After crunching the numbers, combing through travel schedules, and extensive research -- I've determined the 4 teams who have the breeziest schedules in 2020. Did your team make the list?!
Here's what I came up with:
Ravens: Anytime you can start with the Browns and end with the Bengals, you’re doing well for yourself. They also get back to back Thursday night football games in the middle of the season around Thanksgiving, so no short week. Their final 4 games are @ Browns, home vs Jags/Giants, @ Bengals. Congrats on your AFC North title.
Lions: Start with the Bears @ home, then they go to GB, to ARZ, home vs New Orleans…bye. The only time they play back to back playoff teams from last year is week’s 14 and 15 vs GB and Tennessee. And they get to finish up @ home vs Minnesota.
Falcons: While yes, they play in the NFC South and against the AFC West. The Falcons don’t have back to back road games until the final 2 weeks of the season! (@ Chiefs and @TB). They also have a stretch from week 5 to week 10 where they play the Panthers twice, the Broncos, Lions, and get a bye week.
Texans: Fun fact, Houston isn’t traveling any further west than Houston this year. Now the start is brutal. @ Chiefs, home vs Baltimore, @ Pittsburgh, then home vs Minnesota. But, if they can get through that…things really ease up. They have a stretch from week 8 (their bye week) to week 16 where they play the Jags, Browns, Lions, Bears, Bengals, Patriots, and Colts twice.
Here's the ranking according to NFL.com...
2020 NFL strength of schedule (toughest to easiest):
- 1. New England Patriots .537
- 2. New York Jets .533
- 3. Miami Dolphins .529
- 4. San Francisco 49ers .527
- T-5. Buffalo Bills .525
- T-5. Detroit Lions .525
- T-5. Atlanta Falcons .525
- T-8. Arizona Cardinals .518
- T-8. Houston Texans .518
- T-10. Minnesota Vikings .516
- T-10. Los Angeles Rams .516
- 12. Denver Broncos .512
- T-13. Chicago Bears .509
- T-13. Seattle Seahawks .509
- 15. Green Bay Packers .504
- T-16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers .502
- T-16. Indianapolis Colts .502
- T-18. Kansas City Chiefs .500
- T-18. Carolina Panthers .500
- 20. Tennessee Titans .498
- 21. Las Vegas Raiders .496
- 22. Jacksonville Jaguars .494
- 23. Los Angeles Chargers .492
- 24. New Orleans Saints .490
- 25. Philadelphia Eagles .486
- 26. New York Giants .482
- 27. Cincinnati Bengals .477
- 28. Washington Redskins .465
- 29. Cleveland Browns .461
- 30. Dallas Cowboys .459
- 31. Pittsburgh Steelers .457
- 32. Baltimore Ravens .438