Tag: NFL Schedule Strength

Could the Commanders have the NFL’s easiest schedule in 2022?

Analytics expert has Washington as having the easiest strength of schedule in 2022.

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The Washington Commanders could use a break. After playing arguably the NFL’s most challenging schedule in 2021, facing elite passers such as Aaron Rodgers, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Josh Allen, to a late-season COVID-19 outbreak and plenty of off-field drama, the 2022 schedule could bring some good news.

According to one of the NFL’s foremost analytics experts, Warren Sharp, his model indicates the Commanders have the easiest 2022 strength of schedule — as of now.

Sharp has Washington having the most manageable schedule using projected win totals, while the Kansas City Chiefs have the most difficult schedule.

The Eagles are No. 3, while the Cowboys are No. 6 and the Giants come in at No. 8. The NFC East will play the AFC South and NFC North in 2022, bringing down the division’s strength of schedule. The AFC South has the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, two of the worst teams in the NFL in 2021.

The NFC North features the Packers, Bears, Lions and Vikings. The Packers were the only NFC North team to finish above .500 in 2021.

Washington’s 17th game is against the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland went 8-9 last season.

If Washington’s defense can get back on track and new quarterback Carson Wentz resembles the player from 2017, the Commanders could be a bounce-back candidate in 2022.

Washington’s 2021 schedule was NFL’s strongest

Washington’s 2021 schedule was the most difficult in the NFL.

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Ten of the 17 Washington Football Team’s 2021 game opponents will be playing in this season’s NFL playoff tournament.

I had not sat down and tallied the numbers, but driving in my car, listening to “The Al Galdi Podcast” Thursday morning, when Galdi proclaimed this statistic it certainly grabbed my attention.

Washington faced Dallas and Philadelphia twice each, and also the Chargers, Bills, Chiefs, Packers, Bucs, and Raiders. Washington in those 10 games, unfortunately only came out on top twice, defeating the Bucs and Raiders.

Galdi continued, “The Washington Football Team in the 2021 regular season played the hardest schedule in the NFL per Football Outsiders DVOA metric.” By contrast, Galdi then revealed that per the same metric, Washington in the 2020 regular season played the fifth easiest schedule.

Galdi then asked his listeners, “So you tell me, which season is more impressive? Going 7-9 against the fifth easiest schedule in the NFL, and yes winning the NFC East which was atrocious. Or, going 7-10 against the hardest schedule?”

“I know which season felt better. Obviously, the 2020 season felt better. But put aside your feelings, and get out of your feelings. Just look at this thing objectively. Which season is better? The answer is the 2021 season. And yes, neither season is some great season. And yes, there were things about the 2021 season that were off-putting…”

Galdi was not saying 2021 was a great season; not even saying it was a good season. He was saying, we were all fooled by the 2020 season, because it felt good to win the NFC East, when it was a weak year.

Bill Parcells for a couple of decades has been known for having said, “You are what your record says you are.” The TV football commentators bow their knee to him acting as if Parcells was so profound in that statement.

But ever since I was a college student watching BYU finish 13-0 in the 1984 season, including beating a very average Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl, a thought pressing me is, “Ok, you are undefeated, but whom did you play on your schedule?”

Here is the link to Thursday’s “The Al Galdi Podcast.”