Bills Have Sixth Easiest Schedule in 08

[Meathead]

<TABLE class="tablehead widetable" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD colSpan=4><CENTER>2008 Strength of Schedule</CENTER></TD></TR><TR class=colhead vAlign=top><TD>Team</TD><TD>Opponents' '07 win pct.</TD><TD>Opponents' '07 wins</TD><TD>Opponents' '07 losses</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Steelers</TD><TD>.598</TD><TD>153</TD><TD>103</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Colts</TD><TD>.594</TD><TD>152</TD><TD>104</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Jaguars</TD><TD>.559</TD><TD>143</TD><TD>113</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Vikings</TD><TD>.551</TD><TD>141</TD><TD>115</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Ravens</TD><TD>.551</TD><TD>141</TD><TD>115</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Titans</TD><TD>.551</TD><TD>141</TD><TD>115</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Bengals</TD><TD>.547</TD><TD>140</TD><TD>116</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Texans</TD><TD>.547</TD><TD>140</TD><TD>116</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Browns</TD><TD>.547</TD><TD>140</TD><TD>116</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Lions</TD><TD>.543</TD><TD>139</TD><TD>117</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Bears</TD><TD>.531</TD><TD>136</TD><TD>120</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Packers</TD><TD>.531</TD><TD>136</TD><TD>120</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Redskins</TD><TD>.523</TD><TD>134</TD><TD>122</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Cowboys</TD><TD>.523</TD><TD>134</TD><TD>122</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Eagles</TD><TD>.520</TD><TD>133</TD><TD>123</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Giants</TD><TD>.520</TD><TD>133</TD><TD>123</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Rams</TD><TD>.488</TD><TD>125</TD><TD>131</TD></TR>
<TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>49ers</TD><TD>.484</TD><TD>124</TD><TD>132</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Seahawks</TD><TD>.477</TD><TD>122</TD><TD>134</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Buccaneers</TD><TD>.469</TD><TD>120</TD><TD>136</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Falcons</TD><TD>.469</TD><TD>120</TD><TD>136</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Cardinals</TD><TD>.465</TD><TD>119</TD><TD>137</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Dolphins</TD><TD>.465</TD><TD>119</TD><TD>137</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Panthers</TD><TD>.465</TD><TD>119</TD><TD>137</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Jets</TD><TD>.457</TD><TD>117</TD><TD>139</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Chiefs</TD><TD>.453</TD><TD>116</TD><TD>140</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Bills</TD><TD>.449</TD><TD>115</TD><TD>141</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Saints</TD><TD>.449</TD><TD>115</TD><TD>141</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Broncos</TD><TD>.445</TD><TD>114</TD><TD>142</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Raiders</TD><TD>.438</TD><TD>112</TD><TD>144</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Chargers</TD><TD>.422</TD><TD>108</TD><TD>148</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Patriots</TD><TD>.387</TD><TD>99</TD><TD>157</TD></TR>
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1. as we saw last year schedule difficulty changes a lot as the season progresses. still this is quite an encouraging early sign

b. considering the pats account for 32-0 the rest of the schedule the bills probably have the easiest 14 game schedule of any team in the league

[DrGraves]

is the pats easy schedule a result of them dominating everyone last year or because the nfl tries to help out bill the cheater douche bellichek out as much as possible

[OpIv37]

is the pats easy schedule a result of them dominating everyone last year or because the nfl tries to help out bill the cheater douche bellichek out as much as possible

it's all pre determined based on last year's record- ie 1st in the AFCE plays first in the NFCW on the road, etc.

The main reason why the Pats' schedule is so weak is because the AFCE is slated to play the NFCW, which is a weak division, and the Jets and Dolphins combined for 5 wins last year, and that makes up 4 of their 16 games.

[OpIv37]

but it's still extremely frustrating how EVERYTHING goes the Patriots' way. Spygate? They lose the 31st overall pick but still have the 7th overall pick.
Schedule? By sheer luck, they get the easiest schedule in the NFL the year after having the second best record in NFL history.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Plus the Pats 16 win record last season jacked up the strength in other teams' schedules.

It doesn't matter. It's a look back at the power rankings last year which as you know have nothing to do with this year.

[HHURRICANE]

Sirrius was just saying the Pats will be 13-3 without much of an effort. They said they may not even need to shop up to win their first 3 games.

[EDS]

Wasn't the Bills schedule supposed to be one of the toughest going into last season and it actually turned out to be pretty light given that some teams that did well in 2006 (i.e., the Jets) were bad in 2007.

I wouldn't put much stock into strength of schedule at this point.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

While injuries, a collapse of morale, bad coaching, etc. can cause a team to be significantly worse than it was the season before and offseason additions, new coaching, development of young players, etc. can make a team surprisingly better than it was the previous year, generally speaking a look at the past season's records of the teams on the schedule can give a relative--and I stress the word, relative--sense of the strength of a team's schedule for the up-coming season.

I understand that the Bills benefitted last season from the fact that some teams on their schedule did not perform as well as expected, but I can't understand why so many here have used that to ignore the fact that the Bills played a relatively tough schedule last season--not as tough as it appeared and was expected to be, but still relatively difficult. While it might have been tougher, nevertheless, the Bills played two games against a team that went unbeaten and had one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history. They also played the eventual Super Bowl Champion as they began their run to the title. They played the team with the best record in the NFC and two teams who were 8-8 or better in that conference. In addition, they played two 10 win teams in the tough AFC Central and the winner of that division. And, they played a Denver team that was expected to be a playoff contender before being ravaged by injuries. That ain't exactly "chopped liver".

I've been saying for some time that this season's schedule looks to be considerably easier. Of course, this could change and it could turn out to be much more difficult than it appears to be. Still, while the Bills will have to play NE twice, Cleveland and Jacksonville again, Super Bowl contenders San Diego, and a potentially tough Seattle team, there are seven games against teams with worse records than the Bills had last season on this year's schedule. And, Denver and Arizona don't figure to be that much better than they finished last season. While some of the teams on the schedule that finished worse than the Bills last season figure to be better than they were last year, that still means that the Bills will be playing a lot of teams that should be no better than they are, talent-wise, this season. Which was not necessarily the case at this point last season.

Which is why, when I assess the Bills' 7-9 record last season and look at their chances this season, at this point, I am expecting the team to make a one-to-two game improvement, just based on the quality of their opponents, as I assess them at this time. Now, that could change, depending on how things develop, but it is hard for me to comprehend how anyone can look at this year's schedule and not see it as being at least somewhat easier than the Bills schedule was going into last season.

Now, of course, the Bills are going to have to find a way to start to learn how to beat the teams that are as good or better than they are if they are going to make the playoffs and start to develop into a serious playoff contender. But, that is another issue: when they get to that point, teams on their schedule that look like they might have a chance to beat them will look more like certain wins than they do at this stage.

[Confused]

what excuse will we have if we suck now? this is why we cant trade JP.

[Mitchy moo]

We actually are T-5 in easiest schedule w/ NO. B comes before S as well, so that's gives us the nod.

<TABLE class="tablehead widetable" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Bills</TD><TD>.449</TD><TD>115</TD><TD>141</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Saints</TD><TD>.449</TD><TD>115</TD><TD>141</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Broncos</TD><TD>.445</TD><TD>114</TD><TD>142</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Raiders</TD><TD>.438</TD><TD>112</TD><TD>144</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow vAlign=top><TD>Chargers</TD><TD>.422</TD><TD>108</TD><TD>148</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow vAlign=top><TD>Patriots</TD><TD>.387</TD><TD>99</TD><TD>157</TD></TR>
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