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Ahead of the NFL releasing the full 2023 schedule, the league has revealed the strength of schedule for all 32 teams and the Cleveland Browns are ranked near the bottom, per NFL Research and reporter Andrew Siciliano.
Here’s how the rankings shake out.
The Browns Are Ranked No. 26 Out of 32 Teams in Strength of Schedule
According to NFL Research, the Browns come in at No. 26 in the strength of schedule rankings. The rankings are based on a team’s opponent’s win percentage in the 2022 season. The Browns’ opponents had a combined record of 131-154-2, which is a winning percentage of just .460.
Coming in at No. 1 are the Philadelphia Eagles, whose 2023 schedule of opponents ended last year with a combined win percentage of .566. The Miami Dolphins are right on their heels with opponents whose win percentage is .554. Those are the only teams whose opponents’ win percentage is over 55 percent. The Atlanta Falcons come in with the easiest strength of schedule, as their 2023 opponents only notched a win percentage of .417 last year.
The full rankings are as follows:
1. Eagles, 161-123-4, .566
2. Dolphins, 158-127-2, .554
3. Patriots, 156-128-3, .549
T-4. Cowboys, 156-128-4, .549
T-4. Giants, 157-129-2, .549
6. Jets, 155-129-3, .545
7. Bills, 155-131-2, .542
8. Commanders, 153-133-2, .535
9. Rams, 152-133-3, .533
10. Raiders, 150-136-2, .524
11. Cardinals, 148-147-3, .519
T-12. Chargers, 149-139 , .517
T-12. Broncos, 148-138-2, .517
T-12. Seahawks, 148-138-2, .517
15. 49ers, 147-142-0, .514
16. Chiefs, 147-140, .512
17. Bengals, 146-140-2, .510
18. Bears, 143-145-1, .497
19. Vikings, 143-145, .497
20. Lions, 143-146, .495
21. Ravens, 138-147-2, .484
22. Buccaneers, 138-148-2, .483
23. Jaguars, 135-148-4, .477
24. Packers, 137-151-1, .476
25. Steelers, 134-151-2, .470
26. Browns, 131-154-2, .460
27. Panthers, 130-157-2, .453
28. Titans, 127-157-4, .448
29. Colts, 124-162-2, .434
30. Texans, 123-163-2, .431
31. Saints, 122-164-3, .427
32. Falcons, 119-167-3, .417
Within the schedule, each team has a home and away with its three division opponents, totaling six games. Then they have four teams from another division within the conference that rotates on a three-year cycle, for four games. Then they play four teams from a division in the other conference that rotates on a four-year cycle, for four games.
Then there are two intra-conference games based on last year’s standings where two first-place teams, two second-place teams, two third-place teams and two fourth-place teams are all matched up with two teams from the same-conference divisions that the team does not play this season.
Then there is one interconference game based on last year’s standings where the first-place team (or second, third, fourth) from one division plays the first-place team from the opposite conference division that they are not scheduled to play this year.
The Key Matchups Released So Far
Ahead of the full schedule release, the NFL did whet fans’ appetites by releasing some key match-ups ahead of time, like the international games and some Thursday and Monday night football games. They include:
- Week 1, Thursday, September 7: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. Eastern
- Week 1, Monday, September 11: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. Eastern
- Week 5, Sunday, October 8: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. Eastern
- Week 12: Friday, November 24, Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 3 p.m. Eastern
- Week 13: Sunday, December 12, San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. Eastern
- Week 16: Monday, December 25, Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. Eastern
- Week 16: Monday, December 25, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. Eastern
- Week 17: Sunday, December 31, Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. Eastern
International Games:
- Week 4: Sunday, October 1, Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons in London, England, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 5: Sunday, October 8, Buffalo Bills vs Jacksonville Jaguars in London, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 6: Sunday, October 15, Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans in London, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 9: Sunday, November 5, Kansas City Chiefs vs Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 10: Sunday, November 12, Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots in Frankfurt, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
The full NFL 2023 schedule will be released on Thursday, May 11 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.