The Bengals' 2001 schedule opens with a real game, not a bye like last year's. The Bengals play host to New England in the Sept.9 oepner at Paul Brown Stadium.
The bye is Nov.4, at the halfway point.
2001 SCHEDULE
PRESEASON
• Sat, Aug. 4, at Chicago, 8:05 p.m.
• Fri, Aug. 10, at Detroit, 7 p.m.
• Sat, Aug. 25, BUFFALO, 7:30 p.m.
• Thu, Aug. 30, INDIANAPOLIS, 7:30 p.m. REGULAR SEASON
(1 p.m. unless noted)
• Sun., Sept. 9, NEW ENGLAND
• Sun., Sept. 16, at Tennessee
• Sun., Sept. 23, BALTIMORE
• Sun., Sept. 30, at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.
• Sun., Oct. 7, at Pittsburgh
• Sun., Oct. 14, CLEVELAND
• Sun., Oct. 21, CHICAGO
• Sun., Oct. 28, at Detroit
• Sun., Nov. 4, Bye
• Sun., Nov. 11, at Jacksonville
• Sun., Nov. 18, TENNESSEE
• Sun., Nov. 25, at Cleveland
• Sun., Dec. 2, TAMPA BAY
• Sun., Dec. 9, JACKSONVILLE
• Sun., Dec. 16, at New York Jets
• Sun., Dec. 23, at Baltimore
• Sun., Dec. 30, PITTSBURGH
“The early portion of our schedule is challenging,” Bengals president Mike Brown said, referring to Tennesee and Baltimore in weeks 2 and 3.. “We face the last two AFC champions back to back, and both games are in our division. But we're not complaining. We welcome the test.
“We like the fact that our bye week falls near the middle of the season, and we could have a very exciting final home game with Pittsburgh coming in.”
The Steelers will visit Dec.30. Cincinnati never before has played Pittsburgh at home in the final game of the season.
In their last 13 regular-season home finales, the Bengals have an 11-2 record.
The Bengals' recent late-season surges have come after miserable starts. They are 6-31 in September and 6-33 in October since 1991.
For the third consecutive season, the Bengals play no prime-time television games. As was the case in 2000, Cincinnati plays only one 4:15 game, and that comes Sept.30 at San Diego.
The Ravens will be the Bengals' second home opponent, Sept.23. The Bengals last entertained a defending Super Bowl champion in 1998 when they lost 33-26 to the Broncos.
The 2001 season is the last for the current, six-team AFC Central configuration that features home-away games with five teams. The Bengals will re-align into a four-team division in 2002 with Cleveland, Pittsburgh and probably Baltimore.
Bengals' 2001 schedule is better bye
