Using our NFL Luck Rankings, we have put together our strength of schedule rankings for the first four weeks of the regular season, as well as the final 14.
Some observations …
1) The NFC South is probably the worst division in the NFL. All four teams rank in the bottom 11 for the rest of the season, with the Falcons and Saints having the easiest paths the rest of the way.
2) The AFC North remains a difficult division. Both Cincinnati and Baltimore are in the top four, while the Steelers are middle of the pack and the Browns toward the bottom.
3) Adding insult to Aaron Rodgers' injury, the Jets have already had to play the Bills, Chiefs and Cowboys this season, giving them the most difficult schedule of the season so far. The Patriots have also played Dallas, as well as the Eagles and Dolphins.
The rating indicates how an average team would fare when playing on a neutral site. A -2.7 rating means that team would be favored by an average of 2.7 points weekly based on ease of schedule alone. However, it’s important to not take the rating literally. For example, just because the Broncos come in at 1.7 doesn’t mean they’d be 1.7-point underdogs weekly – you still have to account for the fact that they’re not a great team and would likely be larger 'dogs.
