2023 Cleveland Browns schedule analysis

On Thursday night, the NFL released the complete Cleveland Browns schedule. Per NFL research, Browns opponents had a 131-154-2 record in 2022, making their 2023 schedule the 26th-most difficult in the NFL.

Circle the date: Week 18 at  Bengals (Date TBD)

If the Browns have the season they're hoping for upcoming, their biggest game of the regular season could be their last one. Cleveland will head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals, who are the favorites to win the AFC North. However, if QB Deshaun Watson returns to his 2020 form, the game could be for the division.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 10-12

In the middle of the season, the Browns have a tough three-game stretch that starts with two games against division rivals. Cleveland travels to the Baltimore Ravens to take on the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL in Lamar Jackson and his revamped receiving unit. The Browns will then host the Pittsburgh Steelers, whom they lost to in the final week of the 2022 regular season. They end this group of games in Mile High Stadium, where they will face off with the Sean Payton-led Denver Broncos.

Easiest stretch: Weeks 13-16

Before a tough final two games of the regular season, the Browns will have the opportunity for much-needed wins in a loaded AFC. It begins with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Rams, who have seen a lot of roster turnover this offseason. Cleveland then hosts the Jacksonville Jaguars (probably the toughest of the bunch), and the Chicago Bears, who finished with the worst record in the league in 2022. An away game against the Houston Texans, who will likely be led by rookie QB C.J. Stroud, caps it off.

Revenge game: Week 17 vs. the New York Jets

The Browns lost to the Jets in 2022 after blowing a 30-17 lead with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. They will get another shot at New York in prime time in the second-to-last week of the regular season. Cleveland also traded with the Jets for WR Elijah Moore this offseason by sending over its 2023 second-round pick, which helped New York acquire QB Aaron Rodgers. Moore will surely want to get the best of his former team.