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