CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – While the NFL slowly rolls out select games for their major television partners this week, the full schedule comes out Thursday night.
Following another offseason makeover that included the acquisition of three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson and four-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper, Browns fans are anxious to see the 2022 slate of games.
Especially the ones that will land them on national TV.
There are five opponents – seven total games – that stand out as prime candidates for the league’s premiere time slots this fall.
First, the Browns will host the Ravens, Steelers, Bengals, Patriots, Jets, Chargers, Saints and Buccaneers and they will travel to Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Miami, Buffalo, Houston, Washington, Atlanta and Carolina this season.
With the addition of a 17th game, teams will alternate year-to-year between hosting a ninth regular season game. After playing nine at home in 2021, the Browns will hit the road for nine in 2022.
On the strength of schedule meter for 2022, which is based on 2021 results, the Browns are tied with the Jets for the 17th toughest schedule with their opponents carrying forward a .494 winning percentage from last season.
Of Cleveland’s 14 opponents this fall, five made the playoffs in 2021 – the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals, AFC Wild Card Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, AFC East champion Buffalo Bills and NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With Watson’s availability for Week 1 in question while the league continues to investigate sexual misconduct claims made by 22 women in civil court against Watson, it is unclear how that will affect Cleveland’s appearances on the national TV schedule.
The civil cases aren’t expected to go to trial until next year.
Would or could the NFL discipline Watson before any of those cases are resolved given the potential impact any ruling the league issues could have on those cases?
Assuming Watson is available for the entire season, the Browns will be ‘Must See TV’ this fall on Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night football as well as the coveted 4:15, 4:25 national timeslots.
The NFL loves prime quarterback matchups, and the addition of Watson, who led the NFL in passing in 2020 and is one of the league’s most electrifying players, positions the Browns to compete with the best the league has to throw at them, including Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow within the AFC North plus Tom Brady, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert on the schedule.
Games against the Bengals, Ravens, Buccaneers, Bills and Chargers could be featured by CBS, Fox, ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime.
Watson and Cooper aren’t the only stars the Browns boast.
They return four Pro Bowlers from last season – left guard Joel Bitonio, running back Nick Chubb, cornerback Denzel Ward and defensive end Myles Garrett.
The Browns and rest of the NFL will announce the full schedule at 8 p.m. Thursday.