The 2024 NFL Schedule has been released, and even before that, we knew which team had the easiest schedule in the entire league. This NFL strength of schedule is based on the previous years' winning percentage for each team. That can be used to combine all of the records for each team and their opponents.
2024 Strength of Schedule (based on 2023 regular-season records): pic.twitter.com/T50tUocm1X
— Ivan Urena (@Ivan_Urena1) January 9, 2024
According to this chart, the New Orleans Saints have the easiest schedule in the NFL for the 2024 season. Luckily for them, the Saints opponents had a combined record in 2023 of 131-158, or a .453 winning percentage. Well, to be fair, the Falcons also have the same strength of schedule.
However, Atlanta plays one more team in 2024 than had a winning record in 2023 than the Saints do. A .453 winning percentage essentially means the Saints and Falcons would play a 7.7-win team each week of the season.
It's a great draw for the teams, but the NFL schedules are based on formulas, and with the NFC South being a hilariously weak division in recent seasons, it's easy to see why those teams have the easier schedules. Not too far up the list you see the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So in total, every single NFC North team has a top-five easiest schedule in the NFL in the coming season.
However, the division does not have any true contending team. The Atlanta Falcons can surely make the playoffs and win the division, perhaps even winning 10 games, but beyond that, they won't make a deep playoff run. Will the Saints and Falcons be able to take advantage of their cake-walk schedules in 2024?
Both teams have legitimate questions at quarterback, so they might not finish with as many wins as they could. The New Orleans Saints will play just eight games in 2024 against teams that had a winning record in 2023.