I heard it suggested a couple of times on podcasts this week that the Eagles have benefited from playing an easy schedule – that their defense hasn’t really been tested. Nobody would argue that their playoff run has been pretty comfortable, with home games against the Giants and a 49ers team playing without its top 3 quarterbacks.

But I don’t agree with the premise that Philadelphia simply hasn’t played anyone. The NFC East, after all, was the only division that put three teams in the postseason. And while the NFC in general was down (with the Rams, Bucs and Packers coming in below expectations), Philadelphia did a great job of decisively dismantling the vast majority of its opponents.

Based strictly on wins and losses, the Eagles played a harder schedule than Kansas City. KC’s 17 opponents went 126-142-2 in their other regular-season games (only nine teams played easier schedules). Philadelphia’s was closer to average, with its opponents going 131-135-6 in their other 272 games.

DIFFICULTY OF SCHEDULE, 2022
Final versionWLTPct
San Francisco1161551.428
LA Chargers1201502.445
Atlanta1241461.459
Houston1241453.461
Seattle1251461.461
Las Vegas1251452.463
Carolina1261441.467
Denver1261442.467
Jacksonville1241426.467
Kansas City1261422.470
Minnesota1311373.489
Philadelphia1311356.493
Indianapolis1341353.498
New Orleans1341341.500
New England1361350.502
Tampa Bay1361350.502
Tennessee1331316.504
LA Rams1371340.506
Arizona1401320.515
Baltimore1381301.515
Dallas1381276.520
Cleveland1391282.520
Buffalo1421300.522
Pittsburgh1401281.522
Green Bay1411282.524
NY Giants1431263.531
NY Jets1441250.535
Washington1451243.539
Detroit1451242.539
Cincinnati1471250.540
Miami1451231.541
Chicago1491193.555

—Ian Allan