What NFL Team Has the Toughest Schedule in 2021?

It’s never too early to start looking ahead to the NFL season, and with that in mind, we’ve decided to take a look at the toughest schedules in the league for 2021.

Introduction

In the NFL, every team plays 16 regular season games. And while each team technically has an equal chance to make the playoffs, the fact is that some teams have a much tougher road to get there than others.

So, which NFL team has the toughest schedule in 2021?

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), that dubious honor goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars’ opponents for the 2021 season have a combined winning percentage of .578, which is the highest of any team in the league.

The Jaguars are followed by the Cleveland Browns (.574) and the Miami Dolphins (.565).

At the other end of the spectrum, the Arizona Cardinals have the easiest schedule in 2021, with their opponents’ combined winning percentage coming in at just .473.

The Cardinals are followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers (.480) and the Indianapolis Colts (.481).

The NFL’s Toughest Schedules in 2021

The 2021 NFL schedule was released on Wednesday night, and there are some interesting storylines coming out of it. One thing that stands out is the fact that some teams have much tougher schedules than others. Let’s take a look at the teams with the toughest schedules in 2021.

The New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2021, according to Strength of Schedule (SOS) metrics. Their opponents have a combined winning percentage of .578, which is the highest in the league.

The Pats’ SOS is boosted by the fact that they will face six playoff teams from 2020: the Buffalo Bills (twice), Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs. In addition, they will play the San Francisco 49ers, who were just a few plays away from winning the Super Bowl last year.

New England’s SOS is tied with that of the Denver Broncos, but Denver gets a slightly easier slate overall thanks to playing two games against the lowly Jaguars.

Here are the rest of the teams with the toughest schedules in 2021, based on SOS:
2. Denver Broncos (.578)
3. Chicago Bears (.576)
4. Green Bay Packers (.574)
5. Detroit Lions (.571)

The New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2021, as their opponents had a winning percentage of .598 last season. The Saints will face the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams, all of whom made the playoffs in 2020. The Saints will also face the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears, who were both playoff teams in 2019.

The Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams have the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2021, according to NFL research. The Rams’ opponents have a collective record of 139-116-1 (.545) based on their 2020 records.

The Rams will face five playoff teams from a year ago in the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. In addition, Los Angeles will battle the Chicago Bears (who just missed the playoffs), Detroit Lions (who are on the rise) and Arizona Cardinals (who finished 8-8 a year ago).

The Rams will also have to contend with two of the NFL’s most difficult road environments in Seattle and Green Bay. So while Los Angeles has a talented roster, it will certainly have its work cut out for it in 2021.

The San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have the toughest schedule in 2021, based on theiropponents’ 2020 winning percentages. The 49ers will face opponents with an average winning percentage of .578, which is the highest of any team in the NFL. The 49ers’ opponents had a combined record of 120-88-4 (.577) in 2020.

The Baltimore Ravens have the second-toughest schedule in 2021, as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .576 in 2020. The Ravens will face eight teams that made the playoffs in 2020, tied for the most of any team in the NFL. The Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks each have seven playoff teams on their schedules.

The New England Patriots have the third-toughest schedule in 2021, as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .574 in 2020. The Patriots will face six playoff teams from 2020, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the fourth-toughest schedule in 2021, as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .572 in 2020. The Steelers will face five playoff teams from 2020, tied for the seventh-most in the NFL.

The Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have the misfortune of playing in the NFC West, which many are calling the best division in football. They also have to face the 2020 NFC runner-up Packers, as well as the Saints, Patriots, and Eagles. Seattle’s road games are particularly tough, as they have to travel to Lambeau Field, New Orleans, Foxborough, and Philadelphia.

Conclusion

The Seattle Seahawks have the toughest schedule in 2021, based on their opponents’ records from 2020. The Seahawks will face teams that combined for a winning percentage of .579 last season, which is the highest of any team in the NFL. The Seahawks also have the toughest road schedule in the league, as they’ll travel to face eight teams that had a winning record in 2020.