The Bills are headed to the playoffs, and they’ve been helped along by an easy schedule. The easiest, according to the current win-loss records.
If you take the current win-loss records and plug them into the schedule that has already been played, Buffalo’s 14 opponents combine for the lowest winning percentage in the league. They’ve gone a combined 82-114-0. If you set aside that those teams went 4-10 against Buffalo, you’re left with a 78-104-0 record in their other games.
This isn’t to suggest that the Bills aren’t deserving or have played no role in getting to 10-4. Winning at Heinz Field in December isn’t a picnic. But they’ve benefited from playing an easier schedule than most of the other playoff contenders.
Other teams that have played lesser schedules so far include the Jets, Vikings and Titans.
Teams that have played the hardest schedules: Falcons, Bengals, Seahawks, Rams.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (thru Week 15) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Buffalo | 78 | 104 | 0 | .429 |
NY Jets | 79 | 103 | 0 | .434 |
Minnesota | 82 | 98 | 2 | .456 |
Tennessee | 84 | 98 | 0 | .462 |
NY Giants | 84 | 96 | 2 | .467 |
Philadelphia | 85 | 96 | 1 | .470 |
Jacksonville | 86 | 96 | 0 | .473 |
New England | 86 | 96 | 0 | .473 |
Green Bay | 86 | 95 | 1 | .475 |
Miami | 87 | 95 | 0 | .478 |
Detroit | 87 | 95 | 0 | .478 |
Chicago | 86 | 94 | 2 | .478 |
LA Chargers | 87 | 94 | 1 | .481 |
Oakland | 87 | 94 | 1 | .481 |
Dallas | 88 | 93 | 1 | .486 |
Washington | 89 | 92 | 1 | .492 |
Pittsburgh | 89 | 92 | 1 | .492 |
Tampa Bay | 89 | 91 | 2 | .495 |
Indianapolis | 91 | 91 | 0 | .500 |
Arizona | 93 | 89 | 0 | .511 |
San Francisco | 93 | 87 | 2 | .516 |
New Orleans | 94 | 87 | 1 | .519 |
Houston | 95 | 87 | 0 | .522 |
Carolina | 96 | 85 | 1 | .530 |
Baltimore | 96 | 85 | 1 | .530 |
Cleveland | 97 | 84 | 1 | .536 |
Kansas City | 98 | 83 | 1 | .541 |
Denver | 99 | 83 | 0 | .544 |
LA Rams | 100 | 81 | 1 | .552 |
Seattle | 100 | 81 | 1 | .552 |
Cincinnati | 104 | 77 | 1 | .574 |
Atlanta | 104 | 77 | 1 | .574 |
—Ian Allan