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Defensive Notes

The NFL's official schedule was released yesterday, and even though we've known the 16 opponents each team would face since way back at the end of the regular season, now that we know WHEN all the games are, some additional, defense-related things can be said.

- The Scheduletron reveals that the New England Patriots, based on their opponents' records from a year ago, will play the easiest schedule in 2008. No, it's not because of Commissioner Roger Goodell's friendship with Bob Kraft; as with all teams, 14 out of 16 games were determined way back in 2002, when the divisions were realigned and the schedule formula was developed. The Patriots benefit from playing their divisional opponents (including 1-15 Miami) two times, as well as playing the West division teams from each conference -- many of whom were really lousy a year ago.

Those who like to get off to a fast start in their leagues, however, should move the Patriots defense even higher in their rankings than they might ordinarily. In the early part of the season, New England will host Kansas City and Miami and travel to the Jets and 49ers. Kansas City and San Francisco share the distinction of allowing the most sacks, 55, last season. The Jets were 4th and Miami was 10th in that area. By week 8 New England will also have faced St. Louis (6th in sacks allowed); later in the year they'll face Oakland (11th), not to mention the Jets and MIami again. We've got some concerns about age and free agency losses in New England, but they might be trumped by that softball schedule.

- It's early, but there are four teams we're fairly confident won't be among our preseason top-10 defenses -- and they're all in the same division. Pittsburgh (again, according to last season's won-loss records) plays the league's toughest schedule, but they're not alone in having a tough row to hoe: It looks ugly for the rest of their division, too. Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland join the Steelers in playing what project to be ranked among the seven toughest schedules next season, thanks to a formula which matches them up with the four teams from the NFC East and AFC South. What do those two divisions have in common? They're the only two divisions from last year -- from the last five years, in fact -- in which every team finished with an 8-8 record or better. Pittsburgh only plays two teams that had a losing record last year (Cincinnati and Baltimore, who usually play them tough anyway), Cleveland plays four (those two, plus Buffalo and Denver).

—Andy Richardson

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