CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns’ schedule for the 2020 season was officially announced Thursday evening.
The Browns start their season with a challenge, scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens on the road in the season opener. The Ravens went 14-2 last season and finished the season at the top of the AFC North.
Returning home the following week, the Browns will play under the primetime lights in their season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Battle of Ohio.
Here’s who the Browns are slated through the preseason and regular season:
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preseason- 1 | Aug. 13-17 | at Chicago Bears | TBD |
| Preseason- 2 | Aug. 20-24 | at Green Bay Packers | TBD |
| Preseason-3 | Aug. 30 | Minnesota Vikings | 4 p.m. |
| Preseason- 4 | Sep. 3-4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | TBD |
| 1 | Sept. 13 | at Baltimore Ravens | 1 p.m. |
| 2 | Sept. 17 (TNF) | Cincinnati Bengals | 8:20 p.m. |
| 3 | Sept. 27 | Washington Redskins | 1 p.m. |
| 4 | Oct. 4 | at Dallas Cowboys | 1 p.m. |
| 5 | Oct. 11 | Indianapolis Colts | 4:25 p.m. |
| 6 | Oct. 18 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 p.m. |
| 7 | Oct. 25 | at Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. |
| 8 | Nov. 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | 1 p.m. |
| 9 | BYE | ||
| 10 | Nov. 15 | Houston Texans | 1 p.m. |
| 11 | Nov. 22 | Philadelphia Eagles | 1 p.m. |
| 12 | Nov. 29 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 p.m. |
| 13 | Dec. 6 | at Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. |
| 14 | Dec. 14 (MNF) | Baltimore Ravens | 8:15 p.m. |
| 15 | Dec. 20 | at NY Giants | 1 p.m. |
| 16 | Dec. 26/27 | at NY Jets | TBD |
| 17 | Jan. 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 p.m. |
The Browns will play in two primetime games this season. Cleveland played in four primetime games in 2019, the most the team had since 2008 when they played in five primetime games.
Included in the primetime games are a Monday Night Football game against the Ravens in week 14 and a Thursday Night Football game against the Bengals in the Week 2 home opener.
While many fans were hoping for the Browns to play in their first Thanksgiving Day game since 1989, unfortunately that won't happen this year as they'll take on the Jacksonville Jaguars that Sunday.
After the NFL released each teams’ opponents in December, a breakdown of all 32 teams and their strength of schedule followed. Based on the opponents here is how each team was ranked and where the Browns fall in that ranking:
| Ranking Hardest to Easiest | Team | Opponents Combined Record in 2019 | Opponents Combined Win Percentage in 2019 |
| 1 | New England Patriots | 137-118-1 | .537 |
| 2 | New York Jets | 136-119-1 | .533 |
| 3 | Miami Dolphins | 135-120-1 | .529 |
| 4 | San Francisco 49ers | 134-120-2 | .527 |
| T-5 | Buffalo Bills | 134-121-1 | .525 |
| T-5 | Detroit Lions | 134-121-1 | .525 |
| T-5 | Atlanta Falcons | 134-121-1 | .525 |
| T-8 | Arizona Cardinals | 132-123-1 | .518 |
| T-8 | Houston Texans | 132-123-1 | .518 |
| T-10 | Minnesota Vikings | 131-123-2 | .516 |
| T-10 | Los Angeles Rams | 131-123-2 | .516 |
| 12 | Denver Broncos | 131-125 | .512 |
| T-13 | Chicago Bears | 129-125-2 | .509 |
| T-13 | Seattle Seahawks | 129-125-2 | .509 |
| 15 | Green Bay Packers | 128-126-2 | .504 |
| T-16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 128-127-1 | .502 |
| T-16 | Indianapolis Colts | 128-127-1 | .502 |
| T-18 | Kansas City Chiefs | 128-128 | .500 |
| T-18 | Carolina Panthers | 127-127-2 | .500 |
| 20 | Tennessee Titans | 127-128-1 | .498 |
| 21 | Las Vegas Raiders | 127-129 | .496 |
| 22 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 126-129-1 | .494 |
| 23 | Los Angeles Chargers | 126-130 | .492 |
| 24 | New Orleans Saints | 125-130-1 | .490 |
| 25 | Philadelphia Eagles | 124-131-1 | .486 |
| 26 | New York Giants | 123-132-1 | .482 |
| 27 | Cincinnati Bengals | 122-134 | .477 |
| 28 | Washington Redskins | 118-136-2 | .465 |
| 29 | Cleveland Browns | 118-138 | .461 |
| 30 | Dallas Cowboys | 117-138-1 | .459 |
| 31 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 117-139 | .457 |
| 32 | Baltimore Ravens | 112-144 | .438 |
Here is a look at the Browns 2020 opponents' records last season:
- Baltimore Ravens: 14-2
- Cincinnati Bengals: 2-14
- Dallas Cowboys: 8-8
- Houston Texans: 10-6
- Indianapolis Colts: 7-9
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-10
- Las Vegas Raiders 7-9
- New York Giants: 4-12
- New York Jets: 7-9
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-7
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-8
- Tennessee Titans: 9-7
- Washington Redskins: 3-13
The Browns have the fourth easiest schedule in 2020 in relation to their opponents' win percentage from last season, although the formula doesn't always reflect the way the schedule pans out on the field
When it comes down to it, the only wins that really matter the ones recorded by the Browns this season, not how many they or their opponents had last season. Those wins start counting on September 13. Until then, we do what Clevelanders do best: remain hopeful and confident that this is our year.
Camryn Justice is a digital content producer at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
