NFL Teams with the Toughest 2018 Schedules
Some NFL teams have some of the easiest schedules they’ve had in years. Take the Texans for example, as their opponents combined win-loss ratio for 2017 is 116-140. Then you’ve got the unlucky ones. But who are they? We’re looking at the top ten NFL teams with the toughest schedule for the 2018 season.
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference North division.
The Packers have won 4 Super Bowls and 13 NFL championships. For a team coming off a 7-9 season without their starting quarterback, things look brutal for them. They play six playoff teams, including the Patriots, Rams, Falcons, Bills, and Vikings twice. Also, they have to play the Seahawks in Seattle, and the rising power 49ers. The Bears and Lions may also threaten the Packers tough 2018 season.
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference North division.
The Detroit Lions are one of the four teams to have never been to a Super Bowl, and also one of the two teams in history to go 0-16. They have near the exact schedule as the Saints in terms of opponent win-loss, as they both have opponent win-loss ratios of 137-119. Detroit plays the Patriots, Rams, Bills, Panthers, 49ers, Seahawks, Vikings twice, and Packers twice. Fortunately for them, a lot of these games are at home, including against the Patriots, Rams, and Panthers.
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints currently compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference South division. They play six teams who made the playoffs in 2017. Those include the Rams, Eagles, Vikings, Steelers, and the Falcons and Panthers twice. It’s a brutal way to play a season. Can they keep up their hot streak without Mark Ingram for four games? Only time will tell.
The New York Giants are a professional American football team located in the New York metropolitan area. Coming off a 3-13 season, it’s looking awful for New York. They play the super bowl champion Eagles twice, the Jaguars for the season opener, play away games including at the Texans, 49ers, Panthers, and Falcons. Fans hope Eli Manning will step up and get their offense back to shape. But will he?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers currently compete in the National Football League as a member team of the National Football Conference South division. Tampa Bay really didn’t luck out this year. Of course, you really can’t truly be lucky when you’re the fawn of the large bucks in the NFC South. Their opponents include the Eagles, Steelers, 49ers, and their division foes, the Falcons, Panthers, and Saints two times each. Not a good season up ahead for a team trying to at least go 9-7 as they did in 2016.
The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960, and first took the field for the 1961 season. Yes, they’re a juggernaut of the NFC, but still, look at some of their games. Their first five games are the 49ers, Packers, Bills, Rams, and Eagles. Four of them are poised to make a playoff run. Not to mention the games against the Saints, and the back to back away games against the Patriots and Seahawks. They’re lower on the list because I think they’ll be able to handle their schedule.
Gotta poop this one out there's just no way around it
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns compete in the National Football League as a member team of the American Football Conference North division.
The Cleveland Browns are one of the four teams to have never been to a Super Bowl, and one of two teams to go 0-16. When you’re a team as bad as the Cleveland Browns, any team on your schedule is tough. But their schedule is difficult this year regardless. They play the Saints, Chargers, Falcons, Texans, Panthers, and the Steelers and Ravens twice. Not a good sign for the Browns, who are trying to get back up on their feet after a dismal 0-16 season.
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football franchise based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. When you’re in a division with the 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams, you know you’re in trouble. In addition to playing their division rivals twice, they play the Vikings, Falcons, Packers, Chargers, Chiefs, and Lions in terms of very challenging games. This is a team that’s on a downfall, and with a tough schedule, it only makes things worse.
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference North division. It’s kind of a sad schedule for the Bears. Not only do they have to face the Vikings, Packers, and Lions twice, but they also have to square off with the Seahawks, Patriots, Bills, Rams, and 49ers. Can this newly done team manage?
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's American Football Conference West division. They better be consistent and play at a high level if they look to win the division and make some noise in the playoffs
Can't believe they weren't on the initial list, I viewed that schedule and went... they better perform at a high level.
Ah yes, with a quarterback who’s only started one game, their schedule is quite tough. They play the Chargers and Raiders twice, and they also play the Patriots, Steelers, Rams, Jaguars, Seahawks, 49ers, and the Ravens.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are an American professional football franchise based in Jacksonville, Florida. Odd to see them here, as they’re a really good team, but they still have a semi hard schedule. They have to play the Texans and Titans twice, and they also face the Eagles, Patriots, Steelers, and the Bills. All playoff teams in 2017. Jacksonville beat the Bills and Steelers in 2017, but can they do it again? Those were close win after all.
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that competes in the National Football League.
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference South division.