Panthers have the league’s allegedly toughest schedule
Posted by Darin Gantt on February 7, 2013, 6:01 PM EST
Things aren’t going to be easy for the Panthers this year for many reasons.
But the schedule doesn’t exactly do them any favors.
The Panthers have the league’s hardest
strength of schedule number for the 2013 season, as they’re playing teams with a combined 138-116-2 record (.543).
Of course, strength of schedule can be a remarkably overstated thing, for several reasons.
One, teams in the same division are generally clumped together, since the league’s scheduling rotation means each team plays 14 of the same opponents, with the final two based on divisional standings (ones play ones, fours play fours). Thus, the Panthers NFC south rival Saints are third, Falcons 15th and the Buccaneers 17th based on the current numbers.