Cleveland Browns eagerly await the NFL schedule release

The NFL schedule is about to be released on Wednesday, May 12th and the Cleveland Browns and their fans are eagerly awaiting the news. This year, unlike years in the past when the schedule release was the hottest topic around for Browns fans because it was a high point in an expected rough season to follow, the Browns and its fans are now expecting to continue that ride of success they started last season and break a few more barriers that were part of those “Same Old Browns” teams.

One of the biggest early accomplishments, the Browns hope to gain is by winning that first game of the season. The Browns are 1-20-1 since the team started back in 1999. It’ll interesting to see what the NFL does with that Browns’ first game on the schedule?

The NFL just put on a great show, hosting the NFL Draft in Cleveland last week and the NFL knows what a juggernaut they have on their hands when it comes to the emergence of the Browns to the national spotlight.

The Browns gave the Kansas City Chiefs a game in the Divisional Playoff Game back in January. Would the NFL consider having the Chiefs and the Browns open the season in a game on prime-time television?

Last season the NFL gods had the Browns open the season in Baltimore, where new Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski and his team were rudely introduced to the season and didn’t seem prepared and lost badly. Fortunately, for us Browns fans we know the rest of the story that season and we can’t complain too badly.

Cleveland has opened the season five times against an AFC Central Division opponent. Back in 2018, the Browns played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 and nearly pulled off a victory but settled for the tie. In that game, the Browns forced six turnovers but still couldn’t pull off the win.

I’m guessing the Browns will open the season on the road again. They had a road game last season against those Ravens, but the previous three seasons the Browns opened at home.

What happens with the rest of the schedule?

The Browns have the 9th toughest schedule of opponents this season according to their opponents’ records combined of 132-122-2. There are five playoff teams on their schedule including the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.

Will the NFL schedule makers have Cleveland and their quarterback Baker Mayfield play a prime-time game against Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers? There has been a lot of recent chatter around the league about Rodgers not wanting to stay in Green Bay. So that opportunity for the league to schedule a big matchup like Mayfield versus Rodgers might be in jeopardy.

The Browns only head to the west coast once when they face off against the Los Angeles Chargers. Will they get their bye week on either side of that trip out west? Last year the Browns had their bye week in Week 9.

This year the NFL is adding a 17th game and the Browns will have an additional home game against the Arizona Cardinals. Where will that game land?

Probably the biggest road test for the Browns this season will be when they travel to Kansas City and play the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Having lived in Kansas for years and gone to many Chiefs versus Browns games in the past, that game, whenever it’s scheduled, could be a true barometer on the season.

If the NFL schedules that game early then it won’t have the impact as it would at the mid-point of the season. But the Browns know they have to be able to beat the Chiefs to reach the next step in their progression to the Super Bowl.

Here again, are the Browns home and away opponents:

Home: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Houston, Arizona

Away: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Chargers), Green Bay, New England, Minnesota

So grab your bag of popcorn Wednesday evening and enjoy the show Browns fans.

Times are changing for the Browns and it sure is refreshing to be chatting about a meaningful look at the upcoming NFL schedule.