2012 - 2013 Bengals Schedule

The Bengals’ 2012 regular-season schedule, released today by the National Football League, reflects the club’s profile as a young team coming off a 2011 playoff season. Cincinnati is scheduled for three national prime-time games -- one each on NBC (Sunday), ESPN (Monday) and NFL Network (Thursday). The NBC Sunday night game, Oct. 21 vs. Pittsburgh, will be at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Bengals’ last year with more regular-season prime-time games was 2007, when Cincinnati had four. This season’s total could rise to four or above, due to flex scheduling that could change kickoff times during Weeks 11-17, but it cannot drop below three because the games currently scheduled will not be subject to being flexed.

The Bengals will open the season on Monday night for only the second time in franchise history, visiting division rival Baltimore, the defending AFC North champion, at 7 p.m. on ESPN. In 2007, the Bengals hosted Baltimore in a Monday night season opener, winning 27-20.

Cincinnati’s home opener will be at 1 p.m. against Cleveland on Sun., Sept. 16, marking the 78th meeting in the “Battle of Ohio” series. The Bengals are opening with two division games for the first time since ’07. Cincinnati also will close the season with two division games for the first time since ’01, visiting Pittsburgh and hosting Baltimore.

“We start the season with a great opportunity,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, “playing our division champion and AFC semifinalist (Baltimore) at their place. You never know at this point where the biggest challenges on a schedule are going to be, but obviously it looks like we also will have two very crucial division games to close the schedule.”

The Bengals’ Thursday night game on NFL Network will be at Philadelphia on Dec. 13. Though the game falls within the flex scheduling period, the Thursday night schedule cannot be flexed. Broadcasts of the Bengals’ two games on cable, on ESPN and NFL Network, will also be simulcast in Cincinnati by a local non-cable station, yet to be determined.

The Bengals’ home schedule also features games against several marquee non-division opponents, all currently scheduled on Sundays at 1 p.m. Denver and QB Peyton Manning are set for Nov. 4 and will be followed the next week by the defending NFL champion N.Y. Giants. Oakland and former Bengals QB Carson Palmer are scheduled on Nov. 25, and the always high-profile Dallas Cowboys will make their fifth all-time Cincinnati visit on Dec. 9.

The Bengals’ 2012 preseason schedule also was released in its completed form today. It features a home opener against the New York Jets on Fri., Aug. 10 and a national TV game (FOX) on Aug. 16 at Atlanta.

BENGALS SEASON TICKETS ON SALE

Bengals season tickets are on sale at this time and offer new, reduced pricing in many sections. To order seats, call the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-TDTD (8383) or go online to Bengals.com.

Season ticket customers benefit from discounted prices, preferred seating locations, playoff priority, and special events available exclusively to Bengals Season Ticket Holders.

Information regarding the availability of mini-packs and single-game tickets will be released at a future date.

CINCINNATI BENGALS 2012 SCHEDULE

All times are Eastern.

An asterisk (*) denotes a game subject to flexible scheduling.

PRESEASON (day, date, opponent, time)

Fri., Aug. 10, N.Y. JETS, 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Aug. 16, at Atlanta (FOX), 8 p.m.

Thurs., Aug. 23, GREEN BAY, 7 p.m.

Thurs., Aug. 30, at Indianapolis, 7 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON (day, date, opponent, time)

Mon., Sept. 10, at Baltimore (ESPN), 7 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 16, CLEVELAND, 1 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 23, at Washington, 1 p.m.

Sun., Sept. 30, at Jacksonville, 4:05 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 7, MIAMI, 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 14, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 21, PITTSBURGH (NBC), 8:20 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 28, — BYE —

Sun., Nov. 4, DENVER, 1 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 11, N.Y. GIANTS, 1 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 18, at Kansas City*, 1 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 25, OAKLAND*, 1 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 2, at San Diego*, 4:15 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 9, DALLAS*, 1 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 13, at Philadelphia (NFL Network), 8:20 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 23, at Pittsburgh*, 1 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 30, BALTIMORE*, 1 p.m.