The 2026 NFL season is here. The wait is over.
The Cincinnati Bengals will take the field Sunday at Paycor Stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game that actually matters.
And it does matter.
Unlike the MLB or the NBA, which both have absurdly long regular seasons, the NFL (for now) plays only 17 games. That means every game—from the first to the last—is important. The Bengals are contenders, and if they want the road to the AFC Championship to go through Cincinnati, they can’t afford to take
games off.
Cincy has an easy schedule this year. While I don’t think the Bucs are one of the best teams in the league, I do think they’re a top-five team the Bengals will face. I also think the Bengals are better than the Buccaneers, especially on offense.
There aren’t many defenses in the league that can consistently keep up with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and the ridiculous number of weapons at Burrow’s disposal.
And I think the Bengals’ much-improved defense will make at least a stop or two.
Having said all that, I don’t expect the Bengals’ offense to be in midseason form right out of the gate. Any supercar needs a couple of laps to warm up.
I was also wrong about Baker Mayfield.
When he was drafted, I thought he was a clown. And, from the outside looking in, pretty much anything happening in Cleveland resembles a burning dumpster. But once Mayfield got out of there, my opinion started to change. He’s since revitalized his career, and he’s become a pretty hard guy not to root for.
Except for this week.
He’ll be able to move the ball against the Bengals, and Tampa Bay has enough offensive firepower to make Cincinnati pay for mistakes.
The unsung hero for the Bengals could be Chase Brown.
If I’m a defensive coordinator facing the Burrow-Chase-Higgins trifecta, I’m focusing the vast majority of my attention on them. Chase has to be doubled almost all the time, and Higgins can’t consistently be left one-on-one either. Then there’s a third receiver, Mike Gesicki, Erick All Jr., or somebody else waiting to take advantage.
The fact is, if the offensive line gives Burrow time to throw, someone is going to get open.
That leaves Tampa Bay with two basic options: put as many defensive backs on the field as possible, or pin their ears back and try to get to Burrow before one of his weapons gets open.
That’s where Brown could come in.
If the Buccaneers load up on defensive backs, Brown could take advantage of a lighter box. And one of the best ways to slow down an aggressive pass rush is to make it pay with an effective running game.
I don’t think the Bengals need to “establish the run” to set up the pass, but it’d certainly be nice to see them punish defenses for selling out to stop Burrow. They’ve spent a lot of time working with Burrow under center and adding more play action into the offense. If they can pull that off effectively, it could buy Burrow the extra second he needs to find one of his many weapons downfield.
The guy the Bengals’ offense needs to keep an eye on is Rueben Bain Jr.
Had the Bengals not traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Giants for Dexter Lawrence II, Bain is the guy I would have wanted Cincinnati to select.
As it turns out, they’ll face him in Week 1.
There hasn’t been a Buccaneers defender with double-digit sacks since the 2021 season, and they’re hoping Bain can help snap that streak. The Bengals would probably prefer he starts his push in Week 2.
For Cincinnati’s defense, all eyes are on the defensive line.
Last year, the starters were B.J. Hill and T.J. Slaton. Now, Hill and Slaton are the backups, while Lawrence and Jonathan Allen are starting. Throw in Kris Jenkins and rookie Landon Robinson, and suddenly the Bengals have a deep and talented defensive interior—something they’ve desperately lacked over the last few seasons.
That group could make all the difference Sunday.
If the Bengals can get consistent pressure from Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy while Lawrence, Allen and company collapse the pocket from the interior, Mayfield could be forced to get rid of the ball early or throw off-platform. That creates opportunities for Cincinnati’s linebackers and defensive backs to make plays.
So, whose defense steps up the most?
Vegas lists the Bengals as 3.5-point favorites, which is basically home-field advantage plus another half-point.
I’ll take those odds.
I see a close game that is somewhat frustrating at times. It’s Week 1. There will probably be some rust, some missed opportunities, and at least one moment that makes Bengals fans collectively wonder why they allow this team to do this to them every year.
But I think Cincinnati wins.
Bengals 27, Buccaneers 20.
It might not be pretty, but being 1-0 is all that matters.
Who do you think wins? Sound off!
Who Dey, and welcome to what we will hopefully look back on as the first game of the greatest season in Bengals franchise history!
Relative Song Lyrics:
Yes, I am a pirate,
200 years too late
The cannons don’t thunder,
There’s nothing to plunder
I’m an over-40 victim of fate.
Arriving too late
