The Cincinnati Bengals didn’t just survive the NFL schedule release. According to longtime NFL analyst Adam Schein, they won it.
During a recent episode of “Schein Time,” Schein declared Cincinnati the biggest winner of the NFL’s 2026 schedule release, adding even more fuel to the growing national belief that the Bengals are positioned for a major rebound season after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
“I’m telling you right now,” Schein said. “Here’s the bold prediction. Bengals win the division. The
Bengals at most lose one game from November 1st on. One game. If you are a Bengals’ fan, you’re fired up.”
And honestly, it’s not hard to see why.
The Bengals not only enter 2026 with a healthy Joe Burrow and what many believe is an improved roster, but they also appear to have landed one of the easiest schedules in the AFC. From manageable early-season matchups to a stretch run that avoids many of the league’s elite teams, Cincinnati suddenly looks like a legitimate contender to reclaim control of the AFC North.
Schein has been openly bullish on Cincinnati throughout the offseason, but the schedule release seems to have pushed him fully over the top. In a post following the release, he called the Bengals “the big winner” and said he has been “in love all offseason” with the direction of the franchise.
Part of that optimism stems from continuity on offense and what appears to be a much easier rhythm to the season. Cincinnati’s first seven games are set for traditional Sunday afternoon windows, avoiding the kind of brutal early primetime gauntlet that can wear teams down physically and mentally.
More importantly, from midseason on, the Bengals face relatively few projected playoff-caliber opponents outside marquee matchups against the Chiefs and Ravens, both of which are scheduled for Paycor Stadium. And that matters.
A year ago, the Bengals spent much of the season fighting uphill against injuries, defensive inconsistency, and a brutal schedule. This year, the national conversation feels very different. The additions on defense, the emergence of young talent, and the stability around Burrow have many believing Cincinnati is built to bounce back quickly.
And now, the NFL schedule-makers may have helped clear the runway.
