• Strength of schedule: .547 (1st)
• Bye: Week 10

Based solely on their opponents’ 2023 records, Cleveland has the most difficult 17-game slate in 2024. My esteemed colleagues at NFL Research tracked how the last seven teams to carry this burden fared, and unsurprisingly, it ain’t pretty.

• 2023 Eagles: 11-6, lost 32-9 in Wild Card Round
• 2022 Rams: 5-12, missed playoffs
• 2021 Steelers: 9-7-1, lost 42-21 in Wild Card Round
• 2020 Patriots: 7-9, missed playoffs
• 2019 Raiders: 7-9, missed playoffs
• 2018 Packers: 6-9-1, missed playoffs
• 2017 Broncos: 5-11, missed playoffs 

And in addition to bearing that cross, Cleveland also faces a taxing three-week road trip in the first half of the season. Then, following the Week 10 bye, five of the Browns’ final eight games are on the road, with the three home tilts in that span coming against 2023 AFC playoff teams — most prominently, the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs.