Per a new schedule leak from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Baltimore Ravens will take on the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year's Eve.
The Baltimore Ravens don't know any of their games, apart from their international trek to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil in Week 3. There are only hours until the full schedule is released, but another matchup has been leaked.
Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Ravens will travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year's Eve in Week 17. This is the first primetime game that is known regarding Baltimore's schedule.
The usual case for the Ravens is hosting the Bengals during their primetime tilts, but as Schultz indicated, it has been flipped for the 2026 season.
This matchup is important for a few reasons. The first is that it is an important divisional matchup for both teams. The Ravens are looking to bounce back, and having to take on the Bengals always ends up in tough games.
The second reason is that the matchup will take place in Week 17. If both the Ravens and Bengals are angling for a playoff spot or to win the divisional crown, playing each other that late in the season could have huge importance.
Finally, it will be interesting to see how the NFL schedules out their other matchup. If the Ravens have to face the Bengals twice towards the end of the season, that could by very tough.
Both teams have a storied history, and recent years have seen some huge back-and-forths. In 2025, Baltimore shut out Cincinnati 24-0 in their second game, but the Ravens also lost handily in their first meeting, with a final score of 32-14.
In 2024, the Ravens swept the series, but barely won both games. They won their second meeting 35-34 and 41-38 in overtime.
Simply put, the Ravens always have a tough time against Cincinnati, regardless of when they face them during the season.
In a season where Baltimore needs to have a huge bounce-back season, defeating their divisional opponents is even more important. Playoff seeding will matter down the line and throughout the entire season.
With a ton of turnover and change for the organization, the Ravens need to ensure they can win their important matchups. There are more games to be announced later on Thursday, but at least one of their primetime games has reportedly been decided.