Who Has the Easiest Schedule in the NFL This Year?
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The NFL schedule was released a few days ago and there are a few teams that have what look to be easy roads to the playoffs.
The NFL’s Easiest Schedules in 2020
The NFL’s 2020 schedule was recently released, and with it came the question of which teams have the easiest road to the playoffs. There are a few teams that stand out, but let’s take a closer look at the schedules to find out who has the easiest road to the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The NFL schedule for the 2020 season was released Thursday, and there are some interesting tidbits to sift through as we look ahead to what should be an exciting campaign.
For example, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the season at home against the Houston Texans, who they beat in last year’s AFC divisional round. The game will mark the first time in NFL history that a Super Bowl champion has started the following season at home against a team it defeated in the playoffs the previous year.
Another interesting note is that five teams will have byes in Week 7, which is the earliest bye week in NFL history. That includes the Baltimore Ravens, who are coming off a season in which they went 14-2 and won the AFC North.
As for who has the easiest road to a division title, that honor appears to belong to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only do they have by far the easiest schedule in terms of opponent winning percentage (.430), but they also don’t have any particularly tough stretches. In fact, their toughest three-game stretch comes in Weeks 2-4 when they play the Carolina Panthers (away), Los Angeles Rams (home) and New York Giants (away). But even that doesn’t look too daunting on paper.
So if you’re looking for a team to make a run at a division title in 2020, keep an eye on the Buccaneers. They might just surprise some people.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers have one of the lightest schedules in 2020. They have the benefit of playing in a division with two new head coaches, and they also get to play the NFC East, which is widely considered to be the weakest division in football. In addition, thePackers do not have any particularly tough opponents outside of their division. Their only real test will come on the road against the 49ers in Week 12, but they should be able to handle that challenge.
Indianapolis Colts
With Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement last year, the Colts will be leaning heavily on new quarterback Jacoby Brissett to lead the team in 2020. The Colts have one of the easier schedules in the NFL this year, with several key games against teams that are rebuilding or in transition.
The Colts start the season with a difficult game against the Chargers, but they will have a chance to get revenge for their Wild Card loss against the Texans in Week 4. The Colts also have a relatively easy stretch in late November and early December, with games against the Jaguars, Titans, and Raiders. They close out the season with a tough game against the Steelers, but if they can win that game, they could potentially earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The NFL’s Toughest Schedules in 2020
It’s never too early to start looking ahead to the NFL’s 2020 schedule. And with the release of each team’s opponents, we now know who has the toughest road ahead. The San Francisco 49ers, for example, have the league’s toughest slate.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2020, according to NFL.com’s strength of schedule metric. The Patriots’ opponents have a combined winning percentage of .578, which is the highest mark in the league.
In addition to their eight games against teams that made the playoffs last season, the Patriots will also face the Buffalo Bills (who went 10-6 in 2019) and the Miami Dolphins (who went 5-11 but could be much improved in 2020). The Patriots will also play the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs – two of the best teams in the AFC – on the road.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have the dubious honor of having the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2020. Their opponents have a combined record of 136-120-0, which is a winning percentage of .531. The Cowboys will face five teams that made the playoffs last season, including the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. They will also face NFC East rivals Philadelphia and Washington, who both had winning records in 2019.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens will have the toughest schedule in 2020, according to strength of schedule (SOS) projections. Their opponents have a combined winning percentage of .578, the highest of any team in the NFL.
The Ravens’ SOS is significantly higher than that of the second-toughest team, the Los Angeles Rams (.561). The Rams’ opponents went a combined 132-124-0 (.516) last season.
The New England Patriots (.559), Minnesota Vikings (.556), and Seattle Seahawks (.553) round out the top five.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Cincinnati Bengals have the easiest schedule in 2020. Their opponents have a combined winning percentage of .453, the lowest of any team in the NFL.
The Bengals’ SOS is significantly lower than that of the second-easiest team, the Miami Dolphins (.469). The Dolphins’ opponents went a combined 128-128-0 (.500) last season.
The Detroit Lions (.473), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (.474), and Jacksonville Jaguars (.479) round out the bottom five.
