When it comes to the NFL schedule from year to year, the only constant is change. Although teams in the same division share a majority of opponents and a lot of matchups are set up by where a team finished in its division last season, there are no equal slates in the league.
Some teams have a better flow to their schedule, getting breaks on where and when they face a particular opponent. Other team face tough stretches, either early, middle or late, that can help seal a fate that falls short of expectations.
With the dates and times released for all 272 games in 2023 regular season, here's a look at what teams have it toughest or easiest in relation to whom they need to play:
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NFL schedule release winners & losers 2023
Winners: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs don't have an easy path to be positioned for a Super Bowl repeat by any means, but they couldn't have asked for a more favorable schedule with which to navigate the obstacles.
Kansas City gets to work on Detroit at home to start the season. It then gets its most challenging AFC road games out of the way in the first month, with Patrick Mahomes dueling Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville and Aaron Rodgers in New York.
Drawing the weak NFC North four times overall helps. So does seeing the Dolphins in a "home game" in London before an ideal midseason Week 10 bye. In the second half, the Eagles, Bills and Bengals all come to Kansas City through Christmas Eve. Everything is set up nicely for the Chiefs to get the No. 1 seed by also dominating the AFC West again.
Losers: New York Jets
The Jets will be much better with Rodgers providing a massive upgrade at quarterback. But his arrival also meant a front-loaded higher-profile schedule. In four of their first six games, the Jets host the Bills, go to the Cowboys and stay home vs. the Chiefs and Eagles. There's a good chance Rodgers will need to dig New York rom under .500 early and into at least desired wild-card position behind Buffalo.
The Jets have a better back half of the schedule, but they also need to see the Bills again in Buffalo and Dolphins twice. The NFL wanted to take full advantage of the early Rodgers hype so the Jets need to overachieve a bit out of the gate to displace the Bills as AFC East champions.
Winners: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers go back-to-back on the road to open the season, but they are both winnable trips at the Steelers and Rams. From Weeks 3 through 8 before a Week 9 bye, San Francisco stays at home for critical matchups against the Giants, Cowboys and Bengals.
The second half spikes with East Coast road challenges at Jacksonville and Philadelphia, but the rest of the slate, in the division and otherwise, is very favorable for another strong finish.
Losers: Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders also need to start on the road in Weeks 1 and 2, with hostile environments in Denver and Buffalo awaiting them. They also need to go away vs. the Chargers in Week 4.
The early home games in Las Vegas, unfortunately, should have a ton of away fans as the Steelers, Packers and Patriots will all come in before Week 6. The one-two punch on the road vs. the rising Bears and Lions leads into two more brutal home games vs. the two New York teams. The second half draws a road trip to Miami and both Kansas City matchups.
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Winners: Detroit Lions
The Lions will likely start 0-1 in the season opener at Kansas City. But they get rewarded with a very winnable NFC stretch before facing the Ravens in Week 7 (vs. Seahawks, vs. Falcons, at Packers, vs. Panthers, at Buccaneers).
Detroit should take full advantage of a weak NFC North to build on last year's 9-8 mark. After getting a nice-timed Week 9 bye after hosing the Raiders, the Lions have only two difficult games on the slate in the second half, at the Chargers in Week 10 and at the Cowboys in Week 17. Dan Campbell and his fiery Lions will be making the playoffs with a strong record as new division champions.
Losers: New York Giants
The Giants are in danger for missing a playoff return as the odds are already stacked against them to get another wild card in third place behind the Eagles and Cowboys. The early schedule that starts with Dallas at home doesn't help.
Also in the first six games are trips to San Francisco, Miami and Buffalo and a home date with the Seahawks. The second half gets more favorable, but it also starts at Dallas and the bye doesn't come until Week 13. The Giants also need to face the Eagles twice near the end in Weeks 16 and 18 to thwart a potential late wild-card push.
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Winners: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals' toughest game is without a doubt playing at the Chiefs on New Year's Eve on Week 17. But they are set up to start hot, possibly 6-0 before a Week 7 bye with this slate: at Browns, vs. Ravens, vs. Rams, at Titans, at Cardinals, vs. Seahawks.
Cincinnati does go on the road to San Francisco in Week 8, but gets to host Buffalo in Week 9. Going to work on the weak AFC South for three games helps and the Bengals will have a fair shot of winning at Jacksonville in Week 13.
Losers: Los Angeles Rams
The other team from Super Bowl 56 is headed into a tough transitional season offensively and defensively. Starting at Seattle is never easy and that's followed a road-like home game vs. San Francisco.
The Bengals and Eagles are also tough early foes in Weeks 3 and 5, with trips to the Cowboys and Packers looming in Weeks 8 and 9 before a bye. From Week 14 on, the Rams also have road challenges at the Ravens, Giants and Seahawks.
Sean McVay is coming off his lone losing season at 5-12. The Rams will be hard-pressed to avoid a similar fate in 2023.
