Determining the NFL team that has the toughest schedule is an inexact science because of the unpredictable nature of a given season; the same goes for determining the team that has the easiest schedule. Strength of schedule rankings are impacted by offseason events like NFL free agency and the draft, which alter projections for all 32 teams.
So, as always, the only way to objectively determine who has the hardest and easiest NFL schedules in 2020 is a glance at their opponents' records from the previous season.
Over the course of the 2020 NFL season, we likely will learn that the teams pinned with the toughest and easiest schedules did not actually have the toughest and easiest schedules. For example, the team with the easiest schedule in 2020 based on its opponents' win percentage last season is a defending division champion. But that team's division should be stronger in 2020, meaning its schedule will be harder than anticipated.
Below are the details of those teams' schedules, plus a complete ranking of all 32 teams based on 2020 strength of schedule.
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Toughest NFL schedule in 2020
New England Patriots (.537 opponents win percentage)
| Home | Away |
| Buffalo Bills | Buffalo Bills |
| Miami Dolphins | Miami Dolphins |
| New York Jets | New York Jets |
| Arizona Cardinals | Houston Texans |
| Baltimore Ravens | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Denver Broncos | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Rams |
| San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks |
Thanks to the lowly Dolphins and the average-at-best Jets, the Patriots are dragged down by the 2019 records of their divisional opponents (44-52). But their rotational opponents in 2020 are tough. (And the Dolphins and Jets should improve in 2020.)
New England draws Super Bowl-champion Kansas City in addition to first-place opponents Baltimore and Houston. And like everybody else in the AFC East, the Patriots have to play against the NFC West, one of if not the best division in football.
New England has seven matchups with teams that won 10 or more regular-season games last year.
Easiest NFL schedule in 2020
Baltimore Ravens (.438 opponents win percentage)
| Home | Away |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Browns |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Dallas Cowboys | Houston Texans |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Indianapolis Colts |
| Kansas City Chiefs | New England Patriots |
| New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Tennessee Titans | Washington Redskins |
Though the Ravens technically have the easiest schedule for 2020 in terms of opponents' 2019 win percentage, chances are they won't actually have the easiest schedule in 2020.
For one, we expect their division opponents in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Cincinnati to improve upon the 32-64 mark they posted last season. Likewise, other teams on their schedule like the Giants, Eagles and Colts could end up with more wins this year. And yes, as a first-place team, Baltimore still has to play Kansas City.
With all that said, only three teams on the Ravens' schedule won more than 10 regular-season games last year.
2020 NFL strength of schedule rankings
Based on 2019 win percentages, we can determine the NFL strength of schedule rankings for 2020.
Below are those rankings, from the toughest schedule in New England to the easiest schedule in Baltimore.
| Rank | Team | Opponents' 2019 win percentage |
| 1 | New England Patriots | .537 (137-118-1) |
| 2 | New York Jets | .533 (136-119-1) |
| 3 | Miami Dolphins | .529 (135-120-1) |
| 4 | San Francisco 49ers | .527 (134-120-2) |
| T5 | Buffalo Bills | .525 (134-121-1) |
| T5 | Atlanta Falcons | .525 (134-121-1) |
| T5 | Detroit Lions | .525 (134-121-1) |
| T8 | Arizona Cardinals | .518 (132-123-1) |
| T8 | Houston Texans | .518 (132-123-1) |
| T10 | Minnesota Vikings | .516 (131-123-2) |
| T10 | Los Angeles Rams | .516 (131-123-2) |
| 12 | Denver Broncos | .512 (131-125) |
| T13 | Chicago Bears | .508 (129-125-2) |
| T13 | Seattle Seahawks | .508 (129-125-2) |
| 15 | Green Bay Packers | .504 (128-126-2) |
| T16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | .502 (128-127-1) |
| T16 | Indianapolis Colts | .502 (128-127-1) |
| T18 | Carolina Panthers | .500 (127-127-2) |
| T18 | Kansas City Chiefs | .500 (128-128) |
| 20 | Tennessee Titans | .498 (127-128-1) |
| 21 | Las Vegas Raiders | .496 (127-129) |
| 22 | Jacksonville Jaguars | .494 (126-129-1) |
| 23 | Los Angeles Chargers | .492 (126-130) |
| 24 | New Orleans Saints | .490 (125-130-1) |
| 25 | Philadelphia Eagles | .486 (124-131-1) |
| 26 | New York Giants | .482 (123-132-1) |
| 27 | Cincinnati Bengals | .477 (122-134) |
| 28 | Washington Redskins | .465 (118-136-2) |
| 29 | Cleveland Browns | .461 (118-138) |
| 30 | Dallas Cowboys | .459 (117-138-1) |
| 31 | Pittsburgh Steelers | .457 (117-139) |
| 32 | Baltimore Ravens | .438 (112-144) |
2020 NFL schedule for all 32 teams
The opponents for each NFL team in 2020 were determined upon the conclusion of the 2019 regular season. The league's scheduling formula guarantees all teams play each other on a rotating basis.
Every team plays ...
- Home and away against its three division opponents
- The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle
- The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle
- Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (these games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season)
Below are the opponents for each team in 2020.
AFC East
New England Patriots
- Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers
- Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Buffalo Bills
- Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks
- Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans
New York Jets
- Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers
- Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
- Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
- Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
- Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
Cleveland Browns
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans
Cincinnati Bengals
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
AFC South
Houston Texans
- Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots
- Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers
Tennessee Titans
- Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
- Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets
- Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
- Home: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, New York Jets
- Away: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Denver Broncos
- Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers
Las Vegas Raiders
- Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Los Angeles Chargers
- Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets
- Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers
Dallas Cowboys
- Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers
- Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks
New York Giants
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Washington Redskins
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
- Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings
- Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chicago Bears
- Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions
- Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
- Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles
Atlanta Falcons
- Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks
- Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants
Carolina Panthers
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Los Angeles Rams
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins
Arizona Cardinals
- Home: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
- Away: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets.