Checking in with the weekly look at Strength of Schedule. The Week 15 games are in the books, and we can re-examine which teams have benefitted (and been hurt by) scheduling.

The Jets, Dolphins, Bucs and Falcons have played the easiest schedules. Notable for Miami and Atlanta. Those teams have been two of the bigger disappointments, and they can’t use scheduling as an excuse. In theory, they both should have been helped by the schedules they played.

The hardest schedules belong to the 49ers, Steelers, Lions and Bears. Detroit has been doubly unlucky this year. Not only did they play a harder schedule than most teams; they also lost two games in part because of poor officiating – at Seattle and against Green Bay.

Note that the Steelers and Jets are likely in contention for the final playoff spot in the AFC. Both teams are 9-5. But Pittsburgh has played the league’s hardest schedule, while the Jets have played the easiest. That New York schedule gets harder on Sunday, though; they’re hosting the Patriots.

For all of these numbers, note that the wins and losses don’t include the team’s own games. That is, Carolina’s opponents are a combined 86-110 – they are 0-14 against the Panthers and 86-96 against the rest of the league.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 1-15)
TeamWLPct
NY Jets76106.418
Miami79103.434
Tampa Bay80102.440
Atlanta81101.445
Jacksonville8399.456
Arizona8498.462
Tennessee8597.467
Baltimore8696.473
Carolina8696.473
New England8795.478
Cincinnati8894.484
NY Giants8894.484
San Diego9092.495
Washington9092.495
Cleveland9191.500
Green Bay9191.500
Minnesota9290.505
Denver9389.511
Oakland9389.511
New Orleans9488.516
Philadelphia9488.516
Buffalo9587.522
Kansas City9587.522
Seattle9587.522
Houston9785.533
Indianapolis9785.533
Dallas9884.538
St. Louis9884.538
Chicago10181.555
Detroit10181.555
Pittsburgh10280.560
San Francisco10280.560

—Ian Allan