincinnati Bengals:

Week 1) Open the season at home during the early game of the Monday Night Football show against defending division winner Baltimore Ravens. Did I mention this is against the Ravens, who the Bengals easily handled last year at home, on Monday Night Football and it’s at home? Add to that the loss of Adalius Thomas and an aging offense (with the exception of newly-acquired Willis McGahee) and I say enough said.

Week 2) Bengals travel to Cleveland for a divisional game. The Browns are coming off the Steelers at home, so should be a competitive game, although I don’t see the Browns having enough to pull out an upset.

Week 3) Bengals travel out west to Seattle, who is coming off road game against divisional foe Arizona. This will be a tough game. Seattle features a good run game, adequate passing game, stout defense and one of the best kickers in the league in Josh Brown. The Bengals front seven will have its hands full with Shaun Alexander but secondary should do a good enough job against Deion Branch and Darrell Jackson to allow for a Bengals win.

Week 4) Bengals host the New England Patriots at home on yet another Monday Night Football game, this time the only game billed for the night. NE is coming off divisional game against Buffalo at home.

Week 5) Bye

Week 6) Travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs for the second time in as many years. KC is coming off JAX at home, while Bengals have a day under two weeks to prepare for this game. Damon Huard faces a tough test against the team that made him a starter last season.

Week 7) Bengals host the Jets at home, with the Jets just removed from facing the Philadelphia Eagles at home. Pennington is adequate, but won’t be able to out-duel Carson or beat our secondary with the WR corps he has.

Week 8) Bengals host the Steelers at home with PIT coming off tough Sunday Night Football game against Denver. Steelers breaking in new coach. Tough rookie season despite arguably easiest schedule in the league.

Week 9) Bengals travel to Buffalo. Bills just back from trip to the Meadowlands to face the Jets. Without LB Takeo Spikes, CB Nate Clements and an established run game to speak of with the trade of Willis McGahee, I see this as being a moderately easy tally for the W column.

Week 10) Bengals travel to Baltimore, who is coming off a MNF appearance at Pittsburgh. Good news: Chris Henry is back.

Week 11) Bengals host Arizona Cardinals at home, with the Cardinals fresh off host Detroit at home. The Cardinals are one of those teams with a ton of potential but lack the coaching to make them a contender. With Whisenhunt in charge, this will be a good team with Lienart, Boldin, Fitzgerald and the Edge, but simply not in Whiz’s first year as head coach.

Week 12) Bengals host Tennessee Titans, who are fresh off a MNF appearance at Denver. The Titans are an explosive team, as seen by their late-season run in 2006. Vince Young has a year under his belt and will only get better, but without any help from his receivers, rushers Travis Henry and Chris Brown gone and LenDale White eating his way out of the starting lineup, Young won’t have much help on the O side of the ball.

Week 13) Bengals travel to Pitt., where the Steelers just hosted Miami for MNF.

Week 14) St. Louis comes to Paul Brown Stadium after hosting the Falcons at home. Bulger, Holt and Bruce simply aren’t the Greatest Game on Turf anymore. Host a questionable defense, strong run game and aging passing game easily spell a win for the Bengals.

Week 15) Bengals travel to San Francisco to face the 49ers on the Saturday Night game. SF hosted Minnesota week before at home. San Fran is on the right path to contention, but without a decent passing game due to the release of Antonio Bryant, Frank Gore simply will be overmatched unless the 49ers add a few quality WRs in the draft.

Week 16) With an extra day of rest, Bengals come home to face the Browns. Browns hosted Buffalo the Sunday before.

Week 17) Bengals round out season on road against the Dolphins, with Miami coming off tough divisional game against NE. This puts onus on MIA since the last two games may have playoff implications, especially against NE.

With that said, here are some important points:

1) Two Monday Night Football games at home, with one including an extra day of rest following a long trip to Seattle to face the Pats right before the bye week.

2) Bengals don’t face a single team coming off their bye week. That’s huge. The Steelers face three while the Chiefs, Falcons, Bucs, Broncos, Bills and Saints all face two. Coincidentally, the Chiefs’ two games off teams coming off byes are in consecutive weeks, where they host the Jaguars and Bengals in Week 5 and 6. Bodes well for our Week 6 game.

2) In the second half of the season, not only do the Bengals get Chris Henry back, but the Bengals face three teams coming off Monday Night Football appearances the week before, two of the teams playing on the road: the Titans and the Ravens. In Week 10, the Bengals travel to Baltimore, who return from MNF at the Steelers. The Bengals host the Titans in Week 12, just off a MNF at Denver. The following week, the Bengals travel to Pittsburgh to play the Steelers, fresh off hosting the Dolphins on MNF the week before. Statistically speaking, teams that play on MNF generally don’t fare well the following week, especially teams that win that showcase game.

3) The last seven games of the season are against teams without winning records last year, with four of those games at home. Granted, three of the first four games are against division winners, but this schedule is not unmanageable.

My predictions
The Bengals will pick up wins against Baltimore, at Cleveland, at Seattle, against New England, against NY Jets, against Pittsburgh, at Buffalo, against Arizona, against Tennessee, at Pittsburgh, against St. Louis, at San Francisco, against Cleveland and at Miami.

I see the lone losses to come against Kansas City and Baltimore, both on the road.

Potential upsets: at Seattle, against New England and at Miami.

Predicted 2007 outcome: no worse than 12-4.