Week 1 of the preseason is finally here. NFL fans get a taste of actual football (kind of). The Cincinnati Bengals will continue their trend of giving their starters live reps in the preseason, which they started last year, to hopefully have a better start to the season.
It will be fun to see a little bit of the big names get their sea legs under them, but the vast majority of the game will be spent watching the second-string players, as well as roster bubble players trying to earn their spots on a roster.
Can training camp rookie phenoms wide receiver Colbie Young and edge rusher Cashius Howell translate what they’ve done on the practice field into a real game scenario? Can some crowded positional rooms sort themselves out? I am looking at the defensive tackle room.
We also will get a look at Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter at linebacker in their second season after facing a ton of criticism the entire Offseason. Will the Bengals front office look like geniuses for betting on their improvement, or will it be a preview of a train wreck?
Here is how to watch the Bengals host the Lions in Week 1 of the preseason:
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Detroit Lions
- Date/Time: Aug. 13th, 2026 at 7:00 pm ET
- Location: Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH.
- Series Leader: The Bengals lead the preseason series, 19-18. The Lions are the team the Bengals have played the most in the preseason.
- TV Channel: The Bengals Preseason TV Network is led by flagship WXIX-TV (FOX Channel 19) in Cincinnati. Also on the network are WKEF-TV (Ch. 22) in Dayton, Ohio; WSYX-TV (Ch. 6) in Columbus, Ohio; WLIO-TV (Ch. 8.2) in Lima, Ohio; WLEX-TV (Ch. 18) in Lexington, Ky.; and WDRB-TV (Ch. 41) in Louisville, Ky.
- Online Stream: Bengals.com or the Bengals app (in market) and NFL+ (out of market)
- Broadcasters: Mike Watts (play-by-play) and Anthony Munoz (analyst)
- Replay: NFL+ and NFL Network (check local listings)
- Radio Broadcast: The game will air on the Bengals Radio Network, led by Cincinnati flagship radio stations WLW-AM (700), WCKY-AM (1530) and WEBN-FM (102.7). Broadcasters are Dan Hoard (play-by-play) and Dave Lapham (analyst).
- SB Nation Lions’ site: Pride of Detroit
- Rosters: CIN | DET
- Stats to Know: CIN | DET
- Weather: According to NFL Weather, the game will be in the low-80s with cloudy skies and a chance of showers.
What will you be watching for? Let us know in the comments section!
