1 reason to be excited about every team on the Browns 2022 schedule
By Chad Porto
One reason to be excited for every Cleveland Browns opponent in 2022.
The Cleveland Browns know who they’re playing and where they’re playing in 2022 but not when. It kind of makes the whole schedule release thing pretty anti-climatic, no? The Browns know who they have on their schedule but they don’t know who’s going to be on their roster or the roster of their opposition.
That doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun in previewing these games way too early. After all, that’s what waiting for next season is all about in Cleveland. Jumping the gun way too soon and getting excited over the potential of a new year.
So with that, let’s take a look at the schedule and pick one reason to get hyped for each game. Before we begin, however, it should be obvious but in case it’s not, the H next to the team is for a home game, the A is for an away game, and if you see a “H/A” then that means they’re playing one home and one away game against that team.
AFC North
Ravens (H/A) – John Harbaugh’s last go?
The Ravens have had two straight years of decline offensively. They went from the first ranked offense in 2019, to the seventh in 2020 and the 19th in 2021. They ranked 28th in the takeaway/giveaway ratio. For context, the Browns were 20th and they hardly had any takeaways. They also went from 14 wins to 11 to eight in subsequent years as well. You can argue that Lamar Jackson was hurt in 2021 and that’s why they fell apart, but he was only 7-5 as a starter. He had six fumbles (three lost) and 13 interceptions (16 total giveaways) to just 18 total touchdowns. Clearly, Jackson is not the same game-breaker he was, and that’s because NFL defenses have figured him out. Harbaugh is going to have to make the needed changes if the team is going to succeed. If they have yet another losing season, Harbaugh could ge gone.
Bengals (H/A) – Beating up the Bengals
The Browns are 7-1 against the Bengals during the Baker Mayfield era. What can we expect in 2022? Hopefully more of the same. Let’s add another two wins over Joe Burrow and the Cinncinati Bengals.
Steelers (H/A) – Making Mason Rudolph afraid of his shadow
I’m no Mason Rudolph fan. I may have been on his side after the whole Myles Garrett situation, but that doesn’t mean I like the guy; I just don’t think smashing people in the head with helmets belongs in a civilized society. Call me weird. That doesn’t mean I like Rudolph, however, and with Ben Roethlisberger taking his problematic butt into retirement, the Browns look poised to run over the Steelers for years to come. That starts by making Rudolph afraid of his shadow. I don’t want him seeing ghosts out there, I want him to see just one. The Ghost of Steelers Future. I hear he’s an ugly-looking sucker.