Even before the release of next season's schedule (which should happen in April, about a week before the draft) we already know who everyone will be playing in 2015. That means it's possible to calculate who'll have the toughest row to hoe, and who gets a break.


The Falcons will face the weakest teams, their 2015 opponents compiling a .409 regular-season winning percentage last season. They'll face just four opponents who had winning records, but their relative cakewalk is a function of the historically bad NFC South getting to play the similarly woeful AFC South, as well as the usual six intradivisional games. In fact, the two divisions account for the eight easiest 2015 schedules.

The Steelers have the toughest strength of schedule, their opponents putting up a collective .579 winning percentage last year, thanks to games against the strong NFC West and AFC West, as well as against the Patriots and Colts.


Here's each team's strength of schedule, as compiled by CBS Sports yesterday (Blogging the Boys did this in December as well):

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: 147-107-2, .579 2. Cincinnati Bengals: 144-112, .563 3. San Francisco 49ers: 143-112-1, .561 4. Seattle Seahawks: 142-112-2, .559 5. Arizona Cardinals:142-113-1, .557 6. St. Louis Rams: 141-114-1, .553 T-7. Oakland Raiders: 139-116-1, .545 T-7. Kansas City Chiefs: 139-116-1, .545 9. Cleveland Browns: 138-116-2, .543 10. Denver Broncos: 138-117-1, .541 11. Baltimore Ravens: 137-117-2, .539 12. Minnesota Vikings: 138-118, .539 13. Chicago Bears: 136-120, .531 14. Green Bay Packers: 135-120-1, .529 15. Detroit Lions: 135-121, .527 16. San Diego Chargers: 132-123-1, .518 17. Miami Dolphins: 126-130, .492 18. New York Jets: 125-131, .488 19. Buffalo Bills: 124-131-1, .486 T-20. Washington Redskins: 122-133-1, .478 T-20. New York Giants: 122-133-1, .478 22. New England Patriots: 122-134, .477 23. Philadelphia Eagles: 121-134-1, .475 24. Dallas Cowboys: 119-136-1, .467 25. Jacksonville Jaguars: 118-137-1, .463 26. Tennessee Titans: 111-144-1, .435 27. Carolina Panthers: 111-145, .434 28. New Orleans Saints: 109-145-2, .429 29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 108-146-2, .425 30. Houston Texans: 106-148-2, .417 31. Indianapolis Colts: 106-149-1, .417 32. Atlanta Falcons: 104-150-2, .409

The NFL's year-to-year fluctuations mean these aren't the end-all for predicting 2015 results. But you could probably do a lot worse than Atlanta when picking a bounce-back team.

[CBS Sports]