CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns' 21-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, coupled with the Pittsburgh Steelers' win vs. the Baltimore Ravens, means that the Browns finish the 2021 NFL season in third place of the AFC North.
As a result, Cleveland now knows who it will be facing during the 2022 season -- although the team's full schedule won't be released until the spring.
In addition to each team's traditional six division matchups, the NFL matches each division up with two others -- one from its own conference and one from another. In 2022, the AFC North will face teams from the AFC East and NFC South.
Additionally, each team plays games against cross-division opponents within their conference, based on their corresponding standings from the previous season. That means Cleveland will face the third-place teams in the AFC South and AFC West from 2021.
The 2022 season will also mark the second season of the league's 17-game schedule, with the extra game being determined by a rotating cross-division opponent in the opposite conference based on corresponding standings. In 2022, the AFC North is matched up with the NFC East.
Add it all together, and the following opponents will comprise the Browns' 2022 schedule:
Home
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Baltimore Ravens
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Los Angeles Chargers
Away
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Baltimore Ravens
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Houston Texans
- Washington Football Team