They couldn't exactly schedule the worst team last season (by a wide margin) against Arena 2 clubs, but the strength of schedule the National Football League handed to Detroit in 2009 should be considered a challenge.
Especially given the gifts handed to their respective NFC North counterparts.
After becoming the only modern team in league history to post a winless season (0-16), the Lions will harbor the league's 21st toughest schedule this year. The ranking is calculated using opponents' winning percentage (.467 in Detroit's case), but nine (9) of those opponents were .500 or better in 2008. And five teams on their schedule were in the playoffs.
By contrast, division rivals Green Bay (6-10, .428), Minnesota (10-6, .420), and Chicago (9-7, .414) round out the league's bottom three.
Of course, it didn't hurt those teams that they're scheduled to play the Lions -- a .000 winning percentage last year -- twice.
The Miami Dolphins, the league's worst team in 2007 (1-15), have the toughest schedule (.594).
2009 NFL STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
(courtesy NFL media)
|
Team
|
Opponents’ 2008
Pct. & Record
|
Games vs. teams
.500 or better
|
Games vs.
playoff teams
|
|
Miami Dolphins
|
.594
|
152
|
104
|
0
|
13
|
6
|
|
Carolina Panthers
|
.592
|
151
|
104
|
1
|
15
|
7
|
|
New England Patriots
|
.590
|
151
|
105
|
0
|
13
|
7
|
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
.588
|
150
|
105
|
1
|
14
|
5
|
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
.580
|
148
|
107
|
1
|
13
|
7
|
|
Buffalo Bills
|
.570
|
146
|
110
|
0
|
13
|
6
|
|
New York Jets
|
.568
|
145
|
110
|
1
|
11
|
6
|
|
New Orleans Saints
|
.557
|
142
|
113
|
1
|
13
|
7
|
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
.535
|
137
|
119
|
0
|
13
|
5
|
|
New York Giants
|
.527
|
134
|
120
|
2
|
14
|
7
|
|
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
.516
|
132
|
124
|
0
|
10
|
6
|
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
.516
|
131
|
123
|
2
|
12
|
7
|
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
.512
|
131
|
125
|
0
|
10
|
5
|
|
Tennessee Titans
|
.508
|
130
|
126
|
0
|
10
|
6
|
|
Houston Texans
|
.506
|
129
|
126
|
1
|
8
|
6
|
|
Washington Redskins
|
.492
|
125
|
129
|
2
|
12
|
7
|
|
San Diego Chargers
|
.484
|
123
|
131
|
2
|
10
|
6
|
|
Kansas City Chiefs
|
.484
|
123
|
131
|
2
|
10
|
6
|
|
Oakland Raiders
|
.480
|
122
|
132
|
2
|
12
|
6
|
|
Denver Broncos
|
.480
|
122
|
132
|
2
|
10
|
7
|
|
Detroit Lions
|
.467
|
119
|
136
|
1
|
9
|
5
|
|
St. Louis Rams
|
.465
|
119
|
137
|
0
|
9
|
5
|
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
.465
|
119
|
137
|
0
|
10
|
6
|
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
.457
|
117
|
139
|
0
|
9
|
5
|
|
Cleveland Browns
|
.449
|
114
|
140
|
2
|
8
|
6
|
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
.443
|
113
|
142
|
1
|
9
|
7
|
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
.441
|
113
|
143
|
0
|
7
|
5
|
|
Baltimore Ravens
|
.438
|
111
|
143
|
2
|
8
|
5
|
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
.434
|
110
|
144
|
2
|
8
|
6
|
|
Green Bay Packers
|
.428
|
109
|
146
|
1
|
9
|
5
|
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
.420
|
107
|
148
|
1
|
7
|
5
|
|
Chicago Bears
|
.414
|
105
|
149
|
2
|
7
|
7
|