Each year, the release of the NFL regular-season schedule comes with surprises in terms of dates for each team's 16 games, and the order in which those games will fall on the schedule. What does not come as a surprise with the NFL schedule release, though, is the strength of schedule for all 32 teams.
The teams with the toughest and easiest schedules for 2019 — based on their 2019 opponents' win percentage from last season — were determined at the conclusion of the 2018 season. On the last day of the year, the NFL released the complete list of home and any matchups for each team.
2019 NFL SCHEDULES:
Steelers | Cowboys | Packers | 49ers | Seahawks | Browns | Patriots
The NFL schedule formula, which was implemented in 2002, ensures that all teams will play each other on a rotating basis. Each team plays the four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating, three-year cycle; and each team plays the four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating, four-year cycle.
In addition to those schedule rotations, each team plays 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. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.
For example, in 2019, the AFC West is matched up against the AFC South and the NFC North, two divisions stacked with solid teams. That's part of the reason the Raiders and Broncos have the toughest 2019 schedules in the NFL based on their opponents' win percentage from last season.
The AFC South, matched up this season against the AFC West and NFC South, houses the teams with the third- and fourth-toughest schedules in 2019, the Jaguars and Texans, respectively. As for the Bears, the team with the fifth toughest schedule in 2019, in addition to their games against division rivals, NFC East teams and AFC West teams, they have to play the Rams and Saints as part of their first-place schedule.
Below is a ranking of all 32 NFL teams based on strength of schedule for 2019, with the toughest schedule ranking first and the easiest ranking last.
MORE: Tracking the NFL schedule leaks for 2019 season
NFL strength of schedule for 2019 season
| Rank | Team | Opponents' win % last season |
| 1. | Oakland Raiders | .539 |
| 2. | Denver Broncos | .537 |
| 3. | Jacksonville Jaguars | .531 |
| 4. | Houston Texans | .527 |
| 5. | Chicago Bears | .520 |
| 6. | Kansas City Chiefs | .520 |
| 7. | Indianapolis Colts | .518 |
| 8. | Atlanta Falcons | .518 |
| 9. | Tennessee Titans | .514 |
| 10. | Minnesota Vikings | .512 |
| 11. | San Francisco 49ers | .510 |
| 12. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | .508 |
| 13. | Arizona Cardinals | .508 |
| 14. | Green Bay Packers | .504 |
| 15. | Dallas Cowboys | .504 |
| 16. | Carolina Panthers | .502 |
| 17. | Los Angeles Chargers | .502 |
| 18. | Miami Dolphins | .500 |
| 19. | Pittsburgh Steelers | .496 |
| 20. | Baltimore Ravens | .496 |
| 21. | Detroit Lions | .496 |
| 22. | New Orleans Saints | .488 |
| 23. | Cleveland Browns | .484 |
| 24. | Buffalo Bills | .480 |
| 25. | Seattle Seahawks | .479 |
| 26. | Philadelphia Eagles | .477 |
| 27. | Cincinnati Bengals | .473 |
| 28. | New York Jets | .473 |
| 29. | New York Giants | .473 |
| 30. | Los Angeles Rams | .473 |
| 31. | New England Patriots | .473 |
| 32. | Washington Redskins | .469 |
Some interesting nuggets regarding the NFL strength of schedule for all 32 teams in 2019:
- The Raiders, coached by Jon Gruden, have the toughest schedule in the NFL based on opponents' win percentage from last season. The Redskins, coached by Jon's brother Jay Gruden, have the easiest schedule.
- The two teams who played in the Super Bowl last season, the Rams and the Patriots, are part of a five-team tie for the second easiest schedule in the NFL for 2019 based on opponents' win percentage from last year.
- Of the four AFC West teams, three (Raiders, Broncos, Chiefs) have a schedule that ranks among the six toughest in the league. The Chargers, though, are in a tie for the 16th toughest schedule.
- The Giants and Jets, who play in different conferences but have six common opponents due to the schedule rotation matching their divisions, have the same strength of schedule, with an opponents' 2018 win percentage of .473.
- Of the four NFC East teams, the Cowboys easily have the toughest schedule for 2019, tied for the 14th hardest. The Redskins (32nd), Giants (tied for 27th) and Eagles (26th) have much more promising slates. Which should not be a surprise considering Dallas is the defending division champion.
- The the Patriots are defending AFC East champions, they have the easiest schedule in their division. The Dolphins (18th toughest) have the hardest schedule among teams in the AFC East.
MORE: Full 2019 NFL preseason schedule
Below is the four-step formula the NFL uses to determine each team's home and away opponents and, therefore, the strength of schedule for all 32 teams in a given season:
- Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games).
- The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games).
- The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games).
- Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (2 games). 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. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.