Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (0-0)
Paycor Stadium
Sunday, 9/13/2026
1:00 P.M. EST
FOX
Line: CIN -3.5

The time is here. The preseason is over and now it’s time for real football. The regular season is upon us and the Cincinnati Bengals are ready to prove they are one of the top teams in the NFL once again. Fresh off a perfect 3-0 preseason, the Bengals look to continue that momentum into the 2026 season. It all begins this week, as the Bengals open in orange, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These are two teams that come into the 2026 with high expectations. The Bengals have what could be the best team they have had in many years. With that being the case, along with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins under contract, the pressure is there for the Bengals to capitalize. This past offseason, the Bengals front office went out and drastically improved the defense, a defense that was putrid in 2025. The Bengals defense was at or near the bottom for most of the season and the defensive unit cost the team a few wins, keeping them out of the playoffs. When Joe Burrow went down with an injury and the Bengals brought Joe Flacco in, there were some games they should have won, had the defense been average.

Let’s take a look at the breakdown between these two teams heading into this matchup.