Strength of Schedule

[Keyplay1]

No one is talking about it much this season. Wonder why?

Any time you play the NFC East you have a tough schedule. In 2008 it was a big motivating factor in the Steeler season. Hardly a day went by that a player or coach didn't mention how tough the schedule was and how much they welcomed the challenge blah blah--

This year very quiet.

Since every team in the division plays 14 games the same, I usually don't pay much attention to this stuff either. It has some bearing on the overall season but really not that much for that reason.

Every team in our division has a tough schedule. Cleveland has the 3rd toughest schedule in the league. The Steelers are at 14th. The difference here, for the most part, is they play the Steelers twice and vice versa. LMAO This reminded me of an argument I had with a Browns fan some years ago. He suggested a league conspiracy since his Browns always had such a high ranked strength of schedule compared to the Steelers. It did not dawn on me till later that the two teams schedules were identical except for that fact.

The reason I brought this up was just to change the focus on the upcoming season a bit. Sort of getting tired of reading about Worilds freaking wrist.

[steelblood]

No one is talking about it much this season. Wonder why?

Any time you play the NFC East you have a tough schedule. In 2008 it was a big motivating factor in the Steeler season. Hardly a day went by that a player or coach didn't mention how tough the schedule was and how much they welcomed the challenge blah blah--

This year very quiet.

Since every team in the division plays 14 games the same, I usually don't pay much attention to this stuff either. It has some bearing on the overall season but really not that much for that reason.

Every team in our division has a tough schedule. Cleveland has the 3rd toughest schedule in the league. The Steelers are at 14th. The difference here, for the most part, is they play the Steelers twice and vice versa. LMAO This reminded me of an argument I had with a Browns fan some years ago. He suggested a league conspiracy since his Browns always had such a high ranked strength of schedule compared to the Steelers. It did not dawn on me till later that the two teams schedules were identical except for that fact.

The reason I brought this up was just to change the focus on the upcoming season a bit. Sort of getting tired of reading about Worilds freaking wrist.

This is not exactly true. Based on stength of schedule they play the AFC East #4 finisher and we plays the AFC East #2 finisher. Same thing in the AFC South.

[Slapstick]

So, 7/8 of the schedule are the same...though the other teams in the division play opponents in different locations...while the opponents match 87.5% of the time, home and away games do not necessarily match up...

[phillyesq]

I don't put much stock into strength of schedule since things change so quickly in the NFL. The playoff teams turn over by about 50% every year, and with the current emphasis on parity, the good and bad teams seem to change rather quickly.

[Keyplay1]

3

Cleveland

135-121

.527

7

14

Pittsburgh*

128-128

.500

6

The Steelers contributed 24 wins to the CLE total. They contributed 8 to the Steelers total. Adjusting the records deleting this head to head matchup------

CLE 111 - 113

PIT 120 - 104 Pittsburgh now has the tougher schedule.

steelblood said: "Based on stength of schedule they play the AFC East #4 finisher and we play the AFC East #2 finisher. Same thing in the AFC South."

Yes that is true, of course.

Let's see! The JETS were 8-8 last year the BILLS 6-10. Who would you rather play? Indy was dismal last year, now the Browns face Luck. Actually, these two games [record wise]weakened Cleveland's overall SoS ranking. But in reality could be 2 tougher games than the Steelers face.

These two games do not contribute a whole lot to the overall picture. And or course, the two teams the Steelers play had much better records than the ones the Browns played adding points to the Steelers SoS %. Nonetheless, Cleveland still had an overall tougher schedule. Thanks to the Steelers.

But the point is! The Steelers schedule is plenty tough. Are they up to it?

[steelblood]

3

Cleveland

135-121

.527

7

14

Pittsburgh*

128-128

.500

6

The Steelers contributed 24 wins to the CLE total. They contributed 8 to the Steelers total. Adjusting the records deleting this head to head matchup------

CLE 111 - 113

PIT 120 - 104 Pittsburgh now has the tougher schedule.

steelblood said: "Based on stength of schedule they play the AFC East #4 finisher and we play the AFC East #2 finisher. Same thing in the AFC South."

Yes that is true, of course.

Let's see! The JETS were 8-8 last year the BILLS 6-10. Who would you rather play? Indy was dismal last year, now the Browns face Luck. Actually, these two games [record wise]weakened Cleveland's overall SoS ranking. But in reality could be 2 tougher games than the Steelers face.

These two games do not contribute a whole lot to the overall picture. And or course, the two teams the Steelers play had much better records than the ones the Browns played adding points to the Steelers SoS %. Nonetheless, Cleveland still had an overall tougher schedule. Thanks to the Steelers.

But the point is! The Steelers schedule is plenty tough. Are they up to it?

YEah, I agree the schedule is tough. Wasn't arguing with that. Just pointing out that we don't play all the same teams.

[SidSmythe]

I don't put any weight into schedule strength until half way thru the season when we know which teams were good THIS year, not LAST year

[flippy]

Anyone know the Strength of Schedule historically for the SB champs? I tend to think a stronger schedule is good because it builds a better team.

Although, I would want to have to play Baltimore/Pittsburgh type teams every week and just take a beating. But I like the competition. Sneaking into the playoffs. Being fine tuned by season end.

[hawaiiansteel]

if you want to be the best, you gotta beat the best...

[Keyplay1]

I don't put much stock into strength of schedule since things change so quickly in the NFL. The playoff teams turn over by about 50% every year, and with the current emphasis on parity, the good and bad teams seem to change rather quickly.

Coincidence: There is a video from the nfl network show Total Access on the site right now discussing that very topic. The PO teams turn over about 50% or more every year.
It was an interesting show and the Steelers came out looking real good on it. Hope the guys on the show were right. The Steelers were one of last years PO teams picked to be back. Surprisingly, Baltimore was not. [imagine what the comments on the vid looked like]

The vid was called "Playoff predictions: In with the new, out with the old" It starts out saying last year was the 16th straight season with 5+ new PO teams.

SoS could play a part in this turnover. Maybe the fact Bal draws NE and HOU had something to do with the analysts prediction. But, as several posters have pointed out this stuff is based on last years news. Things do change quickly in the NFL.

Again I repeat, I mentioned this only because in 2008 the Steelers did have the #1 toughest schedule and made it a mission so to speak. Last year, it was disgusting how often the media and detractors mentioned the Steelers so called easy schedule. I think it affected the Steelers mind set going into the PO's.

Well, this years is back to plenty tough. There will be no backing into the PO's this year.