As we near the halfway point of the season, the scheduling data becomes more meaningful (now that it's clearer which teams are good and bad). Based on current win-loss records, it appears that Detroit, Seattle and Green Bay will play the easiest schedules going forward.
For the Lions, their remaining games are against teams that are currently a combined 20-38. That's No. 1, followed by Seattle, Green Bay and Buffalo.
The Chargers, Broncos and Rams project to play the hardest remaining schedules. San Diego's schedule is by far the hardest, with four games against Kansas City and Denver -- so its opponents are a combined 30-2 in those four games.
| STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 9-17) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | Pct |
| Detroit | 20 | 38 | .345 |
| Seattle | 24 | 36 | .400 |
| Green Bay | 27 | 40 | .403 |
| Buffalo | 25 | 35 | .417 |
| Cincinnati | 24 | 33 | .421 |
| Jacksonville | 25 | 34 | .424 |
| Tennessee | 29 | 39 | .426 |
| Dallas | 26 | 32 | .448 |
| Cleveland | 27 | 33 | .450 |
| Indianapolis | 31 | 37 | .456 |
| New England | 27 | 32 | .458 |
| Washington | 32 | 37 | .464 |
| Chicago | 32 | 36 | .471 |
| Philadelphia | 28 | 31 | .475 |
| San Francisco | 28 | 31 | .475 |
| Arizona | 29 | 32 | .475 |
| NY Jets | 28 | 30 | .483 |
| Houston | 33 | 35 | .485 |
| Miami | 33 | 35 | .485 |
| New Orleans | 34 | 34 | .500 |
| Carolina | 35 | 31 | .530 |
| Baltimore | 37 | 32 | .536 |
| Oakland | 37 | 32 | .536 |
| Pittsburgh | 37 | 32 | .536 |
| NY Giants | 32 | 27 | .542 |
| Atlanta | 37 | 29 | .561 |
| Minnesota | 39 | 29 | .574 |
| Tampa Bay | 39 | 29 | .574 |
| Kansas City | 35 | 24 | .593 |
| St. Louis | 35 | 24 | .593 |
| Denver | 38 | 21 | .644 |
| San Diego | 46 | 23 | .667 |
We can also look at how teams have done so far.
Jacksonville, Houston and Tennessee have played the hardest schedules thus far. With the Jaguars, their opponents are a combined 35-18. That doesn't include the eight wins against Jacksonville, so it's actually a 43-18 if you want to throw those in.
Carolina, Kansas City and San Diego thus far have played the easiest schedules.
So with San Diego, there's your biggest swing. Their schedule has been the 3rd-easiest so far, but will be the hardest going forward.
| STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 1-8) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | Pct |
| Jacksonville | 35 | 18 | .660 |
| Houston | 29 | 17 | .630 |
| Tennessee | 29 | 17 | .630 |
| Indianapolis | 28 | 18 | .609 |
| Buffalo | 30 | 22 | .577 |
| Cincinnati | 30 | 23 | .566 |
| Washington | 26 | 20 | .565 |
| Arizona | 29 | 23 | .558 |
| Cleveland | 29 | 23 | .558 |
| Dallas | 30 | 24 | .556 |
| Miami | 24 | 21 | .533 |
| Oakland | 24 | 21 | .533 |
| NY Giants | 28 | 25 | .528 |
| Green Bay | 24 | 22 | .522 |
| San Francisco | 27 | 25 | .519 |
| Detroit | 26 | 26 | .500 |
| New England | 26 | 26 | .500 |
| Seattle | 26 | 26 | .500 |
| Tampa Bay | 22 | 24 | .478 |
| Baltimore | 21 | 24 | .467 |
| Chicago | 21 | 24 | .467 |
| New Orleans | 21 | 24 | .467 |
| NY Jets | 24 | 28 | .462 |
| Atlanta | 21 | 25 | .457 |
| Philadelphia | 24 | 29 | .453 |
| St. Louis | 24 | 29 | .453 |
| Pittsburgh | 19 | 25 | .432 |
| Minnesota | 19 | 26 | .422 |
| Denver | 21 | 31 | .404 |
| San Diego | 17 | 28 | .378 |
| Kansas City | 20 | 33 | .377 |
| Carolina | 17 | 30 | .362 |
--Ian Allan

