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With each passing year, it feels like the NFL makes an increasingly bigger deal out of its schedule release, and this year was certainly no exception.
In what felt like a multi-day event, the National Football League rolled out its schedule for the 2023 season, which has allowed the algorithms and whatnot to crunch the numbers and determine which teams have the hardest strength of schedule next season.
The Top 5 is comprised of all AFC East (2) and NFC East (3) teams. With the fifth hardest strength of schedule comes the Dallas Cowboys, who also have the sixth-shortest odds to win next year’s Super Bowl, as their opponents had a .549 win percentage in 2022.
Next up is Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots, whose opponents also had a .549 win percentage last season. Making matters worse for the Patriots is the fact that they’re in the now-loaded AFC East thanks to the arrival of Aaron Rodgers in New York.
The third-hardest strength of schedule belongs to the New York Giants (.549), who are led by reigning NFL Coach of the Year Brian Daboll. What makes the Giants’ schedule more difficult than the other two, however, is that they’re the first team since NFL reintroduced bye-weeks back in 1990 to have seven of their first 10 games be on the road, while also not having their bye-week until Week 13.
Coming in with the second most-difficult strength of schedule are the Miami Dolphins at .554, who are looking to make the playoffs for the second straight season under head coach Mike McDaniel. One of the Dolphins’ biggest games of the season will also be played in Germany against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Finally, *the most* difficult strength of schedule heading into the 2023 season belongs to the Philadelphia Eagles, whose opponents boasted a .566 win percentage last season.
The Eagles, who were NFC Champions last year and lost in the Super Bowl to the Chiefs, are currently favored to win the NFC again, as they are currently a top two betting favorite to win next year’s Super Bowl with their odds only trailing the Chiefs.