Below is the Strength of Schedule calculations for the 2021 NFL Season calculated using the previous season’s opponents’ final records. Although with free agency and the draft things can change quickly it does at least show who looks like having the short straw.
This year the AFC & NFC North has the distinction of having the hardest schedules with all the teams appearing in the top 10. The Philadelphia Eagles have the easiest while reigning champions Tampa Bay rank 29. This is scary given they have all their starters back! Spare a thought for the Steelers though, as if being in the AFC North was not tough enough!
Image: Ken Durden Shutterstock.com
2021 NFL Season
Strength of Schedule descending
1 Pittsburgh Steelers .574
2 Baltimore Ravens .563
3 Chicago Bears .550
4 Green Bay Packers .542
5 Minnesota Vikings .531
T-6 Cincinnati Bengals .529
T-6 Detroit Lions .529
8 Las Vegas Raiders .526
9 Cleveland Browns .518
10 Los Angeles Rams .515
11 Joint Kansas City Chiefs .511
11 Joint Seattle Seahawks .511
13 Joint Tennessee Titans .507
13 Joint Cardinals .507
T-15 Washington Football Team .504
T-15 Houston Texans .504
17 Los Angeles Chargers .493
18 Jacksonville Jaguars .491
19 Joint San Francisco 49ers .489
T-19 The New York Jets .489
T-19 New England Patriots .489
22 The New Orleans Saints .483
T-23 Buffalo Bills .478
T-23 Indianapolis Colts .478
25 New York Giants .474
26 Carolina Panthers .472
T-27 Denver Broncos .471
T-27 Miami Dolphins .471
29 Tampa Bay Buccaneers .465
30 Atlanta Falcons .454
31 Dallas Cowboys .452
32 Philadelphia Eagles .430
Does this make any difference? Well in 2020 the four teams with the toughest path all missed the postseason, while four of the five with the easiest all made it. The eventual winners Tampa Bay had the joint 16th easiest which is right in the middle of the pack. Given they are bringing all their starters back and they have the 4th easiest this time maybe we should just hand them the Lombardy Trophy now!
Anyway, while you are waiting for the season to start why not try one of our NFL quizzes. They vary from the pretty easy for the casual fan right up to the mastermind. The latter is not for the feint hearted but will teach you a few facts.
[…] in 2021 three of the four with the easiest made the playoffs, but this time the eventual winner (the Rams […]