The National Football League released the preseason schedule for each of its 32 teams on Wednesday afternoon.
The Cleveland Browns will host the Philadelphia Eagles (Aug. 23-26) and Chicago Bears (Aug. 29-30) and travel to play the Detroit Lions (Aug. 9-13) and Green Bay Packers (Aug. 16-20).
Two of the four teams, the Lions and Packers, made the 2011 playoffs and three are from the NFC North Division. The Eagles play in the NFC East Division and will visit Cleveland Browns Stadium during the regular season as well.
The 2012 preseason will get underway for the Browns with back-to-back road games, first against the Lions at Ford Field and then, the Packers at Lambeau Field.
The Browns and Lions will play in The Great Lakes Classic between Aug. 9 and 13. The Browns defeated the Lions 27-10 in the 2009 meeting, but fell 35-27 at Ford Field in 2010. Last season, the Lions earned a 30-28 come-from-behind victory over the Browns in Cleveland on Aug. 19.
The Browns are 8-19-1 in away games and hold an 18-25-1 record in all-time preseason games against the Lions.
The Browns and Packers have opened the last three preseasons against each other, with two of the three meetings taking place at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won 17-0 at Lambeau Field in 2009 and the Browns earned a last-second road win on a field goal in 2010. Last season, the Browns defeated the Packers 27-17 at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Aug. 13.
The Browns are 13-10-0 all-time and 8-4 in away preseason games against the Packers.
The home schedule opens up between Aug. 23 and 26 against the Eagles. The Browns are 4-6 overall in preseason games against Philadelphia and the Eagles won 24-14 at Lincoln Financial Field last fall. The two teams have met twice on neutral fields, the first time coming in the 1967 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio and the last in a 1989 exhibition in London.
The preseason ends either Aug. 29 or 30 against the Bears at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Browns are 17-10 all-time and 10-4 in home preseason games against the Bears. The Browns won their last home meeting, 13-10 at Cleveland Browns Stadium, in 2010, but lost 24-14 at Soldier Field last September.
The game will mark the ninth straight year in which the Browns and Bears have finished the preseason against each other.
Specific dates and times will be announced in the near future. All preseason games will air on the Cleveland Browns Radio Network (WMMS 100.7FM).
Cleveland Browns 2012 season tickets are now available. Fans can purchase season tickets by calling (440) 824-3434, toll free at (888) 891-1999 or online at http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/tickets/index.html.
