The Browns were one of the NFL's biggest busts of 2021.
The Browns, who were popular picks to win the AFC North and perhaps make a Super Bowl run, finished 8-9 and watched their in-state rival win the AFC championship. There is potential with uncertainty heading into coach Kevin Stefanski's third season.
Cleveland made a blockbuster offseason trade for Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, but not even that will go as planned: On Aug. 18, Watson was slapped with an 11-game suspension by the league, returning in time to face his former team in Week 13.
Watson did not play in 2021 while facing sexual misconduct allegations, and with the Browns trading Baker Mayfield earlier in the offseason, the team will turn to Jacoby Brissett to start in the meantime.
Cleveland does have a core that includes Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward, and they were the betting favorite to win the division before the suspension. Here is a closer look at the Browns' schedule:
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Browns schedule 2022
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV |
| 1 | Sept. 11 | at Panthers | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 2 | Sept. 18 | vs. Jets | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 3 | Sept. 22 | vs. Steelers (Thursday) | 8:15 p.m. ET | Amazon Prime Video |
| 4 | Oct. 2 | at Falcons | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 5 | Oct. 9 | vs. Chargers | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 6 | Oct. 16 | vs. Patriots | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 7 | Oct. 23 | at Ravens | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 8 | Oct. 31 | vs. Bengals (Monday) | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 9 | BYE | — | — | — |
| 10 | Nov. 13 | at Dolphins | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 11 | Nov. 20 | at Bills | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 12 | Nov. 27 | vs. Buccaneers | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 13 | Dec. 4 | at Texans | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 14 | Dec. 11 | at Bengals | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 15 | Dec. 17 | vs. Ravens (Saturday) | 4:30 p.m. ET | NFLN |
| 16 | Dec. 24 | vs. Saints (Saturday) | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 17 | Jan. 1 | at Commanders | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 18 | Jan. 7/8 | at Steelers | TBD | TBD |
Cleveland is playing a third-place schedule in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. The Browns play the AFC East and NFC South in this year's playoffs, and the extra NFC game is on the road at Washington. The third-place slot landed games with the Texans and Chargers.
The Browns face eight teams that won at least nine games in 2021.
Browns strength of schedule
The Browns have the 15th-easiest schedule in the NFL. Their 2022 opponents finished with a 142-145-2 record, a winning percentage of .495.
The AFC North features two playoff teams from 2021 in Cincinnati, which reached Super Bowl 56, and Pittsburgh. The Ravens had an 8-9 record, same as Cleveland. The other returning playoff teams on the schedule are Buffalo, New England and Tampa Bay.
Cleveland has eight home games in 2022, and the teams visiting FirstEnergy Stadium had a combined record of 36-34 on the road last season.
Toughest tests: Four teams on Cleveland's schedule – Cincinnati, New England, New Orleans and Tampa Bay – had at least six road wins in 2021. The Patriots beat the Browns 45-7 last season, and Tom Brady is 7-1 as a starter against the Browns with the only loss coming in 2010.
Road trips to Buffalo and Miami won't be easy, either. Those teams were a combined 13-6 at home last season.
Biggest breaks: The road schedule is negotiable outside of those games. Cleveland must take advantage of the stretch against Carolina, Atlanta and Washington. Those three teams finished 6-17 at home and head into the 2022 season with quarterback uncertainty on varying levels.
Of course, Watson also could face his former team on the road. The Texans are in full rebuild mode, and they were 2-7 at home last season. If the Browns can sweep those four games, then they should at minimum be in the AFC playoff hunt late in the season.
Bottom line: It comes down to success within the AFC North. The Browns were 3-3 in divisional games last season, and that included a sweep of the Bengals. Stefanski is 7-6 (including playoffs) the last two seasons against Baltimore (1-3), Pittsburgh (2-3) and Cincinnati (4-0). Joe Burrow, for all his success in two seasons, has yet to lead the Bengals to a victory against the Browns. Those games will be testy this year.
Cleveland still had a 6-3 home record in 2021, too. Watson changes the dynamic of the offense, and despite the risks and a possible suspension he comes to a talented football team capable of winning the division and returning to the playoffs.
With Watson missing 11 games, the Browns' total will take a bit of a hit.
Record prediction: 7-10
