The NFL spends a lot of time every year putting the schedule together and although the league does its best to make sure every team is happy, the fact of the matter is that making everyone happy just isn’t possible when you’re putting together a schedule that consists of 272 games.
With that in mind, we went through all 32 schedules to find one thing that should make each team happy and one thing that they might want to complain to the league about.
Here’s one good thing and one bad thing from each team’s schedule starting with the AFC East.
AFC East
New England Patriots
One good thing for New England: From Oct. 24 to Nov. 23, they only play one road game, which means they’ll only have to leave Foxboro one time over the course of a month.
One bad thing for New England: The Patriots open with three of their first four on the road (at Dolphins, at Steelers, Ravens, at Packers) and it won’t be surprising if they struggle out of the gate.
Miami Dolphins
One good thing for the Dolphins: The Dolphins have historically played pretty well at home in September and they get to play two of their first three games at Hard Rock Stadium.
One bad thing for the Dolphins: The Dolphins have three straight road games in December that will come against three teams that all finished the 2021 season with a winning record (49ers, Chargers, Bills).
New York Jets
One good thing for the Jets: Starting in Week 15, the Jets get consecutive home games against the Lions and Jaguars, which feel like two very winnable games for New York.
One bad thing for the Jets: Coming out of their Week 10 bye, they have to play three of 4 on the road (at Patriots, Bears, at Vikings, at Bills), which could end up ruining their season.
Buffalo Bills
One good thing for the Bills: Starting in Week 14, they get three of their final five games at home. No one wants to play in Buffalo during the winter, so this should be a huge advantage for the Bills.
One bad thing for the Bills: There’s a lot to like about the Bills schedule, but if there is one thing not to like, it’s the early bye that will be coming in Week 7, which is the second earliest bye on the NFL schedule this year.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
One good thing for the Ravens: Coming out of their Week 10 bye, the Ravens get back-to-back games against the Panthers and Jaguars, which are two games where Baltimore will definitely be favored.
One bad thing for the Ravens: The Ravens close the season by playing four division games over the final five weeks and the bad thing is that three of those four are on the road.
Cincinnati Bengals
One good thing for the Bengals: They get two of their more difficult AFC games — vs. the Chiefs and vs. the Bills — at home.
One bad thing for the Bengals: From Sept. 12 to Oct. 22, the Bengals only play ONE game at home, which means they’re going to be spending nearly a month on the road. During that five-game span, they’ll be playing away games against the Cowboys, Jets, Ravens and Saints. The Bengals also have a brutal stretch following their Week 10 bye.
Pittsburgh Steelers
One good thing for the Steelers: From Oct. 9 to Nov. 12, the Steelers only have one away game. That’s a span that includes three of four games at home plus a bye week.
One bad thing for the Steelers: Starting in Week 5, the Steelers will play a string of SEVEN straight games against teams that finished last season with a winning record, including consecutive games against the Bills and Buccaneers. That could be brutal.
Cleveland Browns
One good thing for the Browns: Coming out of their Week 9 bye, the Browns get to play four homes games in five weeks. From Oct. 24 to Dec. 16, they’ll only be leaving Ohio once.
One bad thing for the Browns: The backloaded home schedule comes at a price and that price is that starting in Week 2, the Browns will play four of five games on the road. That could be a brutal stretch if Deshaun Watson is suspended.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
One good thing for the Colts: The Colts get a Week 14 bye, which is the latest bye that the NFL gave out this year, which means if they stay in playoff contention, they’ll get a week of rest down the stretch.
One bad thing for the Colts: Starting in Week 3, the Colts play consecutive games against the Chiefs, Titans and Broncos, which could be a brutal stretch. The Colts are also one of just three teams that won’t have their home opener until Week 3.
Tennessee Titans
One good thing for the Titans: Over the final five weeks of the season, the Titans get to play the Jaguars twice and the Texans once, which is good news for a team that went 5-1 in the division last year.
One bad thing for the Titans: Starting in Week 9, we’ll find out if the Titans are for real. That starts a five-week stretch where they’ll face the Chiefs, Broncos, Packers, Bengals and Eagles. Yikes.
Houston Texans
One good thing for the Texans: Starting in Week 9, the Texans get three straight games against NFC East teams, so if they can find some success against the division, they could pick up a few wins.
One bad thing for the Texans: From Sept. 12 to Oct. 29, the Texans only play ONE home game. That brutal stretch starting in Week 2 could end their season before it even really starts. The Texans are facing three teams that will be coming off a bye this year, which is the most in the NFL.
Jacksonville Jaguars
One good thing for the Jaguars: From Week 13 to Week 17, the Jags will get to face the Lions, Jets and Texans, which actually seem winnable for Jacksonville.
One bad thing for the Jaguars: Starting in Week 8, the Jags play three straight games against AFC West teams (Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs) and it’s hard to see them having much success during that stretch.
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
One good thing for the Chiefs: From Week 5 to Week 10, the Chiefs get to play four of five games at home, which is good news for a team that usually thrives at home. Three of those games are against the Raiders, Bills and Titans, which makes it huge that they’re being played at Arrowhead.
One bad thing for the Chiefs: With their 2022 schedule, the Chiefs will become the first team in NFL history to open a season with eight straight games against teams that finished above .500 the prior season (Via Elias Sports Bureau). The stretch starts in Week 1 when they travel to Arizona and then continues to Week 9. Here’s look at their first nine weeks: At Cardinals, Chargers, at Colts, at Buccaneers, Raiders, Bills, 49ers, bye, Titans.
Las Vegas Raiders
One good thing for the Raiders: The Raiders won’t have to travel much at the end of the season and that’s because they get three of their final four games at home.
One bad thing for the Raiders: The Raiders will be facing a gauntlet to start the season. From Week 1 thru Week 5, they’ll be facing the Chargers, Cardinals, Titans, Broncos and Chiefs. It’s going to be tough for the Raiders to come out of their first five weeks with a winning record.
Los Angeles Chargers
One good thing for the Chargers: The Chargers get to face the Jaguars and Texans in Weeks 3 and 4, which means it won’t be surprising if we see them get off to a hot start.
One bad thing for the Chargers: Starting in Week 10, the Chargers will close with eight of nine games against teams that finished with a winning record last year and the only team that had a losing record was the Broncos, which won’t be an easy game. That’s a brutal stretch to end the season.
Denver Broncos
One good thing for the Broncos: They have three very winnable games to start the season. In Week 1, Russell Wilson will be looking to beat his old team. After that, the Broncos will get consecutive games against the Texans and 49ers.
One bad thing for the Broncos: The Broncos will close the season with five straight games against teams that all finished with a winning record last year and should be good again this year (Chiefs x 2, Cardinals, Rams, Chargers).
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
One good thing for the Cowboys: Starting in Week 12, the Cowboys get four of five games at home and the only game they play on the road in that span will be against the Jaguars.
One bad thing for the Cowboys: The Cowboys open the season with two division winners from 2021 (Buccaneers, Bengals), which means there’s a very real chance they could start 0-2 out of the gate.
New York Giants
One good thing for the Giants: Coming out of their Week 9 bye, the Giants will get a span of three games in four weeks where they’ll play against teams that finished the 2021 season with double-digit losses (Commanders, Lions, Texans). That winnable stretch could possibly give them a much-needed boost heading into December.
One bad thing for the Giants: Not only do the Giants have to play in London in Week 5, but they won’t be getting a bye after the game. Instead, they’ll get off the plane and have to face the Ravens in Week 5, which will then be followed by two road games. That could be a rough stretch for them.
Philadelphia Eagles
One good thing for the Eagles: The Eagles start the season with four straight teams that finished 2021 with a losing record, which means it won’t be surprising if they get off to a fast start.
One bad thing for the Eagles: They have to play three straight road games in December, which could be rough for a team that will probably be trying to stay in the playoff race at that point.
Washington Commanders
One good thing for the Commanders: The Commanders get to open the season against two teams (Lions and Jaguars) that combined to go 6-27-1 last year.
One bad thing for the Commanders: Starting in Week 3, the Commanders will play three consecutive games against teams that went to the playoffs last season (Eagles, Cowboys, Titans).
NFC North
Detroit Lions
One good thing for the Lions: Starting in Week 10, the Lions will start a span where they’ll play seven games in eight weeks against teams that didn’t make the playoffs last year. It’s a stretch where the Lions could pick up a few surprising wins.
One bad thing for the Lions: Starting in Week 5, the Lions will play four straight games against teams that all finished 2021 with a winning record and picking up a win in just one of those games won’t be easy.
Chicago Bears
One good thing for the Bears: Not only do the Bears get the latest bye possible this year (Week 14), but they also get to play three of four games at home after the bye to end the season.
One bad thing for the Bears: With the 49ers and Packers in the first two weeks, things could get ugly for the Bears at the beginning of the season.
Minnesota Vikings
One good thing for the Vikings: Starting in Week 13, the Vikings will play three games in a four-week span against teams that won 4 games or less last season (Lions, Jets, Giants).
One bad thing for the Vikings: Starting in Week 10, the Vikings play three straight games against teams that made the playoffs last season (Bills, Cowboys, Patriots).
Green Bay Packers
One good thing for Green Bay: The Packers get to close the season with three of four games at home, which is good news for a team that went 8-0 at home last season.
One bad thing for Green Bay: The Packers are going to have a brutal travel schedule starting with their Week 5 game in London. After flying home from England, they’ll face the Jets at Lambeau before going on a three-game road trip. It will be one of the most brutal travel stretches of the year for any team.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers
One good thing for the Panthers: They get to start the season with three straight games against teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season, a list that includes a Browns team that might not have Deshaun Watson.
One bad thing for the Panthers: From Week 4 thru Week 7, the Panthers will face the Cardinals, 49ers, Rams and Buccaneers. That definitely qualifies as a bad thing.
New Orleans Saints
One good thing for the Saints: The Saints have one of the most insane home stretches of any team in the NFL this season. From Week 4 to Week 9, the Saints will play five of six games at home, which means they’ll only be leaving New Orleans once between Sept. 26 and Nov. 12.
One bad thing for the Saints: Starting in Week 6, the Saints will see a stretch where they play seven of eight games against teams that made the playoffs last season. During that stretch, they’ll play both Super Bowl teams from last season plus the Cardinals, Raiders, 49ers, Buccaneers and Steelers.
Atlanta Falcons
One good thing for the Falcons: Starting in Week 10, the Falcons get three straight games against teams that all finished with double-digit losses last season (Panthers, Bears, Commanders).
One bad thing for the Falcons: Between Week 2 and Week 7, the Falcons have to play both Super Bowl teams (Rams and Bengals) plus they also have the 49ers and Buccaneers to worry about during that stretch. If things get ugly during that period, the Falcons season could be over before it really starts.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
One good thing for the Buccaneers: The Bucs get to close the season with the Panthers and Falcons over the final two weeks, which means if this team will be in a good spot if they should find themselves in a tight playoff race.
One bad thing for the Buccaneers: With three of their first four games against playoff teams from last season (Cowboys, Chiefs, Packers), it won’t be a total of shock if the Buccaneers lose one or two games out of the gate.
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams
One good thing for the Rams: The Rams get to play 10 games at SoFi Stadium, which is the most amount of games any team will play in their home stadium this year. The bonus game comes because they have a “road” game against the Chargers on New Year’s Day.
One bad thing for the Rams: Starting in Week 12, the Rams will face a brutal stretch where they’ll see the Chiefs, Raiders, Packers, Broncos and Chargers all in a six-week period.
Arizona Cardinals
One good thing for the Cardinals: From Week 4 thru Week 9, five of Arizona’s six games will be played against teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season (Seahawks x 2, Panthers, Saints, Vikings). The Eagles are the only team in that stretch that did make the playoffs in 2021, which means there’s a good chance the Cards could be favored to win every single one of those games during that stretch, which is good news, because their opening stretch is brutal.
One bad thing for the Cardinals: The Cardinals have to open the season against three teams that made the playoffs last season (Chiefs, Raiders, Rams) and without DeAndre Hopkins, there’s a real chance they could lose all three of those games.
Seattle Seahawks
One good thing for the Seahawks: From Week 3 thru Week 5, the Seahawks will play three very winnable games against the Falcons, Lions and Saints, which means Seattle could get off to a hot start despite losing Russell Wilson.
One bad thing for the Seahawks: There were four teams in the conference title games last season and the Seahawks will have to play three of them over the final four weeks of the season (49ers, Chiefs, Rams).
San Francisco 49ers
One good thing for the 49ers: The 49ers will somehow go six weeks this season without playing a true road game. Over a six-week span starting in Week 9, the 49ers have four home games, a bye and a neutral site game in Mexico City.
One bad thing for the 49ers: Not only do the 49ers have to play the Rams AND Chiefs this season, but the schedule-makers decided to cram the three games into a five-week span. From Week 4 to Week 8, the 49ers will play the Rams twice and the Chiefs once.
