Rams have fourth most difficult schedule of 2012, Patriots have easiest.

[berg8309]

This according to the espn blog

Thursday, April 12, 2012
2012 NFL strength of schedule

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By ESPN.com staff

2012 NFL Strength of Schedule By Team

A look at the most difficult schedules in 2012 (based on opponents' 2011
record).

1	N.Y. Giants*	140-116	.547	7
2	Denver*	139-117	.543	7
3	Cleveland	135-121	.527	7
4	St. Louis	134-122	.523	5
4	Baltimore*	134-122	.523	7
6	San Diego	133-123	.520	6
7	Philadelphia	132-124	.516	8
8	Minnesota	131-125	.512	7
8	Arizona	131-125	.512	6
10	Carolina	130-126	.508	5
11	Seattle	129-127	.504	5
11	Dallas	129-127	.504	7
11	New Orleans*	129-127	.504	5
14	Jacksonville	128-128	.500	8
14	Cincinnati*	128-128	.500	5
14	Pittsburgh*	128-128	.500	6
14	Indianapolis	128-128	.500	7
18	Oakland	127-129	.496	5
18	Miami	127-129	.496	6
20	N.Y. Jets	126-130	.492	6
20	Kansas City	126-130	.492	5
20	Chicago	126-130	.492	7
20	Detroit*	126-130	.492	6
24	Washington	125-131	.488	7
24	Atlanta*	125-131	.488	4
24	San Francisco*	125-131	.488	5
27	Tampa Bay	124-132	.484	5
28	Tennessee	123-133	.480	6
29	Houston*	121-135	.473	6
29	Buffalo	121-135	.473	5
31	Green Bay*	120-136	.469	7
32	New England*	116-140	.453	4
* 2011 playoff team. ** Quality opponents are teams that had at least nine wins in 2011.

Note that 4 of the bottom 8 were playoff teams. What is the NFL doing? Aren't the worst teams supposed to be given the easiest schedules, not the best?

[Fettmaster]

In before the NFL hates the Rams theories

[LA Rammer]

pissed to see the whiners in at #24. NFL sure hates Browns more than us.

[AtlantaRamFan]

I'm not going to say the NFL hates the Rams, or there is some big conspiracy out there. Things do change from season to season. With that said, it does look odd that most of the really good teams have the easiest schedule. Obviously there are a few exceptions, but this doesn't seem too far off the draft order either. They should set it up like they do the draft. The worst teams get the easiest schedules etc.

Also would have liked to see Washington with a killer schedule

[Ramblin` Ram]

Bring it on! we are Rams, hungry for action! and anyone whose worked on a farm as i have will tell you,a hungry for action Ram don't care whose infront of him to get what he wants!

[general counsel]

There is no conspiracy. Its 100% formula oriented. There are only (i believe) six variable games. We play 6 division games and then four games against another division (which rotates from year to year). The rest of the games are based on who came in what place in what division the year before. Just because a team comes in a particular spot in a particular division doesn't mean that it was a weak team because the division itself could be strong.

Most importantly, betting on who is going to be good and bad from year to year is a real crapshoot in the nfl.

The Rams will do better if they play better and worry about themselves, rather than worry about what others do.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Nick_Weasel]

Part of the explanation for the observations that people have made about many of the better teams having easier schedules lies in the math behind the division games. Take the ***** and the Rams, for example. Both teams play every team in the NFC North and AFC East. They each also play every other team in the division twice. The only difference in their schedules is that the Rams play the 4th place teams in the NFC East and NFC South (Redskins and Buccaneers) while the ***** play the first place teams in those divisions (Saints and the Giants).

In that sense, the ***** have a harder schedule than the Rams, and this is true in every division. The difference is that when we play the *****, for our strength of schedule it counts as 2 games against a 13-3 team, and for them it's 2 games against a 2-14 team. That's enough to not only offset the difference between the 1st- and 4th-place teams, it's enough to put them near the bottom and us near the top.

So a lot of 1st place teams may appear to have easier schedules because their division games will appear weak based on the prior year's schedule, simply because they never have to go head-to-head against themselves.

[mde8352gorams]

There is always a bit of irony in these rankings. Weak performing teams always have a higher grade of difficulty because they cannot play themselves. The same holds true in reverse for stronger teams. GC said it best, this is formula driven the only variables are 2 games against conference teams based on final standing within the division. For us that is the Redskins and Buc's. We get to see RGIII and Vincent Jackson/Carl Nicks. Lucky us?

Go Rams!

[tomahawk247]

It's no surprise to see the Pats have one of the easiest strength of schedule. It's not because of a conspiracy, it's because they play the Rams this season. That 2-14 mark from last year tends to swing the average.

[emuen]

We meet every NFC West team twich each year. If we stopped losing all those games our schedule would look a whole lot easier. If we beat each team once, their wins would drop by one each.



3 teams * 2 games/team * 1 easier schedule/game = 6 easier schedule.



That would land os at 128-128, which is 14. place on the list.

[GROUND DOG 39]

Bring it on! we are Rams, hungry for action! and anyone whose worked on a farm as i have will tell you,a hungry for action Ram don't care whose infront of him to get what he wants!

That's the spirit RR. Believe it, were coming up fast.!

[detrigg]

Umm, if our record wasnt so bad the teams playing us would be playing a tougher schedule.

[39WillRunYaOva]

Yea the schedule is all formula based so there is no biased for any teams.Sometimes some teams just catch a break,thats just how it falls cant do anything about it.We can control what kind of team we put on the field in 2012 and thats what we should be worrying about not who we are playing.Bring on any team i dont care if we build our team correctly we should be able to compete with anyone.Lets focus on what we can control and leave what we cant alone its just useless stress even as a fan.

[NJ Ramsfan1]

GC said it best. You can put all conspiracy theories to rest. The NFL schedule is based on a set formula. It doesn't automatically give last year's bad teams an easy time of it this year. You play your divisional teams twice each plus a pre-determined set of both divisional and non-divisional games.

And not for nothing, but I remember a lot of people previously saying "Oh, 2012 will be different- we don't have to play the murderous schedule we did this year". Now all of a sudden we're bellyaching about the schedule!! It really doesn't mean much. Teams that were projected to be good sometimes falter while others surprise you. Take this "strength of schedule" stuff with a grain of salt.

[J-RodRamFan]

We have to remember this is based off last year's records. You will have those teams this year that will fall off and those surprise teams. Let's hope we are one of the surprise teams.