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Strength of schedule

I always take these with a grain of salt, but given our condensed pre-season I'd say a bigger cube of salt needs to be taken. Part of the reason we're getting the 3rd hardest schedule in the NFL is that we play a division that is considered the strongest overall. Another reason is we're NOT playing ourselves in the division, and we were the lowest ranked in our division. So some of that is just inevitable ... its a rotation.

It is worth noting that originally the playoffs were done on a rotational basis too--not earning home field advantage. For instance, in the 1972 season the Dolphins famously went undefeated ... but they STILL had to go up to 3 Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh to play a playoff game in the snow against the Steel Curtain. Yes, we won, and marched on to the Super Bowl and the Undefeated Season. People love to talk about how it was easier because there were fewer games .... but they never mention that the #1 seed in the AFC had to play at Pittsburgh in the snow to get there. Guess that's just how other teams' fans want to remember it ... as foggy as possible until it disappears from their memory.
 
It is a ridiculous system that gives a 5-11 team the 2 conference champions the very next year.

The system is supposed to be weighted in FAVOR of the teams with bad records.
 
Easy that’s because the Bills play the Jets and Dolphins twice bringing down their winning percentage and the Dolphins and Jets play the Bills twice bringing theirs up.

The schedule for divisional teams is only different by 2 games. We play each other twice for a total of 6, one AFC and NFC division, in this case both wests, and 2 games vs teams in the other AFC divisions that finished in the same place as us. So we get Cincy and Jacksonville while Buffalo gets Pittsburgh and Tennessee.
The Bills have a harder schedule it’s just the divisional games that make it look otherwise. I can’t believe we’re looking at SOS in July and dropping expectations over it. Some of it won’t even be right as it’s based on last year and every team has the same disadvantages. Our percentage is high because we had 2 playoff teams from the AFC east last year and we get KC and SF. That’s really it.

I actually don't care one way or the other, I just found that to work against what the NFL is trying to do.

You are 100% right with the division games being the factor that allows the team that won the SB the year before, have the 18th toughest schedule just because Playoff teams thanks to their Division are going to supposedly have between 2 to 6 easier games.

The compitition committee want very hard to even the playing field as much as possible, but with the plan of divisions forced to play certain other divisions, this is going to happen.

If they made it for teams that made the playoffs to play only the top teams of the Division they are supposed to play that year, while the weaker teams play the weaker teams, along with the two more teams according to how the team finished games, it would more times then not help the building teams to be playing lesser teams, and the playoff teams to be playing tougher compitition.
 
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They didn't happen to get anything.
As @NEPA Phin Phan said, the schedules are locked in by set guidelines. There are no "optional" games.

The things that aren't predetermined are dates, bye weeks, and home v away.

Exactly. And when you play a team, like on Thankgiving or after a bye, or after a short week, after a tough opponent, or
after a game on the opposite coast etc. can make a very significant difference accumulatively.

My opinion. Of course.

BNF
 
Exactly. And when you play a team, like on Thankgiving or after a bye, or after a short week, after a tough opponent, or
after a game on the opposite coast etc. can make a very significant difference accumulatively.

My opinion. Of course.

BNF
That is true to some extent, but a lot of that is driven by viewership ($).

The league knows they derive more revenue from good teams playing in prime time than two poor teams. Can't fault them there.

On the other hand, our owner volunteers for things like London/MC games. I'm not sure how it is today, but in the past Thanksgiving games were voluntary, as well.
 
It is a ridiculous system that gives a 5-11 team the 2 conference champions the very next year.

The system is supposed to be weighted in FAVOR of the teams with bad records.

I think that would be terrible. I want to see us play the best teams as much as possible. That is how you get better and measure where your team stands.

I feel like the schedule only matters A LOT more to those that don't have confidence in winning each game. I don't think a team like Seattle gives a ---- who they play overall and on top of that I think they get excited to play the best teams. Why? Because they know they can beat teams consistently. And it all boils down to QB. If Tua becomes that guy, the difficulty of the schedule will matter so much less.
 
It is a ridiculous system that gives a 5-11 team the 2 conference champions the very next year.

The system is supposed to be weighted in FAVOR of the teams with bad records.

I agree. I'm not really certain of the benefit of setting the opponents years in advance. I'm sure making the schedule is difficult but why do we even have to pay the same opponents as the Jets and the Pats and the Bills? Sure, strength of common opponent is one fo the factors of playoff seeding but they could do that differently. It's time to rethink that.
 
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