The Cowboys gained more yards and scored more points than anyone in the 2021 season. And if the early numbers are any suggestion, their schedule suggests they’ll have the inside track to put up more big numbers in the upcoming season.
The opponents for each team are set. And if we merge those opponents with how defenses performed last year, those numbers indicate the Cowboys in 2022 will play the easiest schedule in the league. Their upcoming opponents went only 131-157-1 last year, while also allowing a league-high 24.0 points per game.
Strength of schedule isn’t necessarily a key factor, of course. Teams and defenses change. Note that all four of the easiest schedules for 2022 project to go to the NFC East teams; that was a down division last year. Similarly, the next seven schedules in difficulty all go to teams from the NFC North and AFC South – two other down divisions.
But for whatever it’s worth, schedule points to Dallas.
The Los Angeles Rams, meanwhile, on paper should play the hardest schedule in 2022. Their upcoming opponents won 166 games last year – 10 more than any other schedule. And those opponents allowed an average of 21.7 points per game, the fewest in the league (over 2 points per week less than Dallas).
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, 2022 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct | Pts | Rk |
Dallas | 131 | 157 | 1 | .455 | 24.0 | 1 |
Washington | 133 | 155 | 1 | .462 | 23.6 | 7 |
Philadelphia | 133 | 154 | 2 | .464 | 23.6 | 6 |
NY Giants | 134 | 154 | 1 | .465 | 23.6 | 5 |
Detroit | 135 | 154 | 0 | .467 | 23.2 | 14 |
Chicago | 135 | 152 | 2 | .471 | 23.8 | 2 |
Green Bay | 135 | 152 | 2 | .471 | 23.6 | 8 |
Baltimore | 136 | 151 | 2 | .474 | 22.5 | 26 |
Jacksonville | 137 | 151 | 1 | .476 | 23.6 | 4 |
Indianapolis | 137 | 151 | 1 | .476 | 23.4 | 11 |
Tennessee | 138 | 151 | 0 | .478 | 23.2 | 15 |
Minnesota | 139 | 148 | 2 | .484 | 22.9 | 18 |
Miami | 141 | 146 | 2 | .491 | 22.8 | 21 |
New Orleans | 142 | 145 | 2 | .495 | 23.3 | 12 |
Houston | 143 | 146 | 0 | .495 | 22.9 | 19 |
NY Jets | 142 | 145 | 2 | .495 | 21.7 | 31 |
Buffalo | 145 | 142 | 2 | .505 | 23.3 | 13 |
LA Chargers | 146 | 143 | 0 | .505 | 23.0 | 16 |
Cleveland | 145 | 142 | 2 | .505 | 22.9 | 20 |
Carolina | 145 | 142 | 2 | .505 | 22.7 | 22 |
Pittsburgh | 147 | 142 | 0 | .509 | 22.5 | 25 |
Seattle | 147 | 141 | 1 | .510 | 23.5 | 9 |
Denver | 149 | 140 | 0 | .516 | 23.7 | 3 |
New England | 149 | 139 | 1 | .517 | 23.4 | 10 |
San Francisco | 152 | 137 | 0 | .526 | 22.9 | 17 |
Tampa Bay | 152 | 136 | 1 | .528 | 22.7 | 23 |
Atlanta | 152 | 136 | 1 | .528 | 22.4 | 28 |
Arizona | 155 | 134 | 0 | .536 | 22.6 | 24 |
Cincinnati | 154 | 133 | 2 | .536 | 22.2 | 29 |
Kansas City | 156 | 133 | 0 | .540 | 22.4 | 27 |
Las Vegas | 156 | 132 | 1 | .542 | 21.9 | 30 |
LA Rams | 166 | 123 | 0 | .574 | 21.7 | 32 |
—Ian Allan