The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Prime time spotlight absent from schedule
Browns open at Baltimore, host night games against Bengals, Ravens
The buzz that surrounded the Browns one year ago has gone quiet as far as the NFL sched- ule maker is concerned.
The schedule announced May 7 reveals the Browns will play two night games in 2020 — a Thursday night home game with the Bengals on Sept. 17 at 8:20 p.m. and a Monday night home game with the Ravens on Dec. 14. at 8:15 p.m. They also play one 4:25 p.m. game when they host the Colts on Oct. 11.
A year ago, coming off a 7-8-1 record and the promise Baker Mayfield displayed as a rookie, the NFL showcased the Browns in four night games plus a pair of late afternoon games played in the Eastern time zone.
The Browns let the league and their fans down when they finished 6-10.
Mayfield regressed and head coach Freddie Kitchens was fired, so this season they won’t have to live up to high expectations.
Barring any changes because of the novel coronavirus, the Browns will open the season on Sept. 13 in Baltimore and conclude it with a 1 p.m. home game against the Steelers on Jan. 3.
Playing the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson in the opener, then the Bengals and quarterback Joe Burrow four nights later, could present an early picture
of where the Browns stand in the AFC North.
“Obviously it’s an extremely important first two games,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said in a video chat on the team’s website after the schedule was revealed. “Playing that first game against Baltimore is a match-up we’re looking forward to.
“It’s a quick turnaround with that Thursday night game. We know that’s going to be a different team in Cincinnati than it was last year. It’s very important for us to start fast. That’s why we’re hitting it hard right now.”
The AFC North plays the NFC East this season. The Browns host the Redskins
on Sept. 27 and a week later play the Cowboys in Dallas. They host the Eagles Nov. 22 and conclude their rotation through their NFC opponents when they play the Giants in the Meadowlands on Dec. 20. They play the Jets in the Meadowlands six or seven days later (to be determined).
“Immediately your eyes go right to the first matchup of the year,” Coach Kevin Stefanski said in a video chat on ClevelandBrowns. com. “In Week 1 we get the division champs. We get the reigning MVP (Jackson). We’ll be challenged right out of the gate. I think that’s the fun part of this business.”
Along with hosting the
Bengals and Redskins in Weeks 2 and 3, the Colts in Week 5, Eagles in Week 11, the prime-time game with the Ravens in Week 14 and the Steelers in Week 17, the Browns also host the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 1 in Week 8 and the Houston Texans in Week 10 on Nov. 15.
The home games with the Colts and Texans are two of the four AFC South opponents on the Browns’ schedule. They play back-toback AFC South teams on the road when they play at Jacksonville Nov. 29 and at Tennessee Dec. 6.
The Browns will be on their bye Nov. 8 in Week 9, right in the middle of the season