The 2012 NFL season will be a difficult one for the Cleveland Browns. According to the NFL schedule the Browns have the 3rd most difficult road to travel. Only the Giants and Broncos face a more difficult schedule then Cleveland. The Browns opponents during the 2011 season had a combined 135 wins to 121 losses. The final dates and times of the NFL schedule will not be finalized until the league officially releases the schedule in mid-April. But for now, lets look to some interesting games that the Browns will be playing next season.
Game #4 against the Denver Broncos
Yep, the Browns will get to go up against the new-look Broncos with Peyton Manning under center. Browns fans have a very clear memory of the last time the Browns went up against an elite QB in a Broncos uniform.(John Elway anyone?) Hopefully with Manning not wearing the Bronco #7 Jersey, history will not repeat itself.
Game #5 against the Kansas City Chiefs
This one will turn into a grudge match between the Browns, and their former bruising back Peyton Hillis. As if facing RB Jamal Charles wasn’t hard enough K.C. added the former Browns running back. Now that Hillis is on the opposite side of the field, perhaps the team will feel free to unleash some “pent-up” aggression as a result of those rumored locker room tensions that were reported between Hillis and the team last season.
Game #7 against the Washington Redskins
Just in case some Browns fans weren’t already upset about losing the opportunity to draft Robert Griffin III, we get to see him come to the Lake Erie shores and play against the Browns. We will have the opportunity to get an up-close look at what could have been.
Game #15 against the New York Giants
The defending Super Bowl Champions will host Cleveland in their 15th game of the season. With this game coming so close to the end of the regular season you can guarantee that the Giants will be chomping at the bit. The NFC East is always a tight division and every game counts.
Game #16 against the Indianapolis Colt
As if playing against the 2nd overall pick wasn’t enough (RGIII), we get to face the #1 overall pick in Andrew Luck. The Colts are going to be in full rebuilding mode, but if Luck lives up to his billing (The second coming of Peyton Manning), he will be a tough opponent to put away.
So there you have it. Cleveland will be playing some of the best teams in the NFL, and some of the big-time draft choices that will be in the league this season. So having the 3rd toughest schedule in the league makes Mike Holmgren's statement about people in the organization being “put on notice” all that more important. Please tell us what you think.
Michael W. Youngman
(Lead Analyst C.B.R.)
