When will the Cincinnati Bengals play their AFC playoff game? Here's the NFL playoff schedule
The Cincinnati Bengals are in the NFL playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season and the team in orange and black will be hosting a game in Paul Brown Stadium this month.
Cincinnati earned its home playoff game by beating AFC West Division champion Kansas City 34-31 on Sunday. The win clinched the team's first division title since 2015 and eliminated their Week 18 opponent, the Cleveland Browns, from the postseason.
The Bengals will end the regular season in Cleveland on Sunday with playoff seeding on the line. Right now, there are a handful of playoff scenarios that could determine who and when the Bengals play.
The No. 1 seed in the AFC is still in play for Cincinnati, which means the Bengals would receive a bye in the wild-card round, but the most realistic scenario is the the Bengals play their playoff game during the wild-card round as either the second, third or fourth seed in the playoffs.
As AFC North champion, the Bengals are assured a home playoff game.
So when will Cincinnati play its playoff game?
Bengals could play a playoff game Saturday, Jan. 15
There are two games on Jan. 15 during the NFL's new "Super Wildcard Weekend."
Here is the schedule:
Saturday, Jan. 15 AFC/NFC 4:35 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 15 AFC/NFC 8:15 p.m.
NBC and CBS could air either of the games if the Bengals play on Saturday. CBS broadcasts AFC playoff games, while FOX gets the the NFC games.
In 2021, NBC, which gets the Super Bowl this season, aired the late game while FOX had the earlier game. NBC, which is home to "Sunday Night Football," also did the primetime game the following night on Sunday in 2021.
The NFL has not announced the networks for the Super Wildcard Weekend.
Bengals could play a playoff game Sunday, Jan. 16
There are three more games on Sunday, Jan. 16.
Sunday, Jan. 16 AFC/NFC 1:05 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 16 AFC/NFC 4:40 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 16 AFC/NFC 8:15 p.m.
In all likelihood, if past TV schedules are to be factored in, FOX and CBS will get the afternoon games while NBC will broadcast the primetime game.
Bengals could play a playoff game Monday, Jan. 17 on ESPN
For the first time ever, "Monday Night Football" comes to the playoffs. ESPN will broadcast a Monday Night Football playoff game for the next five years with this being the first.
The game will kickoff at 8:15 p.m.
The league has not announced if this will be an AFC or NFC playoff game.
In conjunction with the game, ESPN2 will host a "ManningCast" of the game featuring former NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning.
What has changed from past years in the NFL playoffs?
The NFL eliminated a preseason game and added a Week 18 slate this year. They then change the playoffs and instead of four teams receiving bye weeks for the playoffs, only two (the No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC) teams get a playoff bye.
What about the NFL playoffs divisional round?
The divisional round (the second round) will feature games with the top seeds facing the "Super Wildcard Weekend" winners. The lowest seeds will play the highest seeds.
No times have been scheduled for these game, but two games will be played on Jan. 22 and two on Jan. 23.
The NFL conference championship games are on Jan. 30
The 2022 AFC conference championship game is at 3:05 p.m. on CBS. The NFC championship game is at 6:40 p.m. on Fox.
When is the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl LVI (or Super Bowl 56) is Feb. 13 at 6:15 p.m. on NBC.
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. is hosting the game.
Will the 2022 NFL playoffs be streamed live?
Yes. CBS (Paramount+), NBC (Peacock), FOX (FOX sports app) and ESPN (ESPN+) will all provide streaming as well as other platforms like Hulu+.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals are in the 2022 NFL playoffs: Schedule
