Browns Have Schedule Oddity The NFL Hasn't Seen In 30 Years

The Cleveland Browns 2021 schedule has been analyzed and dissected by many.

One unexpected piece of the scheduling involves the peculiar timing of the Browns and Ravens games.

To begin with, the Browns do not see the Ravens in 2021 until Week 12 (compared with Week 1 in 2020).

Add to that the unusual scheduling of the next Ravens game which is in Week 14 with the Browns bye week happening in Week 13.

Consecutive Games Against Same Opponent Hasn’t Happened Since 1991

The last time this happened was in 1991 with the Seahawks and Chargers games.

On October 27, 1991, the San Diego Chargers traveled to Seattle to play the Seahawks.

The Chargers lost the game by a score of 20-9 to fall to 1-8 on the season.

Both the Chargers and Seahawks had a bye for the November 3, 1991 weekend.

Then, on November 10, the Seahawks traveled to San Diego.

Again the home team won with the Chargers outlasting the Seahawks by a score of 17-14 to capture their second win of the season.

Seattle fell to 5-5 on the season following that loss.

The Browns face the Ravens in Week 12, have their bye, then play again in Week 14. The only instance since the merger of teams facing the same opponent in consecutive regular-season games was 1991 when the Seahawks and Chargers played consecutive games with a bye in between. pic.twitter.com/o8N8eJ5kB6

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 13, 2021

Jets And Dolphins 2020 Schedule Almost Recreated This Scenario

Before the pandemic wreaked havoc on the 2020 NFL schedule, the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins would have followed the Chargers and Seahawks scenario.

They would have played each other two times in a row with both teams having a bye in between the games.

2020 NFL schedule: #Jets, #Dolphins part of bizarre scheduling quirk that the league hasn't seen in 29 years https://t.co/wbsNpBIJir via @CBSSports

— Needles56 (@Needles56) May 12, 2020

In the end, the schedule was changed as part of the fallout from the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots COVID-19 outbreaks early in the season.

Baltimore Ravens Do Not Have A Bye In Between Games

The Ravens appear to be at a disadvantage with the scheduling.

After hosting the Browns on November 28 on Sunday Night Football, the Ravens travel to Pittsburgh for a December 5 (Week 13) matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Then, the Ravens travel to Cleveland on December 12 for the Week 14 game.

By all appearances, the Ravens have the harder challenge.