Bengals on prime time twice in 2006

CINCINNATI BENGALS 2006 SCHEDULE
All times are Eastern

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.

By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

The Bengals’ playoff appearance in 2005 was recognized by the NFL this afternoon with the scheduling of two prime-time games in 2006 – a Thursday night at home against Baltimore and a Monday night game at Indianapolis.

The Bengals have a much tougher schedule in 2006 than they did in their playoff season of 2005.

The season will open with four consecutive games against AFC teams and ends with a Dec. 31 game at home against defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.

The Bengals will open the regular season on the road for the third consecutive 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 games are yet to be determined under the NFL’s new flexible scheduling format.

The Bengals will close 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 2005.

"We're excited that the schedule is out; it helps keep you energized," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement. "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 (and) 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.”

The new twist in the NFL's schedule – an attempt to put some top, late-season games in the Sunday night prime-time slot on NBC-TV – could cause Bengals' fans to adjust their own schedules.

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 is designed to provide 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 the Bengals’ national doubleheader game 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 against 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.

Bengals games scheduled for 1 p.m. 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.