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One of the biggest complaints about the NFL schedule every year is the structure. The NFL doesn’t control who you play, but the league certainly controls when you play.
Some of the biggest gripes each year are East Coast teams traveling to the West Coast on a short week. Or how one team plays multiple games against teams coming off extra rest, such as a bye week or a Thursday night game.
There are more scheduling disadvantages that teams face every week, but let’s be honest, every team, at some point, must deal with unfavorable scheduling quirks.
Warren Sharp of Sharp Analysis and FOX Sports recently examined the 2023 NFL schedule in-depth, uncovering some of the more favorable — and unfavorable — scheduling quirks for next season.
we need to focus closely on rest disparity this yr since imbalance is at historic highs
which teams benefit most?
which are challenged most?
let's dig in team-by-team
start by reading this for @NFLonFOX https://t.co/TVnV7w09bU
INTRODUCING: 2023 Net Rest Edges
🔖bookmark! pic.twitter.com/pkEqRw4r0S
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 16, 2023
Sharp calculated every team’s net rest edge, which counts the difference in days off between games in comparison to their opponents. It’s an excellent look at the schedule on a different level, and, for once, this favors the Washington Commanders.
Despite a ridiculously late bye week for the second consecutive season [Week 14], the Commanders have a +12 in net rest edge — tied for first with two other teams — the New York Jets and Chicago Bears — who both face Washington in 2023.
To put things in perspective, the San Francisco 49ers are dead last with a -20 net rest edge. For Washington, this means it’ll have 12 more days of rest than its opponents in 2023. As for the 49ers, it means they’ll have 20 fewer days of rest than their opponents this season.
An interesting look at the schedule for sure, and something the NFL should look to avoid in future years. As for the Commanders, they need to take advantage of these scheduling quirks in what amounts to a huge year for Ron Rivera in his fourth season in Washington.