When you’re in the podcast business, you try to time your shows so they’re correct and prior to breaking news. Covering the NFL makes this almost impossible. Monday, I recorded a show discussing the air date (Thursday May 9) and the process involved in creating the NFL schedule. And then I find out last night the NFL schedule show will be Wednesday May 15. Thanks for news NFL. Usually, the league announces the schedule the Thursday after Mother’s Day, and yes, it’s pathetic I know this fact. That’s why everyone covering the NFL was sure it would be May 9. So why the delay? It seems the league is having trouble scheduling their Christmas Day games. Christmas happens to be on a Wednesday this year and to play on a Wednesday, the league would have to schedule the teams the prior week to play on Thursday or coming off a late bye week. I believe the NFL is going to have two games on Christmas, so this involves four teams. Good luck with that and knowing the league one of those teams will be the Browns.
The schedule process will be the same as any other year. Monday May 13, it’ll be finalized at the league offices. Tuesday May 14 will be when schedule leaks will start. You can follow me at http://@ctownthug, I’ll be reposting any Browns scheduling news. Here are the Browns opponents for 2024. Home: Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Giants and Dolphins. Road. Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Broncos, Commanders, Eagles, Jaguars, Raiders and Saints. There’s been early speculation the Browns will play the Jaguars in London at Wembly Stadium on October 20. Then I hear the Browns won’t play overseas. It would make sense for the first statement to be true, because the Browns haven’t played overseas since 2017 against the Vikings. They were scheduled to play in 2020, but covid put an end to that. So they’re due and this might put an end speculation of the Browns playing on Christmas Day.
Besides the opener and the AFC North games, the most anticipated part of the schedule is the bye week. Thanks to “NFL Schedule Update” http://@NerdingonNFL, for the following bye week and strength of schedule post draft statistics. The average bye week for the AFC North teams the last ten years: Bengals week 8, Steelers week 8, Browns week 9 and Ravens week 9. The last five years: Steelers week 6, Browns week 8, Bengals week 9 and Ravens week 9. The strength of schedule post draft according to “DraftKings” easiest to hardest with 2023 opponent’s win percentage: Bengals 5th (.479), Ravens 27th (.517), Browns 30th (.528) and Steelers 32nd (.535). Home schedule: Bengals 3rd (.456), Ravens tied for 14th (.493), Browns and Steelers tied for 32nd (.566). Road schedule: Browns tied for 10th (.493), Bengals tied for 13th (.500), Steelers tied for 16th (.507) and Ravens 32nd (.539). As I’ve said in the past, right now strength of schedule is useless, but will become clearer Wednesday. Stay safe and Go Browns.