Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Browns will face 5 teams that made the playoffs in 2018 when their season kicks off September 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s the second straight year, and the fourth time since 1999, that the Browns and Steelers meet in Cleveland in Week 1. The Browns get to kick off a season at home for the 16th time since the team returned in 1999, but the franchise is just 1-18 overall in season openers.
“We like to open at home in front of our great fans and this will be the second season in a row we do it against the Steelers,” head coach Hue Jackson said. “We start with the best in our division.”
They’ll finish on the road for the 11th time since returning to the NFL when they wrap up the regular season Dec. 30 at Baltimore.
“It’s great that we know the order of our opponents,” Jackson said. “We now have a clearer picture of the opponent we will be focusing on first and that’s something you can point to throughout the entire offseason.”
The Browns will face quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Derrick Carr and Joe Flacco within the first 5 weeks of the season and potentially the rookie QB they do not select at No. 1 when they play the Jets in prime time on Thursday, Sept. 20 on NFL Network.
“I like our schedule,” Jackson said. “It’s balanced, it’s tough but that’s exactly what we expected. We play some really good quarterbacks to start the season and two playoff teams out the gate.”
NFL Network will also broadcast the Browns’ trip to Denver in Week 15 on Saturday, Dec. 15.
2018 Cleveland Browns Schedule
PRESEASON
Thursday, August 9 – at NY Giants – 7 p.m.
Friday, August 17 – vs. Buffalo Bills – 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 23 – vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 8 p.m. FOX
Thursday, August 30 – at Detroit Lions – 7 p.m.
REGULAR SEASON
Week 1: September 9 – vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 2: September 16 – at New Orleans Saints – 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 3: September 20 – vs. NY Jets – 8:20 on NFL Network
Week 4: September 30 – at Oakland Raiders – 4:05 p.m. on FOX
Week 5: October 7 – vs. Baltimore Ravens – 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 6: October 14 – vs. LA Chargers – 1 p.m. CBS
Week 7: October 21 – at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 8: October 28 – at Pittsburgh Steelers – 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 9: November 4 – vs. Kansas City Chiefs – 1 p.m. CBS
Week 10: November 11 – vs. Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 11: November 18 – BYE
Week 12: November 25 – at Cincinnati Bengals – 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 13: December 2 – at Houston Texans – 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 14: December 9 – vs. Carolina Panthers – 1 p.m. on FOX
Week 15: December 15 – at Denver Broncos – TBD on NFL Network
Week 16: December 23 – vs. Cincinnati Bengals – 1 p.m. on CBS
Week 17: December 30 – at Baltimore Ravens – 1 p.m. on CBS
In 2017 the Browns’ 16 opponents finished a combined 133-123 with 4 teams making the playoffs, 6 teams that finished sub. .500 and 5 of those with 11 or more losses. They’ll face a similar strength of schedule this fall. Their opponents combined to go 134-122 in 2017, 5 teams made the playoffs while 6 opponents were below .500 – and 5 of them had 10 or more losses last year.
Cleveland is coming off a winless 0-16 season as well as the worst 2- and 3-year stretch in NFL history but the Browns, under new general manager John Dorsey, have spent this offseason competely retooling their roster with the additions of nearly a dozen players including quarterback Tyrod Taylor, running back Carlos Hyde and receiver Jarvis Landry.
