https://www.nfl.com/news/strength-of-schedule-2024-nfl-season-afc-north-nfc-south

AFCN toughest Strength of Schedule, but Bengals ranked tied for 16th (middle of the road).
Table inside Article
Rank Team SOS Opp. Win Pct.
1. Cleveland Browns 158-131 .547
2. Baltimore Ravens 155-134 .536
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 154-135 .533
T-4. Houston Texans 152-137 .526
T-4. Green Bay Packers 152-137 .526
T-6. New York Giants 149-140 .516
T-6. Buffalo Bills 149-140 .516
T-8. Jacksonville Jaguars 148-141 .512
T-8. Las Vegas Raiders 148-141 .512
T-8. New England Patriots 148-141 .512
11. Detroit Lions 147-142 .509
T-12. Los Angeles Rams 146-143 .505
T-12. San Francisco 49ers 146-143 .505
T-12. Dallas Cowboys 146-143 .505
T-12. New York Jets 146-143 .505
T-16. Cincinnati Bengals 145-144 .502
T-16. Washington Commanders 145-144 .502
T-16. Minnesota Vikings 145-144 .502
T-16. Kansas City Chiefs 145-144 .502
20. Denver Broncos 143-146 .495
T-21. Indianapolis Colts 142-147 .491
T-21. Philadelphia Eagles 142-147 .491
T-21. Tennessee Titans 142-147 .491
T-24. Arizona Cardinals 141-148 .488
T-24. Seattle Seahawks 141-148 .488
T-24. Miami Dolphins 141-148 .488
T-27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 138-151 .478
T-27. Los Angeles Chargers 138-151 .478
T-29. Carolina Panthers 135-154 .467
T-29. Chicago Bears 135-154 .467
T-31. New Orleans Saints 131-158 .453
T-31. Atlanta Falcons 131-158 .453

Oh to be in the NFC South

(05-07-2024, 02:51 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Oh to be in the NFC South

Yep, it tough for a lot of reasons to be in AFCN. The team are not only good, but they are also physical and playing each other twice impacts being healthy in December and January. 

I don't see the AFC North being as tough as last year again, that was the best a Division has ever been in the history of the NFL
with all 4 teams with .500 or better records and 3 teams making the Playoffs. At least one of the teams will stumble this year and
I don't think it will be us with this SOS and Burrow hopefully healthy going into a season for once.

I think we did enough in the Offseason to improve our Offense and our run Defense to be a force. We should be better running
the ball this year as we were the worst in the league last year. Couldn't get any worse and Zack Moss is younger than Mixon, better
at breaking tackles, better in the Shotgun, has better vision while Chase Brown should just get better from an exciting rookie year
without a lot of snaps.

Trent Brown when healthy is a much better RT than Jonah, Mims should be just fine if he is called upon from his film. With our
Offense not being in Shotgun all the time and being unpredictable we should look more like the team that played the 49ers/Bills
last year on Offense.

Lou Anarumo knows that communication was the biggest problem last year, bringing back Vonn Bell, bringing in Stone, adding
Rankins, Jackson, Jenkins with our youth in the Secondary growing...

Defense should be much better as long as we get back to tackling like we should.

Trying to figure out why the Super Bowl champs don't by default have the toughest SOS. Do we have another New England like cakewalk to the playoffs every year team in KC?

(05-08-2024, 01:43 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I don't see the AFC North being as tough as last year again, that was the best a Division has ever been in the history of the NFL
with all 4 teams with .500 or better records and 3 teams making the Playoffs. At least one of the teams will stumble this year and
I don't think it will be us with this SOS and Burrow hopefully healthy going into a season for once.

I think we did enough in the Offseason to improve our Offense and our run Defense to be a force. We should be better running
the ball this year as we were the worst in the league last year. Couldn't get any worse and Zack Moss is younger than Mixon, better
at breaking tackles, better in the Shotgun, has better vision while Chase Brown should just get better from an exciting rookie year
without a lot of snaps.

Trent Brown when healthy is a much better RT than Jonah, Mims should be just fine if he is called upon from his film. With our
Offense not being in Shotgun all the time and being unpredictable we should look more like the team that played the 49ers/Bills
last year on Offense.

Lou Anarumo knows that communication was the biggest problem last year, bringing back Vonn Bell, bringing in Stone, adding
Rankins, Jackson, Jenkins with our youth in the Secondary growing...

Defense should be much better as long as we get back to tackling like we should.

I agree with all of your post.

(05-08-2024, 02:01 PM)PCB Bengal Fan Wrote: Trying to figure out why the Super Bowl champs don't by default have the toughest SOS. Do we have another New England like cakewalk to the playoffs every year team in KC?

The key is 6 division games AFCN versus 6 in AFCN. Chargers' ad Raiders should both be better, but Denver appears to be rebuilding. Then, the rotations of playing other games are set and only being 1st or 4th determines one game each year and home or road games. 

(05-08-2024, 02:01 PM)PCB Bengal Fan Wrote: Trying to figure out why the Super Bowl champs don't by default have the toughest SOS. Do we have another New England like cakewalk to the playoffs every year team in KC?

The schedule of opponents outside of the division is predetermined based on a rotation of AFC and NFC teams.  So it isn't like the NFL is saying, "Hey let's give this team an easy schedule."  

(05-07-2024, 06:09 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: Yep, it tough for a lot of reason to be in AFCN. The team are not only good, but they are also physical and playing each other twice impacts being healthy in December and January. 

Wouldn't be as bad if 1 team in the AFCN played good football instead of head-hunting and trying to injure everyone else they play.

Out of the AFC North, we've the Chiefs (away) and the Eagles (at home), but other that, I'm not scared by our opponents. Lot of easy games (Panthers, Patriots, Titans, Commanders, Raiders, Broncos, Giants), there's no excuse if we don't make the playoffs this season.

(05-08-2024, 02:01 PM)PCB Bengal Fan Wrote: Trying to figure out why the Super Bowl champs don't by default have the toughest SOS. Do we have another New England like cakewalk to the playoffs every year team in KC?

Because of the shitstain division they play in. 

(05-08-2024, 07:21 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Wouldn't be as bad if 1 team in the AFCN played good football instead of head-hunting and trying to injure everyone else they play.

The best way to deal with the Steelers be more physical than they are in the trenches. We can't control their dirty play. We need to beat them downplaying by the rules. I think we may finally have an OL that could win the LOS against any team.

(05-07-2024, 01:13 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: https://www.nfl.com/news/strength-of-schedule-2024-nfl-season-afc-north-nfc-south

AFCN toughest Strength of Schedule, but Bengals ranked tied for 16th (middle of the road).
Table inside Article
Rank Team SOS Opp. Win Pct.
1. Cleveland Browns 158-131 .547
2. Baltimore Ravens 155-134 .536
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 154-135 .533
T-4. Houston Texans 152-137 .526
T-4. Green Bay Packers 152-137 .526
T-6. New York Giants 149-140 .516
T-6. Buffalo Bills 149-140 .516
T-8. Jacksonville Jaguars 148-141 .512
T-8. Las Vegas Raiders 148-141 .512
T-8. New England Patriots 148-141 .512
11. Detroit Lions 147-142 .509
T-12. Los Angeles Rams 146-143 .505
T-12. San Francisco 49ers 146-143 .505
T-12. Dallas Cowboys 146-143 .505
T-12. New York Jets 146-143 .505
T-16. Cincinnati Bengals 145-144 .502
T-16. Washington Commanders 145-144 .502
T-16. Minnesota Vikings 145-144 .502
T-16. Kansas City Chiefs 145-144 .502
20. Denver Broncos 143-146 .495
T-21. Indianapolis Colts 142-147 .491
T-21. Philadelphia Eagles 142-147 .491
T-21. Tennessee Titans 142-147 .491
T-24. Arizona Cardinals 141-148 .488
T-24. Seattle Seahawks 141-148 .488
T-24. Miami Dolphins 141-148 .488
T-27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 138-151 .478
T-27. Los Angeles Chargers 138-151 .478
T-29. Carolina Panthers 135-154 .467
T-29. Chicago Bears 135-154 .467
T-31. New Orleans Saints 131-158 .453
T-31. Atlanta Falcons 131-158 .453

that 4th place schedule helps a bit

(05-08-2024, 02:04 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I agree with all of your post.

Yeah, I think it will be different this year in our Division especially if Burrow can stay healthy and our OL plays better with an unpredictable
scheme instead of the predictable one they had to play in for much of last season. Lou should get our Defense on the same page against 
the run and our youth should grow into better players.

(05-09-2024, 11:09 AM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Because of the shitstain division they play in. 

Yep, the Chefs cannot help they play in one of the worst Divisions in football, they still win when it counts though, just like the Pats did
all those years with Tom.

(05-09-2024, 12:18 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: The best way to deal with the Steelers be more physical than they are in the trenches. We can't control their dirty play. We need to beat them downplaying by the rules. I think we may finally have an OL that could win the LOS against any team.

Yes sir, if we can finally have an OL that can win in the trenches look out...

(05-08-2024, 02:01 PM)PCB Bengal Fan Wrote: Trying to figure out why the Super Bowl champs don't by default have the toughest SOS. Do we have another New England like cakewalk to the playoffs every year team in KC?

because the schedule is set as a rotation schedule of divisions playing divisions each year and actually teams that win their division are setup with a tougher schedule , if you finish #1 in your Division, you play the top team in each division in AFC or NFC conference and #1 team from a specific crossover division, so the Chiefs get the Bills, Houston, and SF all 1st in their division last year where as we get NE, Tenn and Carolina last place teams in their divisions. So for winning their division KC has a tougher matchup schedule than we do finishing last

The NFL loves them some Chiefs vs Bengals games during the season.

(05-10-2024, 01:59 AM)sandwedge Wrote: The NFL loves them some Chiefs vs Bengals games during the season.

They should. Been some of the best games I have ever seen. Heck even our game last year with our backup QB was entertaining and we 
were in it till the end. Just needed to stop the damn run. This year hopefully this isn't our problem and Burrow is healthy and we can stop
the run then we can get back to beating them Chiefs like we should.

(05-09-2024, 02:51 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: because the schedule is set as a rotation schedule of divisions playing divisions each year and actually teams that win their division are setup with a tougher schedule , if you finish #1 in your Division, you play the top team in each division in AFC or NFC conference and #1 team from a specific crossover division, so the Chiefs get the  Bills, Houston,  and SF all 1st in their division last year where as we get NE, Tenn and Carolina last place teams in their divisions.  So for winning their division KC has a tougher matchup schedule than we do finishing last

I know how they do it, I'm just complaining that KC is getting the overall easier path than worse teams. New England played in a sh!t division for 20 years which gave them 5 wins every single year.

(05-10-2024, 01:22 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: They should. Been some of the best games I have ever seen. Heck even our game last year with our backup QB was entertaining and we 
were in it till the end. Just needed to stop the damn run. This year hopefully this isn't our problem and Burrow is healthy and we can stop
the run then we can get back to beating them Chiefs like we should.

Hopefully this year will be a home game!

(05-10-2024, 04:10 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Hopefully this year will be a home game!

About time alright. Always playing them on the road and Burrow still has a winning record against them.