Schedule must be weighed in predicting outcomes May 24, 2010 - by Eric Edholm Don’t tell me the schedule doesn’t matter in the NFL.I have heard the argument. Teams change so much from one year to the next that last year’s winning percentage is yesterday’s news. Point taken. But there’s something to say for what it meant last season. The Dolphins, who faced the toughest schedule by those numbers, went from a team on the rise at 11-5 to a disappointing 7-9. The Panthers, owners of the second-toughest slate, fell from division champs to 8-8, with three of those wins coming at the end of the season. The Patriots, Falcons, Bills and Buccaneers — the next four teams in line — all took steps backward of different degrees or failed to meet expectations.And on the other side of the coin, the Vikings (31st-toughest schedule) and Packers (30th), had big seasons. So did playoff-bound teams, Baltimore (28th), Arizona (27th) and Cincinnati (tied for 22nd). Of course, it’s not an exact science. The :beer: Jets :beer: last season played a tough schedule (seventh toughest) and led at halftime of the AFC title game. The year prior, the Steelers played one of the NFL’s most brutal schedules and credited that gantlet for having prepared them to win it all. It’s true for the other end of the spectrum. Playing the supposedly easiest schedule (opponents’ .414 winning percentage) didn’t help the Bears from being a huge disappointment last season, nor did it turn the Browns (25th toughest) or Rams (tied for 22nd) into good teams overnight. But I believe there’s something there. One of the reasons there is so much parity in the NFL is, in part, because of the rotating schedule. One year you get the NFC East; the next you get the AFC West. Your fortunes can change that quickly. Think about it: That’s possibly a three-game swing right there for most teams.With this idea in mind, here’s a look at the teams — three of each — that will benefit the most and be hindered the most by whom they play this season. Three who will be helped by the schedule . . . rest of article : > http://www.profootballweekly.com/2010/05/24/schedule-must-be-weighed-in-predicting-outcomes
I'm not reading this, does it say the Dolphins defense is 3 times better then ours?? I'll wait for all the phin fans to swarm in here like gays to new turquoise.
The funniest thing about this part of the article is that the Jets played the AFC West and NFC West at their respective weakest in 2008 and mostly got their dicks tweaked for their efforts.
