The Bills are 4-1, and looking at the schedules, I can’t help but think they’re going to be in the playoffs. They’ve still got two games left against Miami, as well as home games against the Jets, Washington and Denver. Hard to see them not being a wild card.
Things appear to be slipping away, meanwhile, for the Bears and Falcons. They’ll play two of the hardest schedules over the rest of the season.
Most fantasy leagues don’t use Week 17. If we set that one aside, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver project to play the hardest schedules the rest of the way. The Bills, meanwhile, project to have the 4th-easiest schedule, behind only the Jets, Dolphins and Steelers.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 6-16) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
NY Jets | 19 | 34 | 0 | .358 |
Miami | 19 | 34 | 0 | .358 |
Pittsburgh | 17 | 30 | 1 | .365 |
Buffalo | 18 | 30 | 0 | .375 |
Jacksonville | 20 | 29 | 0 | .408 |
Cleveland | 20 | 28 | 1 | .418 |
Indianapolis | 21 | 28 | 0 | .429 |
Oakland | 21 | 26 | 1 | .448 |
Cincinnati | 22 | 26 | 0 | .458 |
New Orleans | 22 | 26 | 1 | .459 |
NY Giants | 21 | 24 | 2 | .468 |
New England | 24 | 25 | 0 | .490 |
Detroit | 27 | 28 | 0 | .491 |
San Francisco | 27 | 26 | 2 | .509 |
Carolina | 25 | 24 | 0 | .510 |
LA Rams | 24 | 23 | 1 | .510 |
LA Chargers | 26 | 24 | 0 | .520 |
Seattle | 25 | 23 | 1 | .520 |
Baltimore | 25 | 23 | 0 | .521 |
Tampa Bay | 25 | 22 | 2 | .531 |
Tennessee | 27 | 23 | 0 | .540 |
Kansas City | 27 | 23 | 0 | .540 |
Minnesota | 25 | 21 | 2 | .542 |
Philadelphia | 27 | 22 | 0 | .551 |
Green Bay | 26 | 21 | 1 | .552 |
Washington | 25 | 20 | 1 | .554 |
Houston | 28 | 22 | 0 | .560 |
Arizona | 27 | 21 | 0 | .563 |
Dallas | 28 | 19 | 1 | .594 |
Denver | 29 | 19 | 1 | .602 |
Atlanta | 30 | 18 | 1 | .622 |
Chicago | 29 | 17 | 2 | .625 |
Looking at the five weeks we’ve completed, meanwhile, the Saints’ 4-1 start looks even more impressive. They’ve been able to win three in a row without their starting quarterback, and they’ve done it despite playing the hardest schedule. The Saints’ five opponents have gone 14-6 in games against other teams.
Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the Rams also thus far have played hard schedules.
The Patriots, meanwhile, are off to a 5-0 start, but they’ve been helped along by the league’s easiest schedule. They won on the road against 4-1 Buffalo, but their other four opponents have gone a combined 1-17.
Overall, New England’s opponents have gone 5-18 (0-5 against the Patriots, and 5-13 against the rest of the league). However you slice it, it’s been an easy schedule.
Other teams that seemingly have benefitted from easy schedules: Eagles, 49ers and Ravens.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 1-5) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
New Orleans | 14 | 6 | 0 | .700 |
Tampa Bay | 13 | 6 | 0 | .684 |
Kansas City | 12 | 6 | 1 | .658 |
LA Rams | 13 | 7 | 0 | .650 |
Pittsburgh | 12 | 7 | 0 | .632 |
NY Jets | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 |
Oakland | 12 | 8 | 0 | .600 |
Green Bay | 12 | 8 | 0 | .600 |
Miami | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 |
Detroit | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 |
Washington | 11 | 9 | 0 | .550 |
Minnesota | 11 | 9 | 0 | .550 |
Jacksonville | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 |
Indianapolis | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 |
Houston | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 |
Denver | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 |
Cleveland | 9 | 9 | 0 | .500 |
Cincinnati | 9 | 9 | 1 | .500 |
Atlanta | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 |
Carolina | 9 | 10 | 1 | .475 |
Arizona | 9 | 10 | 0 | .474 |
Tennessee | 9 | 11 | 0 | .450 |
NY Giants | 9 | 11 | 0 | .450 |
Chicago | 9 | 11 | 0 | .450 |
Seattle | 8 | 11 | 1 | .425 |
Dallas | 8 | 11 | 0 | .421 |
Buffalo | 8 | 11 | 0 | .421 |
LA Chargers | 6 | 11 | 1 | .361 |
Baltimore | 6 | 12 | 1 | .342 |
San Francisco | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 |
Philadelphia | 5 | 12 | 1 | .306 |
New England | 5 | 13 | 0 | .278 |
—Ian Allan