NFL strength of schedule 2023: 5 teams set to face a rough road feat. Eagles
Last night, the NFL released the full schedule of every team for the 2023-24 season, and the Philadelphia Eagles are one of the teams that has a tough road to the Super Bowl.
They have the toughest opponent win percentage with their opponents winning .566 percent of games last season. In contrast, the Atlanta Falcons have the easiest schedule in the NFL, with their opponents' winning percentage being .417.
The Eagles were NFC Champions last season and now they'll have a tougher path in making it back to the big game next February.
It's no surprise that all five teams with the hardest strength of schedule come from either the AFC East or NFC East division. These were the two winningest divisions in football last season. Here's a look at the five teams with the toughest strength of schedule for the 2023-2024 season:
#1 - Philadelphia Eagles (.566)
The Philadelphia Eagles have the toughest strength of schedule this season. Six of their 17 games will be against division rivals, who all finished with a record above .500.
They will also face the AFC East, which was one of the most competitive divisions in football, and will also face the NFC West, which had two winning teams (49ers, Seahawks.)
They will also face three other playoff teams on their remaining schedule that includes the Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
#2 - Miami Dolphins (.554)
The Miami Dolphins have the second-toughest schedule in the NFL for this upcoming season. They'll face the challenge of playing the Buffalo Bills twice, as well as the emerging NY Jets and the New England Patriots.
They will face the NFC East division (most winningest division in football last year), and the AFC West division which had two playoff teams last season (Chiefs, Chargers). In addition, they will face the Baltimore Ravens who made the playoffs last season.
The Dolphins will be featured in the NFL's first-ever Black Friday game vs. the New York Jets, and will face the Chiefs in Frankfurt, Germany this season.
#3 (Tie) - New York Giants (.549)
There's a three-way tie for the third-toughest strength of schedule. The New York Giants are one of the three teams with their opponents' winning percentage being .549 percent.
Like their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants will have six out of their 17 games this season against division rivals, who all finished with a record above .500. They will face the NFC West and AFC East division, which had four playoff teams combined from both divisions.
They will be under some pressure as they will play in three primetime games in the first four weeks. They'll finish off their season playing the Eagles twice in the last three weeks. It's going to be tough to knock off the Eagles as division champions this season.
#4 (Tie) - New England Patriots (.549)
The New England Patriots also have a tough strength of schedule, with their opponents winning .549 percent of games last season. Their first four games (Eagles, Dolphins, Jets, Cowboys) will feature three playoff teams.
Two of their last four games will also feature playoff teams (Chiefs, Bills) with their season concluding playing against the Jets, who will have more chemistry as a team with Aaron Rodgers.
Five out of their final seven opponents for this season finished last season with a record above .500. It's a tough schedule, and the Patriots are going to have to win many tough games in order for a shot at the playoffs.
#5 (Tie) - Dallas Cowboys (.549)
The Dallas Cowboys are tied with both the Patriots and Giants for the third-toughest schedule. Like the Eagles and Giants, they'll face the tough task of facing their division, with all teams finishing with an above .500 record last season.
Both the Eagles and Giants made the post-season last year, and Dallas will face five more non-divisional playoff teams (San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and the Los Angeles Chargers). Of those five games, four of them are on the road.
Dallas will face four playoff teams in a row late into the season after Thanksgiving as they face Seattle, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Miami.