Strength of Schedule
 

I found it interesting to note that the Skins had the second-toughest schedule this season, based on the post-season strength of schedule rankings. Also, only one other playoff had opponents that finished over .500 (the Pats at .508) and the Broncos finished with opponents at .500.

All of the other playoff teams finished within the top 15 for ease of schedule, including the Seahawks who finished with the easiest schedule (and a L at the hands of our Skins).

Not that any of this means much, but its pretty damn interesting to me that we played a harsh schedule and came out looking good in every game except the first Giants game. We played a lot of tough teams real tough, and I hope we get a second crack at them in the playoffs...

Here are the rankings:

[b][font=Arial][size=1]Seahawks [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.43[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Panthers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.449[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bucs [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.449[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Dolphins [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.457[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bears [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.457[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Colts [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.457[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Jaguars [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.465[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bengals [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.477[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Rams [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.484[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Vikings [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.484[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Falcons [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.492[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Steelers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.492[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Giants [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.492[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bills [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.5[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Broncos [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.5[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Lions [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.504[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Chiefs [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.504[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Cardinals [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.508[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Browns [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.508[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Patriots [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.508[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Titans [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.512[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Saints [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.523[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Ravens [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.523[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Cowboys [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.523[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Jets [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.527[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Packers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.531[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Eagles [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.531[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Texans [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.535[/size][/font]
[size=1][font=Arial][b]Raiders[/b] [/font][/size][font=Arial][size=1]0.539[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]49ers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.539[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Redskins [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.539[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Chargers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.559[/size][/font]

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

The redskins also had the best strength of victory in the league, and the only team with a strength of victory over .500 in the league

Also seattle's strength of schedule looks a lot harder than it really was because they played the colts backup players, but still got credit for playing a 14-2 team

The Redskins never played any team's backups at the end of the year.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

no one can say we played a cupcake schedule like the eagles usually do

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

[QUOTE=steveo395]The Redskins never played any team's backups at the end of the year.[/QUOTE]

Except for the Eagles, but that wasnt intentional!! :laughing2

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

Great info.

Someone should forward it to Sally Jenkins.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

[QUOTE=amorentz]Except for the Eagles, but that wasnt intentional!! :laughing2[/QUOTE]
that actually made our schedule look easier though because the eagles went 6-10, unlike seattle playing the colts

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

[QUOTE=steveo395]The redskins also had the best strength of victory in the league, and the only team with a strength of victory over .500 in the league

Also seattle's strength of schedule looks a lot harder than it really was because they played the colts backup players, but still got credit for playing a 14-2 team

The Redskins never played any team's backups at the end of the year.[/QUOTE]

Wait a minute. We just played Philly's second and third string teams. They didn't look too bad until the second half of the game.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

Interesting post. I thought our schedule was supposed to be easy this year, then a lot of teams turned things around, like Chicago, NYG, and Tampa.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

The same can be said of the Rams, they played an injury delpleated side and still beat the Cowboys We played the Eagles second and third string players because that was all they had left through injuires, it wasn't a concious decision to specifically feild a weakend side the Eagles very much wanted to put us out of the playoffs.

The Colts- seahawks game was just another exhibition match neither really had that much to gain totally different situations.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

With all the parity in the league I think it is still interesting to see how the playoff teams in general seem to have the easier schedules while the others have the harder schedules. Of course I would think that the Seahawks strength of schedule is hurt by the fact that they are 14-2 so that's an automatic 4 more losses for their opponents than a 10-6 team like the Skins. I'd love to see strength of schedule minus the teams own win or loss. Sort of measure how the teams they played did against everyone else not including you. That seems a little more fair to me.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

I did some quick calculations on the strength of schedules to remove each teams influence on its own SOS and saw that it doesn't chance it dramatically especially at the top. A couple teams makes serious jumps or falls but overall it stay about the same. The schedule does seem to have a profound effect on a teams playoffs chances. Here's the newer numbers I came up with with their original ranking to the left.
1 Seahawks 0.445833333
2 Panthers 0.458333333
3 Bucs 0.458333333
4 Dolphins 0.458333333
5 Bears 0.466666667
9 Rams 0.475
6 Colts 0.479166667
7 Jaguars 0.479166667
8 Bengals 0.4875
10 Vikings 0.4875
14 Bills 0.4875
11 Falcons 0.491666667
16 Lions 0.491666667
18 Cardinals 0.495833333
21 Titans 0.495833333
19 Browns 0.5
12 Steelers 0.504166667
13 Giants 0.504166667
22 Saints 0.504166667
17 Chiefs 0.5125
25 Jets 0.5125
28 Texans 0.5125
20 Patriots 0.516666667
23 Ravens 0.516666667
26 Packers 0.516666667
15 Broncos 0.520833333
27 Eagles 0.525
29 Raiders 0.525
30 49ers 0.525
24 Cowboys 0.529166667
31 Redskins 0.55
32 Chargers 0.566666667

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

One more thing after looking at the numbers some more. The Skins and the Chargers clearly had the toughest schedules this year and I think that should give us some hope. The charges barely missed the playoffs after being considered a pretty good team all year and we barely made it after putting together a late season rally but both teams played schedules far harder than any other playoff team.

Re: Strength of Schedule
 

[QUOTE=amorentz]I found it interesting to note that the Skins had the second-toughest schedule this season, based on the post-season strength of schedule rankings. Also, only one other playoff had opponents that finished over .500 (the Pats at .508) and the Broncos finished with opponents at .500.

All of the other playoff teams finished within the top 15 for ease of schedule, including the Seahawks who finished with the easiest schedule (and a L at the hands of our Skins).

Not that any of this means much, but its pretty damn interesting to me that we played a harsh schedule and came out looking good in every game except the first Giants game. We played a lot of tough teams real tough, and I hope we get a second crack at them in the playoffs...

Here are the rankings:

[b][font=Arial][size=1]Seahawks [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.43[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Panthers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.449[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bucs [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.449[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Dolphins [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.457[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bears [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.457[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Colts [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.457[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Jaguars [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.465[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bengals [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.477[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Rams [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.484[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Vikings [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.484[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Falcons [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.492[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Steelers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.492[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Giants [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.492[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Bills [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.5[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Broncos [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.5[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Lions [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.504[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Chiefs [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.504[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Cardinals [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.508[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Browns [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.508[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Patriots [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.508[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Titans [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.512[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Saints [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.523[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Ravens [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.523[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Cowboys [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.523[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Jets [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.527[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Packers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.531[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Eagles [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.531[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Texans [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.535[/size][/font]
[size=1][font=Arial][b]Raiders[/b] [/font][/size][font=Arial][size=1]0.539[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]49ers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.539[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Redskins [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.539[/size][/font]
[b][font=Arial][size=1]Chargers [/size][/font][/b][font=Arial][size=1]0.559[/size][/font][/QUOTE]

Nice post, great info. Note the Patriots and Redskins are the only two playoff teams whose opponents were above .500.

Now if that isn't a testament to the two best coaches in the NFL, Belichik and Gibbs, I don't know what is.