Ladies and gentlemen, the 2021 NFL schedule is officially here. With the draft in the books and most rosters all but locked and loaded for the fall, we can finally turn our eyes toward the season. The AFC North, in particular, promises plenty of intrigue this year, with three teams coming off of playoff seasons. The Browns' 2021 season promises to be full of intrigue, as Cleveland is looking to build off of last year's 11-5 regular-season record and wild card victory over the Steelers. Here's a full rundown of their 17-game schedule, including key matchups and a season prediction:
2021 Browns schedule
Week 1 | Sept. 12 | at Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
Week 2 | Sept. 19 | vs. Texans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Week 3 | Sept. 26 | vs. Bears | 1 p.m. | Fox |
Week 4 | Oct. 3 | at Vikings | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Week 5 | Oct. 10 | at Chargers | 4:05 p.m. | CBS |
Week 6 | Oct. 17 | vs. Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. | Fox |
Week 7 | Oct. 21 | vs. Broncos (TNF) | 8:20 p.m. | Fox/NFLN/Amazon |
Week 8 | Oct. 31 | vs. Steelers | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Week 9 | Nov. 7 | at Bengals | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Week 10 | Nov. 14 | at Patriots | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Week 11 | Nov. 21 | vs. Lions | 1 p.m. | Fox |
Week 12 | Nov. 28 | at Ravens (SNF) | 8:20 p.m. | NBC |
Week 13 | Bye | Bye | ||
Week 14 | Dec. 12 | vs. Ravens | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Week 15 | TBD | vs. Raiders | TBD | TBD |
Week 16 | Dec. 25 | at Packers (Christmas) | 4:30 p.m. | Fox/NFLN/Amazon |
Week 17 | Jan. 3 | at Steelers (MNF) | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
Week 18 | Jan. 9 | vs. Bengals | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Browns key games
- Week 12 at Baltimore: The Browns dropped both of their games against the Ravens in 2020. A win in Baltimore, however, could help turn the tide in this inner-division rivalry.
- Week 17 at Steelers: Cleveland ended decades of futility into a wild card beatdown of the Steelers in last year's playoffs. The Browns' next challenge is proving that game wasn't a fluke.
- Week 16 at Packers: A rare trip to Green Bay gives the Browns a chance to test their mettle against one of the NFC's top teams. Cleveland's defense will have its work cut out for itself against Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones and Davante Adams.
Browns toughest matchup
Week: 1 | Date: Sept. 12 | Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Opponent: at Kansas City Chiefs
Cleveland returns to the scene where its 2020 season came to an end. The Browns offense will look to have more success this time around after scoring just 19 points in January's divisional round playoff loss.
Browns projected win total
2021 record prediction: 11-6
The Browns should be able to take advantage of a third-place schedule. While a late buy is a negative, only three of Cleveland's first 12 opponents made the playoffs in 2020. The Browns' 2021 season will likely depend on whether or not the Browns take care of their "easy" opponents while handling their own abasing some of their schedule's heavy hitters. Cleveland should be able to win the majority of its games while clinching a second consecutive playoff berth.
