For the first time in four years, the Bengals will play a national prime-time television game in 2002.
The Bengals' third game will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, from Atlanta.
PRESEASON
Fri., Aug. 9, at Buffalo, 7:30
Sat., Aug. 17, at Indianapolis, 8
Sat., Aug. 24, NEW ORLEANS, 7:30
Thurs., Aug. 29, ATLANTA, 7:30
REGULAR SEASON
Sun., Sept. 8, SAN DIEGO, 1
Sun., Sept. 15, at Cleveland, 1
Sun., Sept. 22, at Atlanta, 8:30
Sun., Sept. 29, TAMPA BAY, 4:05
Sun., Oct. 6, at Indianapolis, 1
Sun., Oct. 13, PITTSBURGH, 1
Sun., Oct. 20, BYE
Sun., Oct. 27, TENNESSEE, 1
Sun., Nov. 3, at Houston, 1
Sun., Nov. 10, at Baltimore, 1
Sun., Nov. 17, CLEVELAND, 1
Sun., Nov. 24, at Pittsburgh, 1
Sun., Dec. 1, BALTIMORE, 1
Sun., Dec. 8, at Carolina, 1
Sun., Dec. 15, JACKSONVILLE, 1
Sun., Dec. 22, NEW ORLEANS, 1
Sun., Dec. 29, at Buffalo, 1
(All times are Eastern) Click here for a larger, printable schedule
“It's a step in the right direction,” Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said Thursday afternoon after reviewing the schedule. “We've got the Sunday night game. That's good.”
The Bengals' last prime-time TV game was a 34-27 loss Sept. 27, 1998, at Baltimore.
The Bengals will open their 35th season Sept. 8 at Paul Brown Stadium with a 1 p.m. game against San Diego and its new coach, Marty Schottenheimer.
After two road games, the Bengals will come home for a 4:05 p.m. start Sept. 29 against Tampa Bay and its new coach, former University of Dayton quarterback Jon Gruden.
The Bengals will play four additional at-large games this season because of realignment.
Since the rival Cleveland Browns re-entered the NFL as an expansion team in 1999, the Bengals had been a part of the six-team AFC Central Division and played 10 games against those teams each season.
Next season will be the Bengals' first in the three-team AFC North. The Bengals will play home-away series against the Browns (at Cleveland, Sept. 15; at Cincinnati, Nov. 17) and Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
For the first time since the Oilers left following the 1996 season, the Bengals will travel to Houston to play the expansion Texans on Nov. 3.
A quirk in the schedule has the Bengals playing all four of their preseason opponents during the regular season.
The preseason will begin Aug. 9 at Buffalo, where the regular season will end for the Bengals in an entirely different climate on Dec. 29.
The Bengals' first preseason game at home will be Aug. 24 against New Orleans.
“All schedules look good at this time of the year,” LeBeau said. “It will all come down to how we play.”
Bengals back in prime time
