Kansas City, Minnesota and Tennessee are all leading their divisions, and they have the easiest schedules for the final five weeks of the season.
Especially the Vikings, whose final five games are against teams that are a combined 24-37-1 (2nd-easiest) and allowing 24.1 points per game (2nd-most).
That’s seemingly good news for the likes of Dalvin Cook (pictured), Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson.
I like the look of Kansas City’s remaining schedule, which includes Denver twice, Houston, Seattle and Las Vegas. Isiah Pacheco in particular looks like he could make some hay against those run defenses.
Chicago, Washington and the Giants have the most difficult remaining schedules. That’s not a huge deal with the Bears (they’re not going anywhere), but those NFC East teams are battling to get into the postseason.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, WINS (Wks 14-18) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | Pct |
Kansas City | 19 | 40 | 1 | .325 |
Minnesota | 24 | 37 | 2 | .397 |
Tennessee | 24 | 35 | 1 | .408 |
LA Chargers | 25 | 35 | 1 | .418 |
Arizona | 26 | 36 | 0 | .419 |
LA Rams | 26 | 35 | 0 | .426 |
Baltimore | 28 | 33 | 0 | .459 |
Detroit | 29 | 33 | 0 | .468 |
Tampa Bay | 29 | 32 | 0 | .475 |
Las Vegas | 29 | 32 | 0 | .475 |
Carolina | 29 | 31 | 0 | .483 |
San Francisco | 29 | 31 | 1 | .484 |
Buffalo | 30 | 32 | 0 | .484 |
Miami | 31 | 31 | 0 | .500 |
Pittsburgh | 30 | 30 | 0 | .500 |
Atlanta | 24 | 24 | 0 | .500 |
Dallas | 30 | 29 | 2 | .508 |
New England | 25 | 24 | 0 | .510 |
Denver | 31 | 29 | 0 | .517 |
Seattle | 31 | 29 | 0 | .517 |
Indianapolis | 24 | 22 | 2 | .521 |
Cincinnati | 32 | 29 | 0 | .525 |
Jacksonville | 31 | 28 | 1 | .525 |
Philadelphia | 32 | 27 | 2 | .541 |
Green Bay | 26 | 22 | 0 | .542 |
Houston | 33 | 27 | 1 | .549 |
NY Jets | 33 | 27 | 0 | .550 |
Cleveland | 34 | 26 | 1 | .566 |
New Orleans | 34 | 26 | 0 | .567 |
Washington | 29 | 18 | 1 | .615 |
NY Giants | 43 | 17 | 2 | .710 |
Chicago | 35 | 13 | 0 | .729 |
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, POINTS (Wks 14-18) | |
---|---|
Team | Points |
Green Bay | 24.4 |
Denver | 24.1 |
Minnesota | 24.0 |
Indianapolis | 23.5 |
NY Jets | 23.3 |
Baltimore | 23.3 |
LA Rams | 23.2 |
San Francisco | 22.9 |
New Orleans | 22.8 |
Detroit | 22.6 |
Buffalo | 22.5 |
New England | 22.5 |
Carolina | 22.5 |
Tennessee | 22.4 |
Pittsburgh | 22.2 |
Tampa Bay | 22.0 |
Chicago | 21.6 |
Miami | 21.6 |
Kansas City | 21.6 |
Las Vegas | 21.5 |
LA Chargers | 21.4 |
Houston | 21.1 |
Dallas | 21.0 |
Atlanta | 20.9 |
Philadelphia | 20.7 |
NY Giants | 20.7 |
Cincinnati | 20.6 |
Cleveland | 20.5 |
Seattle | 20.5 |
Jacksonville | 20.0 |
Washington | 19.8 |
Arizona | 19.6 |
—Ian Allan