Bengals to open 2025 season as a big favorite in Cleveland

The 2025 NFL schedule has been released, and Vegas already has opening odds for Week 1 games.

The Cincinnati Bengals will open the 2025 season on the road against the Cleveland Browns, and they’re opening as 5.5-point favorites against their division rival, per FanDuel. Only three other teams are bigger favorites in the 16-game slate that Week 1 features.

With the exception of the 2021 Super Bowl season, Zac Taylor’s Bengals have notoriously gotten off to slow starts, typically not finding their footing until September has passed. This has directly impacted their ability to play in the postseason, especially in 2024, when a single win over the Patriots, Chiefs, or Commanders early in the season would have sent them to the playoffs.

The Browns are coming into the 2025 season with a lot of question marks, including who will play quarterback, and they’re closer to rebuilding than they are to contending for the AFC North. The Bengals, at least offensively, are primed to push for a championship, and starting the season off with a win would be a good way to start.

The Bengals shouldn’t expect the Browns to roll over, though. The Battle of Ohio is typically a pretty brutal game, and fans of both teams should expect that to be the case in Week 1.