Strength of Schedule - NFL

by Andersklasen

I put together a list of all the NFL teams and how easy/hard their schedule is. The number next to the team represents the average ranking of the teams they play; 1-32. The lower the number, the harder the schedule. The higher the number the easier the schedule. I will also have a strength of schedule against the rushing defense and passing defense later. Here goes;

1. Miami Dolphins - 20.3750

2. Detroit Lions - 19.4375

3. St. Louis Rams - 18.6250

4. San Francisco 49ers - 17.9375

5. Atlanta Falcons - 17.6250

6. Chicago Bears - 17.5625

7. Carolina Panthers - 17.3125

8. New Orleans Saints - 17.1875

9. Washington Redskins - 17.1250

10. Seattle Seahawks - 17.1250

11. Cincinnati Bengals - 16.8125

12. San Diego Chargers - 16.5000

13. Philadelphia Eagles - 16.4375

14. New York Giants - 16.4375

15. Pittsburg Steelers - 16.3750

16. Indianapolis Colts - 16.3125

17. Dallas Cowboys - 16.3125

18. New York Jets - 16.2500

19. Minnesota Vikings - 16.1251

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 16.1250

21. Oakland Raiders - 16.0000

22. Arizona Cardinals - 16.0000

23. Green Bay Packers - 15.8750

24. Jacksonville Jaguars - 15.8125

25. Cleveland Browns - 15.8125

26. Baltimore Ravens - 15.7500

27. Tennessee Titans - 15.7500

28. Houston Texans - 15.6875

29. New England Patriots - 15.3125

30. Kansas City Chiefs - 14.8125

31. Buffalo Bills - 13.9375

32. Denver Broncos - 13.1250

MojokongVarsity

872 days ago

Score 3

Even though statistics will prove me wrong, I dont buy into the strength of scedule before the season starts. Players get hurt, teams under/overachieve, new stars emerge, old ones wither away. The NFL is the most unpredictable league in sports. But, with only 16 games on the schedule it's a worthwhile discussion. Good research.

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

872 days ago

Score 2

It's good to be the easiest in the division! (Green Bay)

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InsanMajor Leaguer

872 days ago

Score 1

Good post, sucks to be Miami.

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The ProfessorWaterboy

872 days ago

Score 1

Seems to me this list claims it is GOOD to be Miami.

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InsanMajor Leaguer

872 days ago

Score 0

Yea, the article confused me, it sucks to be Denver.

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MSPW TonyPee Wee

872 days ago

Score 2

gonna be a good year for the Vikings.

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Badseed57Waterboy

872 days ago

Score 0

Watch out for the Bills this year, after a tough start, they could make one serious run at the playoffs with their schedule. I still think they fall short, but they'll scare some other teams.

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AndersklasenVarsity

872 days ago

Score 0

"with their schedule"? They have the second toughest schedule out there, next to the Broncos.

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PSU ROCKSVarsity Captain

872 days ago

Score 1

fly eagles fly till mcnabb gets hurt and we wish we had garcia

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ChristofMVP

872 days ago

Score 1

You don't have faith in the second coming that is AJ Feeley?

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JuTMSY4Legend

872 days ago

Score 1

I can't wait till McNabb plays a full season and I can say "I told you so"

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AndersklasenVarsity

872 days ago

Score 0

Thanks guys.

I agree, this league is hard to predict, as I thought that Russel would be signed by now with the Raiders.

Another reason it's hard to predict is because some divisions are really though to get into the playoffs in, but if you do, you'll most likely go deep into the playoffs. For example the NFC West. But in divisions like the NFC North, where the Bears might easily win the division to enter post-season, they probably won't make much farther.

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Silencer76AAA-er

872 days ago

Score 1

I think you are crossed up Insan...the higher the number means the easier the schedule, meaning Miami has the easiest schedule according to this. If you look, outside the division Miami gets the NFC East, along with the AFC North, then Houston and Oakland. How can you get any easier than playing those doormats?  :P

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InsanMajor Leaguer

872 days ago

Score 1

Wait, so does Denver have the hardest schedule or Miami?

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

872 days ago

Score 1

Oh - "The higher the number the easier the schedule" - I only just cottoned on to that - that makes it bad to be Green Bay! Unless we get involved in a tie where we need this tiebreaker to be in our favour.

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The ProfessorWaterboy

872 days ago

Score 1

I'm curious how you put this list together. You say "The number next to the team represents the average ranking of the teams they play; 1-32." How exactly does a team have a ranking before you rank them? In other words, for there to be an "average ranking" each team has to have a previous ranking before this list. Perhaps you are using some sort of power rankings for the teams and thus compiling the strength of schedule based on that, but you mention no such method.

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Silencer76AAA-er

872 days ago

Score 1

According to this list, it would be Denver having the hardest. If you go by last year's records, then Buffalo and Oakland tie for the toughest, as both teams face a schedule with a compiled .539 winning percentage, and the weakest being the Cardinals at .461. However, that is solely based off 06 records, not what is done here.

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AndersklasenVarsity

872 days ago

Score 0

Yes, I am using a power ranking for ranking the teams. Then finding the average "number", or "rank", of all of the teams they play this year.

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WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

872 days ago

Score 1

So, essentially, this list is only as good as the power rankings, which we don't have access to, and are, essentially made up before any team plays a down? And, really, wouldn't a median be much more appropriate, since playing a 1 and a 32 are not truly equivalent to 16.5?

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AndersklasenVarsity

872 days ago

Score 0

These are the power rankings I used,

http://sport...b/index.html

I used these because Peter King knows his football. So, yes, this would basically be as good as a power ranking. Just looking at one differently.

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Yakob878MVP

872 days ago

Score -1

dolphins, 49ers and lions all got screwed some of them should be in the ravens or the patriots spot. two teams that really lucked out

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AndersklasenVarsity

872 days ago

Score 0

Uggh. The higher the number, the easier the schedule. So it's the Pats and Ravens that got 'screwed', as you say. The Dolphins, with the easiest schedule in the NFL, 49ers, and Lions all have pretty easy schedules.

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Yakob878MVP

872 days ago

Score 1

no read what it says at the top "The lower the number, the harder the schedule. The higher the number the easier the schedule"

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Yakob878MVP

872 days ago

Score -1

SORRY I READ IT WRONG IAM SO CONFUSED JUST IGNORE WHAT I AHVE SAID HERE ON THIS ARTICLE

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