NFL strength of schedule rankings for 2022 season
It's not exactly a science to determine which NFL teams have the hardest or easiest schedule for the simple reason that we don't know how good each team is yet.
But when making the schedule every year, the NFL tries to ensure that the best teams from the season before play the toughest slates while the worst teams play the easiest.
One method of measuring the best from the worst is judging each team by its record from the previous season.
It's not perfect, as teams can improve or regress drastically from year to year, in addition to trades, free agency, and unforeseen injuries, but it's one metric that we have available this early.
Scroll through to see which NFL teams have it easiest and hardest this fall.
2022 NFL strength of schedule rankings
Ranked by opponents' win pct and combined record
T-31. Commanders: .462 (133-155-1)
T-31. Cowboys: .462 (133-155-1)
30. Eagles: .464 (133-154-2)
29. Giants: .465 (134-154-1)
28. Lions: .467 (135-154-0)
T- 24. Colts: .469 (135-153-1)
T-24. Jaguars: .469 (135-153-1)
T-24. Titans: .471 (136-153-0)
T-24. Bears: .471 (135-152-2)
23. Ravens: .474 (136-151-2)
22. Packers: .478 (147-150-2)
21. Dolphins: .481 (138-149-2)
20. Vikings: .484 (139-148-2)
19. Texans: .488 (141-148-0)
T-17. Browns: .495 (142-145-2)
T-17. Jets: .495 (142-145-2)
16. Patriots: .498 (143-144-2)
15. Broncos: .509 (147-142-0)
T-12. Bills: .512 (148-141-0)
T-12. Steelers: .512 (148-141-0)
T-12. Panthers: .512 (147-140-2)
11. Seahawks: .517 (149-139-1)
10. Chargers: .519 (150-139-0)
9. Falcons: .524 (151-137-1)
T-7. Saints: .528 (152-136-1)
T-7. Raiders: .528 (152-136-1)
T-5. Chiefs: .533 (154-135-0)
T-5. 49ers: .533 (154-135-0)
4. Buccaneers: .535 (154-134-1)
3. Bengals: .536 (154-133-2)
2. Cardinals: .543 (157-132-0)
1. Rams: .567 (164-125-0)
2022 NFL schedule: How it's made
Here is the formula the NFL uses to create its annual football schedule.
1. Home/away games against three division opponents (6 games)
2. Four teams from another division in its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games)
3. Four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games)
4. Two intra-conference games based on last year's standings, matching a 1st place team against a 1st place team in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season (2 games)
5. One inter-conference game based on last year's standings on a rotating four-year cycle, matching a 1st place team from one division against a 1st place team in an opposite conference division that the team is not scheduled to play that season
6. 2nd, 3rd, 4th place teams in each division are paired likewise, with the home conference for the game rotating each season
NFL schedule: Home, away opponents for 32 teams
AFC East
New England Patriots
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers
Buffalo Bills
- Home: Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
New York Jets
- Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
- Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, and Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
- Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams
- Away: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles
Cleveland Browns
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Chargers
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and Washington Commanders
Cincinnati Bengals
- Home: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins
- Away: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans
AFC South
Houston Texans
- Home: Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
- Away: Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears
Tennessee Titans
- Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals
- Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
- Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
- Away: Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens
- Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, Detroit Lions
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
- Home: Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills
- Away: Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals
Denver Broncos
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders
- Away: Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens
Las Vegas Raiders
- Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots
- Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints
Los Angeles Chargers
- Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins
- Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys
- Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals
- Away: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
New York Giants
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens
- Away: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks
Washington Commanders
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
- Home: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
- Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts
- Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins
Chicago Bears
- Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans
- Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons
Detroit Lions
- Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville
- Away: Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles
Atlanta Falcons
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Home: Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, New York Jets
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Rams
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona Cardinals
- Home: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
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