Cleveland Browns: 4 questions about the 2022 NFL Schedule Release
By John Suchan
2022 NFL Schedule question No. 4: Who will Cleveland face in the season opener?
The Browns haven’t had any luck winning their opening game of any season in recent history. Since the team’s return in 1999, they’ve only managed one win against the Baltimore Ravens in 2004. So whoever, the Browns opponent is during the opening week, they sadly will have a pretty good chance at the win. However, if you like to take a gamble, maybe this would be the season to bet on Cleveland for the win.
In recent years, the Browns played the Pittsburgh Steelers twice in Week 1. The last game ended up in a tie, which was back in 2018. Is there any consolation in a tie?
So the Browns have teams like the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their schedule being released later Thursday. Or does the team start with a game against a divisional foe like the Super Bowl participants Cincinnati Bengals? The battle of Ohio would get off to an early start.
If it were me making the schedule having the Browns face the Houston Texans (Deshaun Watson’s old team) down in Lone Star State in the first week would be an interesting twist to the start of the year.
2022 NFL Schedule question No. 3: How many prime-time games will the Browns get?
Last season, the Browns had four prime-time games and a fifth if you included the Christmas Day game against the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, they went 1-4 in those contests. That’s not exactly the type of record that would attract more games this season however the team has Watson now at quarterback and that might be enough to get them four or five games this season under the lights.
Games against the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and Los Angeles Chargers would all seem like logical choices for prime-time games. A Monday Night game in Cleveland against the Bengals or Steelers would be fun too.