Before the NFL enters its quietest stretch of the year, the spectacle that is the league’s schedule release will give fans something to look forward to for the fall.
All 32 teams already know their opponents for the 2024 season, and they know which games will be at home along with which will be on the road. The NFL schedule release will finalize 2024 plans by revealing when each game will be played and when teams will be featured in prime time.
If the past two seasons are any indication, prime-time games don’t necessarily guarantee success. The 2022 NFL schedule was loaded with prime-time games involving the Broncos, only for Denver’s anemic offense to bore fans throughout the year. The Jets were the darling of the schedule release in 2023, receiving six prime-time games in Aaron Rodgers’ first season with the team, but Rodgers’ Achilles tear in the first of those six made New York a tough watch under the lights.
Still, the NFL schedule release is a sign of progress for some of the league’s budding teams. The Bengals played just one prime-time game in 2021 but found themselves all over the schedule the following season after reaching Super Bowl 56. The Texans didn’t even land a prime-time game in 2023, but that’s sure to change in a major way now that C.J. Stroud has emerged as a premier talent.
As the schedules are finalized, here’s a look at each team’s strength of schedule in 2024.
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Toughest NFL schedule 2024
Cleveland Browns (.547 opponent win percentage)
Based strictly on 2023 winning percentage, the Browns have the NFL’s hardest schedule in 2024. Cleveland’s opponents had a combined .547 winning percentage last season, buoyed by the success of AFC North rivals in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. The Browns also have the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Dolphins on their schedule in 2024, though they host all three.
With the Steelers’ quarterback situation potentially more stable and Joe Burrow returning for Cincinnati, the path forward for the Browns may be even more difficult than that .547 mark indicates.
Fortunately for the Browns, many of their toughest matchups do come at home. On the flip side, Cleveland faces the Broncos, Commanders, and Raiders on the road. No game is easy in the NFL, but those will be prime opportunities for the Browns to make up the difference and snag wins on the road.
Here’s a complete look at the Browns’ home and away opponents in 2024.
Home Away Bengals Bengals Chargers Broncos Chiefs Commanders Cowboys Eagles Dolphins Jaguars Giants Raiders Ravens Ravens Steelers Saints Steelers
Who has the easiest NFL schedule in 2024?
Saints, Falcons (.453 opponent win percentage)
Based on 2023 winning percentage, the Falcons and Saints share the easiest 2024 schedule. Atlanta and New Orleans both face opponents who had a combined .453 winning percentage in 2023, aided by the reality of a weak NFC South.
The Saints and Falcons also face the entire AFC West in 2024, which can be taken as good news. While the Chiefs are a monumentally tough opponent, the Broncos and Raiders have unstable quarterback situations, and the Chargers have major questions outside of QB Justin Herbert after missing the playoffs last season.
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Here’s a look at the opponents the Saints and Falcons will face in 2024.
Saints
Home Away Broncos Buccaneers Browns Chargers Buccaneers Chiefs Commanders Cowboys Eagles Falcons Falcons Giants Panthers Packers Raiders Panthers Rams
Falcons
Home Away Buccaneers Broncos Chargers Buccaneers Chiefs Commanders Cowboys Eagles Giants Panthers Panthers Raiders Saints Saints Seahawks Vikings Steelers
2024 NFL strength of schedule rankings
Rank Team Opponent win pct. (2023) 1. Cleveland Browns .547 2. Baltimore Ravens .536 3. Pittsburgh Steelers .533 4. Green Bay Packers .526 Houston Texans .526 6. Buffalo Bills .516 New York Giants .516 8. Jacksonville Jaguars .512 Las Vegas Raiders .512 New England Patriots .512 11. Detroit Lions .509 12. Dallas Cowboys .505 Los Angeles Rams .505 New York Jets .505 San Francisco 49ers .505 16. Cincinnati Bengals .502 Kansas City Chiefs .502 Minnesota Vikings .502 Washington Commanders .502 20. Denver Broncos .495 21. Indianapolis Colts .491 Philadelphia Eagles .491 Tennessee Titans .491 24. Arizona Cardinals .488 Miami Dolphins .488 Seattle Seahawks .488 Los Angeles Chargers .488 28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers .478 29. Carolina Panthers .467 Chicago Bears .467 31. Atlanta Falcons .453 New Orleans Saints .453
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Last season’s win percentage is not a perfect way of evaluating each team’s strength of schedule, particularly after a busy offseason that saw some teams upgrade and others lose key pieces.
Below is a look at Sharp Football Analysis‘ strength of schedule rankings based on their opponents’ projected 2024 win total, from hardest (Steelers) to easiest (Falcons).
Strength of schedule rank Team 1 Pittsburgh Steelers 2 New England Patriots 3 Cleveland Browns 4 Baltimore Ravens 5 Minnesota Vikings 6 Tennessee Titans 7 Houston Texans 8 Denver Broncos 9 Las Vegas Raiders 10 Buffalo Bills 11 Dallas Cowboys 12 Detroit Lions 13 New York Giants 14 Green Bay Packers 15 San Francisco 49ers 16 Los Angeles Rams 17 Arizona Cardinals 18 Seattle Seahawks 19 Jacksonville Jaguars 20 Washington Commanders 21 Kansas City Chiefs 22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23 Carolina Panthers 24 Philadelphia Eagles 25 Miami Dolphins 26 Indianapolis Colts 27 Cincinnati Bengals 28 New Orleans Saints 29 New York Jets 30 Chicago Bears 31 Los Angeles Chargers 32 Atlanta Falcons
How is the NFL schedule determined?
If you believe your team has a difficult or easy schedule, no one is to blame. The NFL schedule makers only determine when teams play the games, not which opponents they face. That’s determined by a set of rules, and it’s why each team already knows its home and away opponents for 2024.
The NFL uses this formula to put together each team’s schedule:
2024-05-07 11:34:02
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