Mike White played well in his first start, and if the schedule has any say in things, he’s going to keep it up. Strictly off the numbers, the Jets have the easiest upcoming pass schedule in the league.
That is, take the per-game averages for each defense, then plug them into the remainder of the schedule. They show the Jets’ next four games being against defenses that currently are allowing an average of 266 passing yards per week, with 1.34 TD passes per game. That’s the most overall production in the league (assuming 6 points for TDs and 1 for every 10 yards).
Other quarterbacks with easy-looking schedules coming up in their next four include Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence. (Marcus Mariota and Sam Darnold would be Nos. 4-5, but I’m not going there).
The four quarterbacks with the hardest near-future schedules (next four games) include Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Joe Burrow and Geno Smith.
By the way, “next four games” is Weeks 13-16 for most quarterbacks. There are eight teams that haven’t yet had their bye; for those guys, it’s Weeks 13-17.
SCHEDULE, PASSING (next 4 G) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | Yards | TDP | Pts |
NY Jets | 266 | 1.34 | 34.6 |
LA Chargers | 252 | 1.50 | 34.2 |
Jacksonville | 245 | 1.59 | 34.0 |
Atlanta | 258 | 1.31 | 33.7 |
Carolina | 253 | 1.37 | 33.5 |
Minnesota | 231 | 1.73 | 33.4 |
New Orleans | 248 | 1.43 | 33.4 |
Kansas City | 228 | 1.72 | 33.1 |
Detroit | 248 | 1.34 | 32.9 |
San Francisco | 234 | 1.56 | 32.8 |
Denver | 258 | 1.16 | 32.7 |
Cleveland | 238 | 1.48 | 32.7 |
Baltimore | 244 | 1.36 | 32.6 |
Pittsburgh | 258 | 1.11 | 32.4 |
Tampa Bay | 232 | 1.49 | 32.2 |
Buffalo | 224 | 1.61 | 32.1 |
LA Rams | 230 | 1.51 | 32.0 |
Green Bay | 250 | 1.16 | 31.9 |
Houston | 244 | 1.25 | 31.9 |
Dallas | 226 | 1.56 | 31.9 |
Chicago | 229 | 1.49 | 31.9 |
Tennessee | 232 | 1.44 | 31.9 |
NY Giants | 235 | 1.37 | 31.7 |
Indianapolis | 239 | 1.30 | 31.7 |
Arizona | 225 | 1.48 | 31.3 |
Las Vegas | 241 | 1.20 | 31.3 |
Philadelphia | 233 | 1.31 | 31.2 |
Washington | 227 | 1.40 | 31.1 |
Seattle | 236 | 1.15 | 30.5 |
Cincinnati | 229 | 1.23 | 30.3 |
New England | 230 | 1.19 | 30.1 |
Miami | 223 | 1.29 | 30.1 |
If we look instead at passing, Tennessee, Kansas City and Dallas have the easiest upcoming schedule. Again, using 6 points for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards (rushing production only).
Denver, Seattle and Green Bay have the hardest upcoming run schedules.
SCHEDULE, RUSHING (next 4 G) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | Yards | TDR | Pts |
Tennessee | 139 | 1.13 | 20.7 |
Kansas City | 139 | 1.11 | 20.6 |
Dallas | 131 | 1.18 | 20.1 |
Chicago | 134 | 1.11 | 20.0 |
Carolina | 134 | 1.04 | 19.7 |
Miami | 123 | 1.17 | 19.3 |
Cleveland | 118 | 1.23 | 19.2 |
New England | 126 | 1.06 | 19.0 |
NY Jets | 122 | 1.11 | 18.9 |
Minnesota | 131 | .91 | 18.5 |
LA Rams | 137 | .79 | 18.5 |
New Orleans | 112 | 1.20 | 18.4 |
Tampa Bay | 103 | 1.33 | 18.3 |
Jacksonville | 121 | 1.00 | 18.1 |
Indianapolis | 134 | .75 | 17.9 |
Baltimore | 121 | .93 | 17.7 |
Las Vegas | 120 | .91 | 17.5 |
Washington | 122 | .87 | 17.5 |
Detroit | 119 | .88 | 17.2 |
Cincinnati | 121 | .82 | 17.1 |
San Francisco | 124 | .76 | 16.9 |
Arizona | 125 | .71 | 16.8 |
Houston | 112 | .89 | 16.6 |
Buffalo | 123 | .70 | 16.6 |
Philadelphia | 125 | .66 | 16.4 |
Atlanta | 102 | 1.00 | 16.1 |
LA Chargers | 108 | .89 | 16.1 |
Pittsburgh | 116 | .75 | 16.1 |
NY Giants | 113 | .77 | 15.9 |
Green Bay | 116 | .70 | 15.9 |
Seattle | 104 | .85 | 15.5 |
Denver | 98 | .73 | 14.2 |
If we’re using points in general, Cleveland, Tampa Bay and Kansas City seem to have the easiest upcoming schedules. The Packers, Steelers and Colts seem to likely to face the toughest defenses in their next four games.
SCHEDULE, POINTS (next 4 G) | |
---|---|
Team | Pts |
Cleveland | 25.0 |
Tampa Bay | 24.9 |
Kansas City | 24.7 |
Chicago | 24.7 |
Jacksonville | 24.2 |
Dallas | 24.0 |
Miami | 23.8 |
New Orleans | 23.6 |
Minnesota | 23.6 |
Tennessee | 23.5 |
Carolina | 22.9 |
NY Jets | 22.7 |
LA Chargers | 22.5 |
Atlanta | 22.3 |
LA Rams | 22.0 |
San Francisco | 21.8 |
Buffalo | 21.6 |
New England | 21.6 |
Houston | 21.6 |
Washington | 21.6 |
Baltimore | 21.5 |
Detroit | 20.7 |
Cincinnati | 20.2 |
Philadelphia | 20.2 |
Las Vegas | 20.0 |
NY Giants | 19.9 |
Arizona | 19.7 |
Seattle | 19.7 |
Denver | 19.5 |
Indianapolis | 19.1 |
Pittsburgh | 18.9 |
Green Bay | 18.8 |
—Ian Allan