NFL teams’ schedules are determined through a league-wide rotation to ensure that all teams meet each other at least once every four years. Each team in the AFC East, for example, plays all four teams in the AFC South and NFC West. In addition to these pre-set matchups, teams also face opponents based on where they finished in their respective divisions the previous year. This system allows for a variety of matchups and keeps the schedule dynamic over time.
Based on the upcoming 2024 NFL season, teams are divided into divisions and assigned opponents accordingly. Each division has a unique set of matchups outside of their divisional games. For example, the AFC North faces the AFC West and NFC East, while the NFC South plays against the NFC East and AFC West. These matchups can heavily impact a team’s overall schedule strength and projected wins for the season.
Sportsbooks like bet365 project win totals for each team in the league to give an indication of their performance expectations for the upcoming season. By looking at these projections, fans and analysts can gauge the difficulty of a team’s schedule and how it compares to other teams in the league. The AFC North, for instance, is projected to have the most wins collectively, while the NFC South is expected to perform below average.
There are various ways to evaluate a team’s strength of schedule before the season begins. Traditional methods include looking at opponents’ records from the previous year or their projected win totals. Websites like Sharp Football Analysis incorporate these projections into their analysis to rank teams based on their schedule difficulty. This allows fans and bettors to make informed decisions about which teams may have an advantage based on their matchups.
When considering which teams may benefit or struggle based on their schedules, analysts point to examples like the 2023 Houston Texans. Despite low expectations going into the season, the Texans performed better than anticipated, showcasing the fact that previous records do not always dictate future performance. Teams like the Carolina Panthers may have a favorable schedule this year, facing beatable opponents in the AFC West and NFC East, while the San Francisco 49ers have a challenging slate against tough divisional and non-divisional foes.
Ultimately, a team’s schedule can play a significant role in their success or failure each season. By analyzing projected win totals, strength of schedule rankings, and individual matchups, fans and analysts can gain insights into how different teams may fare in the upcoming season. Whether a team benefits from an easier schedule or faces an uphill battle against tough opponents, the schedule is a key factor to consider in predicting outcomes in the NFL.
