Bengals would play 49ers if NFL adds 17th game in 2021
If the NFL decides to add a 17th game to the 2021 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals will add a homestand against the San Francisco 49ers.
While we won’t know whether the league will add a 17th game as soon as next season, nor do we know what Cincinnati’s schedule looks like until it gets unveiled in April, we apparently know the opponent the team will face in an extra game.
According to NBC Sports’ Peter King, the addition of a 17th game seems likely and he outlined why:
“A note about how the league configured the extra game: When the NFL was choosing options, the formula that prevailed—follow me now—was AFC versus NFC, cross-conference matchup from two years ago, 2021 matchup based on 2020 standings. Now that you’re totally confused, here’s an example: The four AFC West teams played the four NFC North teams in 2019. In 2020, Kansas City finished in first place in the AFC West, Green Bay first in the NFC North. So in 2021, it’s AFC West against NFC North, and 1-versus-1 from ‘20 becomes Green Bay versus Kansas City. I will bet you a Kroll’s West cheeseburger with an ice-cold Spotted Cow that the networks will brawl over this ratings-gold game. This game alone is reason enough for the league to rush the 17th game onto the 2021 schedule.”
As it’s thought of now, the AFC will host the extra games in 2021 and the NFC will get the 2022 slate.
Based on 2020 standings that equates to 49ers vs. Bengals. When these teams met in 2019, San Francisco put on a 41-17 beatdown. But the 49ers regressed to a six-win team last year and would appear to have something of a quarterback question mark, so who knows what happens if they meet again in an extra game?
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