Browns Digest

Browns Deemed Toughest Strength Of Schedule For 2024

The NFL posted a graphic displaying the 2024 strength of schedules for each NFL team. The Browns happen to sit atop the list, just ahead of Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

Cole McDaniel

Nov 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4).
Nov 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4). / Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports
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Even without the full schedule released, the opponents for each NFL team have been known for a while. To this point, we do know that the Cleveland Browns will be hosting the Dallas Cowboys to get things started in Week One. Aside from that, here are the rest of the teams on the list to face Cleveland.

  • Cincinnati Bengals (Home and Away)
  • Baltimore Ravens (Home and Away)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (Home and Away)
  • Los Angeles Chargers (Home)
  • Kansas City Chiefs (Home)
  • New York Giants (Home)
  • Miami Dolphins (Home)
  • Denver Broncos (Away)
  • Washington Commanders (Away)
  • Philadelphia Eagles (Away)
  • Jacksonville Jaguars (Away)
  • Las Vegas Raiders (Away)
  • New Orleans Saints (Away)

As we await the full schedule release on Wednesday evening, the NFL posted a graphic on their social media accounts showing the strength of schedule for each team in 2024. This calculation is done by taking the 2023 winning percentages of each opponent and averaging them together. Not only do the Cleveland Browns have the toughest schedule in 2024 according to the results of the previous season, but AFC North rivals in the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers place at second and third on the list.

By just looking at the list of teams on the Browns schedule this year, no one really needed the graphic to know that the Browns have a tough schedule. The AFC North is set to be the toughest division in football once again and the entire AFC is loaded. With the AFC North set to play the NFC East this coming season, that also entails big matchups with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles as well.

One of the biggest things to stand out from this graphic though, happens to be the fact that everyone's schedule averaged out to right around a 50 percent win percentage from last year. The Browns are nearly at 55 percent at the top and the Falcons and Saints are at 45 percent at the bottom. Statistically this feels like a pretty marginal difference.

Rosters change from year-to-year, devastating injuries unfortunately occur each year and other things can happen that can completely alter the direction of an organization. Even though past records might not be the best judge of future schedule strength, there is no denying that the AFC North alone is a gauntlet. The Browns will need to bring their "A game" week in and week out.

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Cole McDaniel

COLE MCDANIEL

Cole McDaniel is a contributor to both Browns Digest and Cavs Insider. He is the Vice President of Operations for Kee on Sports, most notably serving as lead NFL Draft analyst and the play-by-play voice for high school football. He can also be heard on numerous Baldwin Wallace University athletics broadcasts and has served as Cleveland SC's color commentator since 2019. Cole is a 2019 graduate of Baldwin Wallace where he also played soccer. 

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