2019 NFL Strength of Schedule Rankings

By Kevin Kelley -

2019 NFL Strength of Schedule rankings have been released, which are based solely on the combined record of a team’s opponents from the previous season.

It’s definitely far from an exact science. The winning percentage method cannot take into account factors such as the NFL Draft, free agent signings, injuries, and more.

Listed below are the 2019 NFL Strength of Schedule rankings using the winning percentage method. Below that, we’ll take a look at a second method based on Las Vegas betting odds.

Rank Team Opp. Record (2018) Opp. Winning % (2018)
1 Oakland Raiders 137-117-2 .539
2 Denver Broncos 136-117-3 .537
3 Jacksonville Jaguars 136-120 .531
4 Houston Texans 135-121 .527
T-5 Chicago Bears 131-121-4 .520
T-5 Kansas City Chiefs 132-122-2 .520
T-7 Atlanta Falcons 132-123-1 .518
T-7 Indianapolis Colts 132-123-1 .518
9 Tennessee Titans 131-124-1 .514
10 Minnesota Vikings 130-124-2 .512
11 San Francisco 49ers 129-124-3 .510
T-12 Arizona Cardinals 129-125-2 .508
T-12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 130-126 .508
T-14 Dallas Cowboys 128-126-2 .504
T-14 Green Bay Packers 128-126-2 .504
T-16 Los Angeles Chargers 127-126-3 .502
T-16 Carolina Panthers 128-127-1 .502
18 Miami Dolphins 127-127-2 .500
T-19 Pittsburgh Steelers 126-128-2 .496
T-19 Detroit Lions 125-127-4 .496
T-19 Baltimore Ravens 125-127-4 .496
22 New Orleans Saints 125-131 .488
23 Cleveland Browns 123-131-2 .484
24 Buffalo Bills 122-132-2 .480
25 Seattle Seahawks 121-132-3 .479
26 Philadelphia Eagles 121-133-2 .477
T-27 Cincinnati Bengals 119-133-4 .473
T-27 New York Giants 120-134-2 .473
T-27 New York Jets 120-134-2 .473
T-27 Los Angeles Rams 120-134-2 .473
T-27 New England Patriots 120-134-2 .473
32 Washington Redskins 119-135-2 .469

Oakland, Denver, Jacksonville, and Houston sit at the top of the rankings using the winning percentage method. Oakland and Houston are separated by only two games in the win column.

The distance from fourth (Houston) to fifth (Chicago and Kansas City) is four games in the win column.

Washington has the easiest schedule in 2019, according to the winning percentage method, by one game over five teams that are tied for 27th.

SportsBettingDime offers an alternative NFL strength of schedule ranking, saying that “this is how we should be calculating SOS.”

They use BetOnline’s 2019 projected win totals to provide their own NFL strength of schedule rankings. This is determined by “adding the projected wins of each team’s 16 opponents this season.”

Below are their rankings using that method. Their rankings differ of course, but you’ll notice some similarities, especially with a few teams with the toughest and easiest schedules this season.

Rank Team Proj. Wins of 2019 Opp.
1 Houston Texans 138.5
2 Denver Broncos 138
3 Oakland Raiders 136.5
4 Atlanta Falcons 135.5
5 Chicago Bears 135.5
6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 135
7 Tennessee Titans 135
8 Carolina Panthers 134.5
9 Kansas City Chiefs 134.5
10 Jacksonville Jaguars 133.5
11 Minnesota Vikings 133
12 Arizona Cardinals 132.5
13 New Orleans Saints 132
14 Seattle Seahawks 132
15 Detroit Lions 131.5
16 Indianapolis Colts 131
17 Los Angeles Chargers 131
18 Green Bay Packers 130.5
19 San Francisco 49ers 130
20 Miami Dolphins 129.5
21 Dallas Cowboys 128.5
22 Washington Redskins 128.5
23 Baltimore Ravens 128
24 Cincinnati Bengals  127.5
25 Los Angeles Rams 127.5
26 Pittsburgh Steelers  127
27 New York Giants 124.5
28 Buffalo Bills 123
29 Philadelphia Eagles 123
30 Cleveland Browns 122.5
31 New York Jets 121
32 New England Patriots 117.5

Teams included in the Top 5 of both ranking methods (toughest schedule) include Denver, Houston, Oakland, and Chicago. The Jets and Patriots both appear in the bottom five (easiest schedule) of both rankings.

You can click on any team name to view their schedule for the upcoming season. The 2019 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 8 with the Green Bay Packers visiting the Chicago Bears.

NFL Schedules