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Toughest and Easiest 2025 NFL Schedules
Taking a closer look at the 2025 NFL schedule can provide insight into the competitive landscape of the upcoming season One key metric is the strength of schedule which is calculated using the combined winning percentage of each team's 2024 opponents.
Learn more about creating the NFL schedule.
In 2025, the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears are slated to have the toughest schedules, while the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and New England Patriots have the easiest schedules.
Hardest Strength of Schedule Entering the Season
Over the past eight years, teams facing the league’s hardest schedule have often struggled to reach the playoffs. Since 2017, six of the eight teams that started the year with the most challenging slate of opponents missed the postseason:
|
Season |
Team |
Season Result |
|
2024 |
Browns |
3-14, missed playoffs |
|
2023 |
Eagles |
11-6, lost to TB in Wild Card |
|
2022 |
Rams |
5-12, missed playoffs |
|
2021 |
Steelers |
9-7-1, lost to KC in Wild Card |
|
2020 |
Patriots |
7-9, missed playoffs |
|
2019 |
Raiders |
7-9, missed playoffs |
|
2018 |
Packers |
6-9-1, missed playoffs |
|
2017 |
Broncos |
5-11, missed playoffs |
Easiest Strength of Schedule Entering the Season
The 49ers have the easiest schedule in 2025. Last year, the Saints and the Falcons were tied for the easiest schedule, but neither team made the playoffs. The Saints had the easiest schedule in 2023 and missed playoffs that year, too. Here are the results of the teams with the easiest schedules since 2020:
|
Season |
Team |
Season Result |
|
2024 |
Saints |
5-12, missed playoffs |
|
2024 |
Falcons |
8-9, missed playoffs |
|
2023 |
Falcons |
7-10, missed playoffs |
|
2022 |
Cowboys |
12-5, lost to SF in Div |
|
2022 |
Commanders |
8-8-1, missed playoffs |
|
2021 |
Eagles |
9-8, lost to TB in Wild Card |
|
2020 |
Ravens |
11-5, lost to BUF in Div Rd |
Most Games vs. 2024 Playoff Teams
The Eagles and the Lions both have 11 games against 2024 playoff teams on their 2025 schedule – tied for the most games against playoff teams in a season in NFL History (excluding years following a strike-shortened season). The last time a team faced off against 11 playoff teams was the Eagles in 2023. They went 7-4 in those games and 11-6 overall.
Here are the teams set to face the most playoff teams in the 2025 season:
|
Team |
Games |
Opponents |
|
Eagles |
11 |
WAS (2x), DET, DEN, LAR, BUF, GB, KC, LAC, MIN, TB |
|
Lions |
11 |
GB (2x), MIN (2x), PIT, TB, BAL, KC, LAR, PHI, WAS |
|
Cowboys |
10 |
PHI (2x), WAS (2x), GB, MIN, KC, LAC, DEN, DET |
|
Giants |
10 |
PHI (2x), WAS (2x), GB, MIN, KC, LAC, DEN, DET |
|
Bears |
10 |
DET (2x), MIN (2x), GB (2x), PIT, BAL, PHI, WAS |
|
Chiefs |
10 |
DEN (2x), LAC (2x), HOU, PHI, WAS, BAL, DET, BUF |
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