KC Chiefs have the NFL’s most difficult schedule — based on opposing quarterbacks
No one can really know just how difficult an NFL team’s schedule will be in the 2022 season until the games begin.
Each year, some team falls short of lofty expectations (example: the Baltimore Ravens in 2021), while others exceed the forecasts (example: the Cincinnati Bengals a year ago).
We already know the Kansas City Chiefs have a schedule unlike any seen in NFL history because of their difficult opening stretch of games. One metric shows the Chiefs have by far the most difficult schedule overall.
A new ranking of the NFL schedules from The Athletic’s Mike Sando shows the Chiefs have the hardest road ahead. This strength of schedule is based on that site’s ranking of quarterbacks, who were put into tiers.
The Chiefs will face a top-tier quarterback in five games (that includes two games against Justin Herbert and the Chargers) and seven games against Tier 2 quarterbacks (including two each against Russell Wilson and the Broncos and Derek Carr and the Raiders).
This is an excerpt of what Sando wrote: “The Chiefs play 12 games against Tier 1-2 quarterbacks, four more than last season. No other team plays more than 10. That leaves Kansas City with a league-low five games against Tier 3-4 quarterbacks. The Chiefs’ AFC West schedule got tougher as Justin Herbert rose into Tier 1, Derek Carr rose into Tier 2 and Russell Wilson joined the division. AFC West teams draw their 17th games from the NFC South this season, which means the first-place Chiefs will face the first-place Buccaneers, which is why Tom Brady is also on the schedule.”
The Chiefs’ schedule ranking is not affected by the Browns’ situation (Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett or another quarterback). But the other three AFC West teams’ schedules would be slightly less difficult if Watson is out for more than six games for Cleveland.
This story was originally published August 2, 2022 at 10:00 AM.
