Breaking down each NFL team’s strength of schedule this season
By Ryan Brown
Which team has had the hardest road to the end of the season? Here’s a breakdown of how each team did through Week 17.
Week 17 is over and the playoffs are beginning soon. The season has been full of ups and downs and plenty of surprises. Now 20 teams are done and Wild Card Weekend is only a few days away.
Earlier this year, we took a look at which team has had the most difficult first half of the season, using something I’m calling Adjusted Strength of Schedule (ASoS). To calculate the ASoS of each team, I took the combined record of all of their opponents so far, and subtract the games against that team. I used the win percentage of the ASoS record to determine which team has had the most difficult road through midseason of the 2019 NFL season.
This time, I’m going to take the ASoS for the opponents each team has faced for the whole season.
We’ll start with the team that had the easiest road to the end of the season according to their ASoS and count down to the team with the most difficult season.
32. New York Giants (4-12)
Opponents: DAL, BUF, TB, WAS, MIN, NE, ARI, DET, DAL, NYJ, CHI, GB, PHI, MIA, WAS, PHI
ASoS: 108-130-2, .454%
Welcome to a new era in New York Giants football, led by Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, and whoever the Giants decide to bring in as the next head coach. The Giants finished with the easiest overall schedule and at 4-12. After starting 2-2, New York lost nine straight before finishing 2-1. They have a long way to go before being competitive again. But it helps that they play in the trash heap that is the NFC East.
31. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Opponents: WAS, ATL, DET, GB, NYJ, MIN, DAL, BUF, CHI, NE, SEA, MIA, NYG, WAS, DAL, NYG
ASoS: 109-130-1, .456%
The least awful of the NFC East squads gets to host a playoff game on Wild Card Weekend. The Eagles have beaten good playoff-bound teams (Packers, Bills), and lost to some awful teams (Lions, Dolphins). Philly was once 5-7 coming off a loss at Miami, but have since won four straight (all divisional games) to finish 9-7. Miles Sanders looks like he may play in their Wild Card game against Seattle, but this team will only go as far as Carson Wentz can take them.
30. New York Jets (7-9)
Opponents: BUF, CLE, NE, PHI, DAL, NE, JAX, MIA, NYG, WAS, OAK, CIN, MIA, BAL, PIT, BUF
ASoS: 112-128, .467%
The Jets started the season 1-7. The Jets faced a string of mostly bad teams in their last eight games and managed to finish 6-2. After beating the Giants in Week 10, it was confirmed that head coach Adam Gase would not be fired going into next season. Sam Darnold, who didn’t look terrible in that eight week stretch, and star safety Jamal Adams give fans something to be excited about.
29. Buffalo Bills (10-6)
Opponents: NYJ, NYG, CIN, NE, TEN, MIA, PHI, WAS, CLE, MIA, DEN, DAL, BAL, PIT, NE, NYJ
ASoS: 112-128, .467%
After not making the playoffs since 1999, the Bills are going to their second postseason in three years under head coach Sean McDermott. The defense is playing incredibly well right now and Josh Allen is also showing improvement in his second year. They go on the road well rested after benching starters in week 17 to play the Texans on Wild Card Weekend. A very winnable game for this Bills team to get their first playoff win in over 24 years.
28. Miami Dolphins (5-11)
Opponents: BAL, NE, DAL, LAC, WAS, BUF, PIT, NYJ, IND, BUF, CLE, PHI, NYJ, NYG, CIN, NE
ASoS: 113-127, .471%
The Dolphins leadership were clearly tanking to start the season by parting ways with some of their top talent. Give credit to head coach Brian Flores and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for dragging this team to 5-4 over the last nine weeks. Miami may actually have a team to root for in the coming years, but just to show you how bad the Dolphins have been this year, Fitzpatrick led the team in rushing yards with 243.
27. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
Opponents: CHI, MIN, DEN, PHI, DAL, DET, OAK, KC, LAC, CAR, SF, NYG, WAS, CHI, MIN, DET
ASoS: 112-126-2, .471%
The Packers looked great against a good Vikings team, and then proceeded to look awful against David Blough and the Lions. Green Bay has been feast or famine throughout the season for long stretches of games and were thoroughly embarrassed by the one-seed 49ers in Week 12. They’ll have to be better and more consistent to keep up with powerhouse teams like San Francisco and New Orleans in the postseason.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10)
Opponents: KC, HOU, TEN, DEN, CAR, NO, CIN, NYJ, HOU, IND, TEN, TB, LAC, OAK, ATL, IND
ASoS: 114-126, .475%
Minshew Mania has been fun and the rookie quarterback has impressed, but there are some glaring weaknesses on this team. Jacksonville started 4-4 before losing five straight. With it looking like Jacksonville will retain the head coach Doug Marrone and general manager David Caldwell going into 2020, the Jaguars will need to build around their young quarterback and stud receiver D.J. Chark.
25. Oakland Raiders (7-9)
Opponents: DEN, KC, MIN, IND, CHI, GB, HOU, DET, LAC, CIN, NYJ, KC, TEN, JAX, LAC, DEN
ASoS: 114-125-1, .477%
The second season under head coach Jon Gruden and the final season in Oakland for the Raiders ends in disappointment. After starting 6-4 with a nice shot at the playoffs, the Raiders lost five of their last six and finished 7-9, including a crushing loss in their last game in Oakland after blowing a 16-3 halftime lead to the Jaguars. A lot of changes are coming as the teams heads to Las Vegas for the 2020 season.