Updating some of my charts (I do a lot of that at this time of year) I am reminded that the Jets really made a mess of things last year. On the one hand, they had a nice season, winning more games and scoring more points than anyone realistically had expected. But on the other, they fell short of the playoffs, failing to take advantage of a ridiculously easy schedule.
With strength of schedule, I have one huge file where I store all of this stuff. I’ve got all of the numbers for over 20 years – expected strength of schedule, and how it actually played out. And on this front, New York’s schedule played out unusually well.
The 16 opponents of the Jets went 107-133 in their other games (that’s after they went 6-10 against the Jets themselves). In the last 13 years, only 12 teams have played easier schedules.
The Dolphins and Jaguars also had easy schedules this year, and they both also failed to do much with them.
EASIEST SCHEDULES SINCE 2003 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | W | L | T | Pct |
2007 | Seattle | 98 | 142 | 0 | .408 |
2010 | Kansas City | 100 | 140 | 0 | .417 |
2007 | Arizona | 101 | 139 | 0 | .421 |
2007 | Cleveland | 103 | 137 | 0 | .429 |
2003 | Kansas City | 104 | 136 | 0 | .433 |
2012 | Atlanta | 105 | 135 | 0 | .438 |
2008 | San Francisco | 105 | 134 | 1 | .440 |
2012 | Cincinnati | 106 | 134 | 0 | .442 |
2010 | St. Louis | 106 | 134 | 0 | .442 |
2009 | New Orleans | 106 | 134 | 0 | .442 |
2007 | San Francisco | 106 | 134 | 0 | .442 |
2004 | Atlanta | 106 | 134 | 0 | .442 |
2015 | NY Jets | 107 | 133 | 0 | .446 |
2008 | Buffalo | 107 | 133 | 0 | .446 |
2006 | Chicago | 107 | 133 | 0 | .446 |
2005 | Seattle | 107 | 133 | 0 | .446 |
2004 | Seattle | 107 | 133 | 0 | .446 |
2003 | St. Louis | 107 | 133 | 0 | .446 |
2014 | Houston | 107 | 132 | 1 | .448 |
2013 | Detroit | 106 | 130 | 4 | .450 |
2012 | San Diego | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2012 | Indianapolis | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2012 | Oakland | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2010 | Jacksonville | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2010 | Arizona | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2009 | Arizona | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2009 | Green Bay | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2007 | Cincinnati | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2006 | Atlanta | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2004 | Arizona | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2004 | Chicago | 108 | 132 | 0 | .450 |
2013 | Green Bay | 108 | 131 | 1 | .452 |
2013 | Kansas City | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2009 | Minnesota | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2008 | Denver | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2007 | Pittsburgh | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2006 | Seattle | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2003 | Carolina | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2003 | Cincinnati | 109 | 131 | 0 | .454 |
2015 | Miami | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2015 | Jacksonville | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2014 | Dallas | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2013 | Philadelphia | 109 | 129 | 2 | .458 |
2011 | Houston | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2011 | New Orleans | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2010 | NY Giants | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2010 | San Diego | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2006 | Dallas | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2005 | Miami | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2005 | Carolina | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2005 | Tampa Bay | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
2003 | Minnesota | 110 | 130 | 0 | .458 |
—Ian Allan