Let the schedule games begin. Today in every city with an NFL team, sports talk radio will be occupied with guessing the final record of the local team. It’s amazing how every NFL team will have a winning record. I quit playing this game after the 2019 Browns season when they went 6-10. I didn’t do it last year and the Browns went 11-5. You be the judge. Hello my name is Steve and I’m an overly superstitious Browns fan. So if you’re looking for a schedule prediction, you’re looking in the wrong place. What I will do is give a quick analysis of the schedule. So here goes.
The main attention is on the opener vs. the Chiefs in Kansas City. A quick history lesson, the Browns are 1-20-1 in opening games since 1999, have never beaten a team coached by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes has never lost a game in September. Still, I would rather play Kansas City early then late in the season. If, and it’s a big if, the Browns can beat the Chiefs, their next three games are very winnable. At home vs. Houston and Chicago and on the road against the Vikings. The Minnesota game might be tough, but winnable.
The second quarter of the schedule has its good points and its bad points. First the Browns travel to L.A. for a game against the Chargers. Knowing both team’s fanbases, this will be a Browns home game. The Browns then play three consecutive home games, Arizona, Denver and Pittsburg. The bad, the Browns will only have four days after the Cardinal game to prepare for Denver, but then have ten days to prepare for their first divisional game against the Steelers. The ten days is a nice little mini bye week.
The next quarter of the schedule features three road games. At the Bengals, at New England, home against the Lions and the big Sunday night a game in Baltimore. This is an interesting part of the schedule because of what follows in the final five games. After the Ravens game, the Browns get their bye week and then face the Ravens again at home. So the Browns have three weeks to concentrate on one team, Baltimore. On a side note, while the Browns are on their bye, the Ravens play the Steelers.
The final four games are tough. At home against the Raiders, Christmas in Green Bay, Monday night at Pittsburg and at home against the Bengals. Another brief history lesson, the Browns have never beaten a team coached by John Gruden. Here’s where it gets interesting. Prior to playing the Browns, the Raiders have to go to Kansas City, the Packers have to go to Baltimore and the Steelers have to go to Kansas City. The Steelers game will probably Big Bens last home game. As for the Bengals, their two games prior to the Browns are at home versus the Ravens and the Chiefs.
Last year the Browns never lost two games in a row and looking at this years schedule I don’t see them losing consecutive games. Some fans don’t like the bye week at week thirteen. I like it. Like I said earlier, they have a mini bye week after the week seven Thursday night game. It also helps that during the three week span of week twelve through week fourteen, the Browns play one team, the Ravens. Plus, week thirteen is a nice time for a rest for a possible final playoff push. Everyone stay safe, get vaccinated and Go Browns.