Looking at strength of schedule, the Detroit Lions look like the most notable team. So far they have played the league’s easiest schedule, helping them to a 9-4 record. But they will project the 2nd-hardest schedule from here on out, hurting their chances of winning their division.
Detroit’s final three games are on the road against the Giants and Cowboys and at home against the Packers. They might lose all three of those.
The Seahawks, Falcons, Steelers and Texans, meanwhile, are notable teams that have really easy closing schedules.
The Broncos, meanwhile, have the hardest closing schedule (New England, Kansas City, Oakland). Unlikely they’ll be able to overcome that to make the postseason.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 15-17) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Seattle | 10 | 28 | 1 | .269 |
Atlanta | 11 | 28 | 0 | .282 |
Buffalo | 12 | 27 | 0 | .308 |
Pittsburgh | 12 | 26 | 1 | .321 |
Houston | 14 | 24 | 1 | .372 |
Los Angeles | 14 | 23 | 2 | .385 |
Minnesota | 16 | 23 | 0 | .410 |
Washington | 17 | 22 | 0 | .436 |
Arizona | 17 | 21 | 1 | .449 |
Baltimore | 18 | 20 | 1 | .474 |
Tennessee | 19 | 20 | 0 | .487 |
Oakland | 19 | 20 | 0 | .487 |
Indianapolis | 19 | 20 | 0 | .487 |
Green Bay | 19 | 20 | 0 | .487 |
Cleveland | 19 | 20 | 0 | .487 |
San Diego | 20 | 19 | 0 | .513 |
New England | 20 | 19 | 0 | .513 |
Kansas City | 20 | 19 | 0 | .513 |
Jacksonville | 20 | 19 | 0 | .513 |
San Francisco | 20 | 18 | 1 | .526 |
Tampa Bay | 21 | 18 | 0 | .538 |
Miami | 21 | 18 | 0 | .538 |
NY Giants | 21 | 17 | 1 | .551 |
New Orleans | 21 | 17 | 1 | .551 |
Chicago | 21 | 17 | 1 | .551 |
Dallas | 22 | 17 | 0 | .564 |
Cincinnati | 22 | 17 | 0 | .564 |
Carolina | 23 | 15 | 1 | .603 |
NY Jets | 25 | 14 | 0 | .641 |
Philadelphia | 27 | 12 | 0 | .692 |
Detroit | 27 | 12 | 0 | .692 |
Denver | 31 | 8 | 0 | .795 |
Here’s the list of what teams have played so far. Houston, Oakland and Pittsburgh tie for having played the hardest schedules so far. This is using team’s current win-loss records, and also subtracting out their own wins and losses. That is, I don’t want to penalize teams for winning games. New England has played an easy schedule, with opponents going 67-86-3. That schedule becomes a ridiculously soft 69-97-3 if you include that the Patriots are 11-2 themselves.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 1-14) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Detroit | 66 | 89 | 1 | .426 |
Miami | 66 | 87 | 3 | .433 |
New England | 67 | 86 | 3 | .439 |
NY Jets | 70 | 83 | 3 | .458 |
Arizona | 71 | 84 | 1 | .458 |
Tennessee | 72 | 84 | 0 | .462 |
San Francisco | 71 | 82 | 3 | .465 |
Seattle | 73 | 83 | 0 | .468 |
Dallas | 73 | 80 | 3 | .478 |
Tampa Bay | 75 | 79 | 2 | .487 |
Baltimore | 75 | 79 | 2 | .487 |
NY Giants | 76 | 78 | 2 | .494 |
Indianapolis | 77 | 79 | 0 | .494 |
Cincinnati | 77 | 79 | 0 | .494 |
Carolina | 76 | 78 | 2 | .494 |
Chicago | 78 | 78 | 0 | .500 |
Denver | 78 | 77 | 1 | .503 |
Buffalo | 77 | 76 | 3 | .503 |
Los Angeles | 78 | 76 | 2 | .506 |
Minnesota | 80 | 74 | 2 | .519 |
Jacksonville | 81 | 75 | 0 | .519 |
New Orleans | 82 | 73 | 1 | .529 |
Cleveland | 81 | 72 | 3 | .529 |
Philadelphia | 81 | 71 | 4 | .532 |
Kansas City | 83 | 73 | 0 | .532 |
San Diego | 84 | 72 | 0 | .538 |
Green Bay | 83 | 71 | 2 | .538 |
Atlanta | 83 | 71 | 2 | .538 |
Washington | 84 | 71 | 1 | .542 |
Pittsburgh | 84 | 70 | 2 | .545 |
Oakland | 85 | 71 | 0 | .545 |
Houston | 85 | 71 | 0 | .545 |
—Ian Allan