If Kansas City is going to turn things around, it will need to do so despite a difficult schedule. It’s next six games are against teams that are a combined 31-13 – best in the league. That works against the idea that Patrick Mahomes and company will simply turn it on and get rolling again.
I try to do a weekly check-in with strength of schedule, which can help in identifying offenses that might be about to heat up (or cool off). Normally I look at all of the remaining games. But this time around, I’m going with a shorter-term view, looking only at the next six games for each club.
Washington has the easiest schedule coming up, with its next six games against teams that currently are a combined 12-36. Other teams with easy schedules on the horizon: Houston, Miami, Jets and Baltimore.
Kansas City has the hardest schedule over the next six weeks. Others with more difficult schedules: Jacksonville, Chicago, Rams, Falcons and Seahawks.
NEXT SIX OPPONENTS (winning percentage) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | Pct |
Washington | 12 | 36 | .250 |
Houston | 16 | 30 | .348 |
Miami | 16 | 29 | .356 |
NY Jets | 18 | 28 | .391 |
Baltimore | 19 | 27 | .413 |
Indianapolis | 19 | 26 | .422 |
Philadelphia | 19 | 26 | .422 |
Arizona | 20 | 26 | .435 |
Tampa Bay | 20 | 25 | .444 |
Pittsburgh | 20 | 24 | .455 |
LA Chargers | 21 | 25 | .457 |
Buffalo | 21 | 24 | .467 |
Carolina | 22 | 24 | .478 |
Denver | 22 | 23 | .489 |
Tennessee | 22 | 23 | .489 |
Las Vegas | 23 | 24 | .489 |
Dallas | 23 | 22 | .511 |
Minnesota | 23 | 20 | .535 |
Green Bay | 25 | 21 | .543 |
New England | 25 | 21 | .543 |
Detroit | 25 | 21 | .543 |
Cleveland | 24 | 20 | .545 |
Cincinnati | 24 | 20 | .545 |
NY Giants | 25 | 20 | .556 |
San Francisco | 26 | 20 | .565 |
New Orleans | 25 | 19 | .568 |
Seattle | 27 | 20 | .574 |
Atlanta | 26 | 19 | .578 |
LA Rams | 27 | 19 | .587 |
Chicago | 26 | 18 | .591 |
Jacksonville | 27 | 18 | .600 |
Kansas City | 31 | 13 | .705 |
If you prefer to use points rather than wins and losses, Washington still comes out on top – by a lot. It’s next six are against teams currently allowing 28.4 points per game (remarkably, over 2 more points per week than any other team).
Getting kicked while they’re down, the Lions project to face the toughest defenses over the next six weeks, followed by the Chargers, 49ers and Patriots.
NEXT SIX (points) | |
---|---|
Team | Pts |
Washington | 28.4 |
Miami | 26.2 |
Houston | 26.0 |
Las Vegas | 25.3 |
Denver | 25.0 |
NY Giants | 24.7 |
Indianapolis | 24.6 |
Pittsburgh | 24.3 |
Minnesota | 24.1 |
New Orleans | 24.0 |
Philadelphia | 23.9 |
Buffalo | 23.8 |
Dallas | 23.8 |
Seattle | 23.7 |
Cleveland | 23.6 |
Baltimore | 23.5 |
Arizona | 23.5 |
Green Bay | 23.3 |
NY Jets | 23.3 |
Tennessee | 23.2 |
Carolina | 23.1 |
Tampa Bay | 23.0 |
LA Rams | 22.8 |
Jacksonville | 22.7 |
Chicago | 22.4 |
Kansas City | 22.3 |
Atlanta | 22.3 |
Cincinnati | 22.2 |
New England | 22.2 |
San Francisco | 21.8 |
LA Chargers | 21.5 |
Detroit | 20.7 |
—Ian Allan