Last season the Cincinnati Bengals got vital wins late in the season that helped them win the AFC North and make a pivotal run to Super Bowl LVI. 

Dave Lapham In The Trenches, presented by First Star Logistics, already looked at the 2022 schedule as a whole and now looks at a critical stretch in the second half of the 2022 NFL season the Bengals must survive if expected to have an opportunity to make the playoffs and enjoy another magical season.

The second half of the Bengals season is a gauntlet or meat grinder with some of the top performers in the NFL, including Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, and Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick to go along with AFC North battles against Cleveland Browns new quarterback Deshaun Watson and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.