Strength of Schedule: Who Faces the Toughest Lines for NFL Games in 2024?

Wednesday night was a big one for every fan of the NFL, as we all got to see the upcoming schedule.

For some fans, it was a time to celebrate, with the path to the playoffs looking easier than expected, for others, it’s time to make NFL betting plans.

My Analysis

For others, though, the excitement of the 2024-25 NFL schedule release quickly turned into a bit of a nightmare, with some teams getting dealt a very difficult hand. The fact of the matter is that there is no such thing as an easy path to the playoffs, as all manner of things can go wrong over the course of a season. You also have to consider that some divisions are tougher than others, and when we look at the top 5 toughest schedules for the upcoming season, it becomes clear which one might be the toughest of all.

Cleveland Browns in Regular Season .547

The AFC North is always tough, so you have to factor in those 6 games against divisional rivals right off the bat. Besides those outings, though, the Browns have a tough road to the postseason, starting in Week 1 with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys. They also need to visit the Philadelphia Eagles and will have home games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins in the final month of the season.

Baltimore Ravens in Regular Season .536

Every team will be looking to get out to a fast start to the season, but that is going to be a tough call for the Ravens. They will open on the road against the 2-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, while also facing the Cowboys on the road and the Buffalo Bills at home in the opening month of the season. The Ravens may well be looking at digging out of a hole after that start.

Pittsburgh Steelers in Regular Season .533

This team has never had a losing season in the Mike Tomlin era, but that record is going to be put to the test in 2024. If there is a silver lining for the Steelers, who went through a massive offensive rebuild this offseason, it’s that they have a pretty manageable first half of the season. The second half is brutal, particularly the final month, where they will play the Eagles. Ravens, Chiefs, and Bengals.

Green Bay Packers in Regular Season .526

After making the move to a new QB last season and moving on from the Aaron Rodgers era, the Packers finished strong and won a playoff game. The bar is set higher this season, but getting over that bar is not going to be easy. Besides facing the Detroit Lions twice, the Packers also have a date with the San Francisco 49ers, as well as 2 against the Bears, who should be much improved with Caleb Williams at QB.

Houston Texans in Regular Season .526

The Texans follow a similar path to a lot of teams in this list in that the second half of their season looks to be a whole lot more punishing than the opening half. The Bills are their toughest game in the early part of the season, but in the latter weeks of the 2024 season, they will have matchups against the likes of the Cowboys, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Ravens. They had better hope that CJ Stroud does not have a sophomore slump.

When looking over the National Football League season, and before making all your projections, one thing you should look at is the various schedules throughout the league. The teams and the schedules they will face during the regular season make a big deal.

It could be the difference in a game or two in the win total and certainly would win a divisional title.

As we prepare for the 2023 season, let’s take a look at the NFL betting analysis of the toughest schedules for the season.

NFL Betting Analysis of the Toughest Schedules for the Season | MyBookie NFL Regular Season Preview

2023 NFL Season | 104th season of the National Football League
Regular Season: September 7th, 2023 – January 7th, 2024

New England Patriots | AFC East

Quarterback: Mac Jones
American Football Conference Eastern Division

Regular Sesaon Wins: 7.5 O -121; U +100
AFC Championship Odds: +3200
Super Bowl Odds: +5600

Not only do the New England Patriots have the toughest schedule in all of the National Football League, and not sure it’s really all that close. The Patriots, of course, got to take on the AFC East opponents twice, which means trips to Buffalo, Miami, and the New York Jets. All three of those teams are talking postseason in 2023.

The Patriots start the season with defending NFC Champions Philadelphia, but at least it’s at home. New England has trips to Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Denver on their schedule, while teams like the Chargers and Chiefs come to town.

Things will not be easy for the Patriots in 2023, they better hope they have their quarterback and offense issues taken care of it, or it will be a long season.

Bet Patriots to Win AFC East
MyBookie Betting Props for the Season

Miami Dolphins | AFC East

Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa
American Football Conference Eastern Division

Regular Sesaon Wins: 9.5 O -125; U +101
AFC Championship Odds: +1175
Super Bowl Odds: +2200

Sticking with the AFC East, the Miami Dolphins are another team that will not have an easy go of it in 2023.

The Dolphins start the season on the road at SoFi Stadium to take on the Chargers and end the season at home against the Buffalo Bills. We would like to report that the middle of the schedule gets no easier. In fact, trips to Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Kansas City all before their bye on November 12th.

The Dolphins’ second half is a little softer as the road trips are to New York and Washington before a New Year’s Eve tilt at Baltimore. The Dolphins also host the Cowboys on Christmas Eve.

Bet Dolphins to Win AFC East
MyBookie Betting Props for the Season

Buffalo Bills | NFC West

Quarterback: Josh Allen
American Football Conference Eastern Division

Regular Sesaon Wins: 10.5 O -145; U +119
AFC Championship Odds: +480
Super Bowl Odds: +860

A third straight AFC East team – the Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins. The Bills, led by Josh Allen, are expected to have a tough schedule, being the divisional champion of a season ago.

Buffalo starts the season on Monday Night Football at Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. The Bills end the season at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Buffalo gets the Dolphins, Jets, and Patriots twice. Outside of that, AFC South champion Jacksonville is in London in Week 5.

The later portion of Buffalo’s schedule gets nuts—trips to Cincinnati and Philadelphia in November and trips to Kansas City and the Rams in December. The Bills also get the Dallas Cowboys but will host them in 2023.

Bet Bills to Win NFC West
MyBookie Betting Props for the Season

Las Vegas Raiders | NFC West

Quarterback: Jimmy Garoppolo
American Football Conference Western Division

Regular Sesaon Wins: 6.5
AFC Championship Odds: +4100
Super Bowl Odds: +6000

As if the Raiders needed anything to go against them in 2023. The Las Vegas Raiders are projected to finish last in the AFC West. Maneuvering through their division will be a pain as they get the defending champion Chiefs, the Chargers, who continue to make progress, and a Denver team with a new, experienced head coach. The Raiders start the season in Denver against the Broncos. Following that, they go to Buffalo for Week 2.

The Raiders also end the season against the Broncos, this time at home. The Raiders also have a trip to Miami and a home affair against the Vikings on their schedule within a month of each other. The Raiders have back-to-back road games in Chicago and Detroit to wrap up October as well.

Bet Raiders to Win NFC West
MyBookie Betting Props for the Season

Kansas City Chiefs | AFC West

Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes
American Football Conference Western Division

Regular Sesaon Wins: 11.5 O -145; U +115
AFC Championship Odds: +350
Super Bowl Odds: +590

If you are the dexfending Super Bowl Champion, you should expect a tough schedule. Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs will start the season at home on Thursday Night Football against the Detroit Lions.

The Chiefs then go on the road to Jacksonville before coming back to host the Bears. Trips to the Jets and Vikings before home games with the Broncos and Chargers, and then a return trip to Denver, get them through October. November will be a challenge as they take on the Dolphins, Eagles, and Raiders.

But December is the toughest month for the Chiefs. Trips to Green Bay and New England, sandwiches by home games against the Bills, Raiders, and Bengals. The Chiefs finish the season on the road at the Chargers.

There you have it. There is a look at the NFL Betting Analysis of the Toughest Schedules for the season. We hope you enjoy it and make sense of it. When you go to make your bets for the NFL season, we wish you the best of luck!

Bet Chiefs to Win AFC West
MyBookie Betting Props for the Season

2024 NFL Calendar by Week

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MyBookie Odds for the Games