The NFL schedule makers did the Cleveland Browns no favors this year.
Cleveland entered the year with the hardest strength of schedule when analysts compared opponents’ records to their 2023 results.
The results so far have lived up to that comparison for the Browns.
According to Sharp’s Football Analysis, Cleveland has played the fourth-hardest schedule in the NFL through Week 15, one reason why the Browns are 3-11 and eliminated from postseason contention.
The schedule also back-loaded all of Cleveland’s opportunities for primetime matchups as the Browns had four such contests in the second half of the season.
Already, network executives flexed one Browns’ primetime matchup – this week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals – out of its original Thursday Night slot.
Now, the Browns will lose their last opportunity to play in primetime this season as the franchise announced next week’s contest against the Miami Dolphins will be moved out of the Sunday Night Football slot.
Our Week 17 matchup against Miami has an adjusted start time of 4:05pm on CBS
📰» https://t.co/RFboxGZmr7 pic.twitter.com/tqC9ONEB7f
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2024
Cleveland is 1-1 in primetime games in 2024 as the team won its Thursday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12.
The following week, Cleveland fell to the Denver Broncos 41-32 on Monday in a game where Jameis Winston set a franchise record for passing yards.
While the Browns will wrap up their season after Week 18, Cleveland can still cause havoc for teams seeking a postseason berth by winning any of their next three outings.
Both Miami and Cincinnati are still alive for the AFC playoffs as the teams have identical 6-8 records.
Currently, all four AFC divisional leaders have clinched spots in the postseason.
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