The Bills are 4-1, and looking at the schedules, I can’t help but think they’re going to be in the playoffs. They’ve still got two games left against Miami, as well as home games against the Jets, Washington and Denver. Hard to see them not being a wild card.

Things appear to be slipping away, meanwhile, for the Bears and Falcons. They’ll play two of the hardest schedules over the rest of the season.

Most fantasy leagues don’t use Week 17. If we set that one aside, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver project to play the hardest schedules the rest of the way. The Bills, meanwhile, project to have the 4th-easiest schedule, behind only the Jets, Dolphins and Steelers.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 6-16)
TeamWLTPct
NY Jets19340.358
Miami19340.358
Pittsburgh17301.365
Buffalo18300.375
Jacksonville20290.408
Cleveland20281.418
Indianapolis21280.429
Oakland21261.448
Cincinnati22260.458
New Orleans22261.459
NY Giants21242.468
New England24250.490
Detroit27280.491
San Francisco27262.509
Carolina25240.510
LA Rams24231.510
LA Chargers26240.520
Seattle25231.520
Baltimore25230.521
Tampa Bay25222.531
Tennessee27230.540
Kansas City27230.540
Minnesota25212.542
Philadelphia27220.551
Green Bay26211.552
Washington25201.554
Houston28220.560
Arizona27210.563
Dallas28191.594
Denver29191.602
Atlanta30181.622
Chicago29172.625

Looking at the five weeks we’ve completed, meanwhile, the Saints’ 4-1 start looks even more impressive. They’ve been able to win three in a row without their starting quarterback, and they’ve done it despite playing the hardest schedule. The Saints’ five opponents have gone 14-6 in games against other teams.

Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the Rams also thus far have played hard schedules.

The Patriots, meanwhile, are off to a 5-0 start, but they’ve been helped along by the league’s easiest schedule. They won on the road against 4-1 Buffalo, but their other four opponents have gone a combined 1-17.

Overall, New England’s opponents have gone 5-18 (0-5 against the Patriots, and 5-13 against the rest of the league). However you slice it, it’s been an easy schedule.

Other teams that seemingly have benefitted from easy schedules: Eagles, 49ers and Ravens.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE (Weeks 1-5)
TeamWLTPct
New Orleans1460.700
Tampa Bay1360.684
Kansas City1261.658
LA Rams1370.650
Pittsburgh1270.632
NY Jets1060.625
Oakland1280.600
Green Bay1280.600
Miami970.563
Detroit970.563
Washington1190.550
Minnesota1190.550
Jacksonville10100.500
Indianapolis10100.500
Houston10100.500
Denver10100.500
Cleveland990.500
Cincinnati991.500
Atlanta10100.500
Carolina9101.475
Arizona9100.474
Tennessee9110.450
NY Giants9110.450
Chicago9110.450
Seattle8111.425
Dallas8110.421
Buffalo8110.421
LA Chargers6111.361
Baltimore6121.342
San Francisco5110.313
Philadelphia5121.306
New England5130.278

—Ian Allan