With the postseason starting this weekend, we can measure how the 12 playoff teams performed in the regular season. Specifically, which teams might have benefitted from playing easy schedues.
All 32 teams are listed below, with the playoff teams in bold. Based on wins and losses of opponents, it appears that Dallas and Pittsburgh played the easiest schedules. The Cowboys’ 16 opponents went a combined 110-130 in their other games. If you want to include the Dallas games themselves, then put them down for 114-142, which would then be the easiest in the league.
Four teams made the playoffs despite playing hard schedules – Seahawks, Broncos, Cardinals and Patriots.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (2014) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Houston | 107 | 132 | 1 | .448 |
Dallas | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
Pittsburgh | 109 | 128 | 3 | .460 |
Tampa Bay | 109 | 128 | 3 | .460 |
Minnesota | 112 | 127 | 1 | .469 |
Atlanta | 112 | 125 | 3 | .473 |
Cleveland | 112 | 125 | 3 | .473 |
Washington | 115 | 125 | 0 | .479 |
Baltimore | 114 | 123 | 3 | .481 |
Detroit | 115 | 124 | 1 | .481 |
New Orleans | 114 | 123 | 3 | .481 |
Tennessee | 115 | 124 | 1 | .481 |
Carolina | 117 | 123 | 0 | .488 |
Indianapolis | 117 | 122 | 1 | .490 |
Jacksonville | 118 | 121 | 1 | .494 |
Green Bay | 119 | 120 | 1 | .498 |
Philadelphia | 119 | 120 | 1 | .498 |
NY Giants | 121 | 119 | 0 | .504 |
Cincinnati | 122 | 118 | 0 | .508 |
Miami | 123 | 117 | 0 | .513 |
Kansas City | 124 | 116 | 0 | .517 |
San Diego | 124 | 116 | 0 | .517 |
Chicago | 124 | 115 | 1 | .519 |
Buffalo | 125 | 115 | 0 | .521 |
St. Louis | 126 | 114 | 0 | .525 |
NY Jets | 127 | 113 | 0 | .529 |
San Francisco | 127 | 113 | 0 | .529 |
New England | 127 | 112 | 1 | .531 |
Arizona | 129 | 111 | 0 | .538 |
Denver | 129 | 110 | 1 | .540 |
Seattle | 130 | 109 | 1 | .544 |
Oakland | 133 | 107 | 0 | .554 |
—Ian Allan