Hey NFL Fans!

You're all aware that the 2009 NFL Schedule was released last Tuesday and we were immediately given the conventional Strength of Schedule (SOS) rankings. I'm sure you heard the disclaimer about the Pittsburgh Steelers having the toughest SOS going into the 2008 season and yet they ended up winning the Superbowl. That tells me the conventional SOS is flawed. The turnover rate concerning each team's management and talent from season to season is great, a look at the turnarounds some of the teams had from 2007 to 2008 are testament to that. On top of this, the conventional SOS simply looks at last season's team records. There should be a lot more to it than just that...

Using an unusual set of measuring sticks, here's a different look at who got the most benefit out of the 2009 NFL Schedule, and who it appears has their work cut out for them...

First, the measuring sticks and what they're worth:

If a team is:
1. On the road- Against a Top Team = -5             
2. On the road- Against a Low Team = -2
3. On the road- X-Country against Top Team = -7
4. On the road- X-Country against Low Team = -3
5. On the road- Coming off Bye Week vs. Top Team = -3
6. On the road- Coming off Bye Week vs. Low Team = 1
7. On the road- Off Bye X-Country vs. Top Team = -5
8. On the road- Off Bye X-Country vs. Low Team = -1
9. At home- Against a Top Team = 3
10. At home- Against a Low Team = 7
11. At home- Against a Top Team travelling X-Country = 5
12. At home- Against a Low Team Travelling X-Country = 7
13. At home- Coming off Bye Week vs. Top Team = 5
14. At home- Coming off Bye Week vs. Low Team = 7
15. At home- Off Bye vs. Top Team travelling X-Country = 5
16. At home- Off Bye vs. Low Team travelling X-Country = 10
17. First six weeks of season- Non hot weather teams play at hot site = -7
18. Last six weeks of season- Non cold weather teams play at cold site = -7
19. Play Top Team off their Bye at your home = -3
20. Play Low Team off their Bye at your home = -1
21. Play Top Team off their Bye at their home = -5
22. Play Low Team off their Bye at their home = -1

Here are the special criteria concerning Top/Low Teams (in alphabetical order) and the weather site designations used in these measures:

Top Teams - Weather Type       Low Teams - Weather Type
1. Arizona - Neutral (Dome)       17. Buffalo - Cold
2. Atlanta - Neutral (Dome)        18. Cincinnati - Cold
3. Baltimore - Moderate             19. Cleveland - Cold
4. Carolina - Hot                        20. Denver - Cold
5. Chicago - Cold                       21. Detroit - Neutral (Dome)
6. Dallas - Neutral (Dome)          22. Green Bay - Cold
7. Indianapolis - Neutral (Dome) 23. Houston - Neutral (Dome)
8. Miami - Hot                            24. Jacksonville - Hot
9. Minnesota - Neutral (Dome)   25. Kansas City - Cold
10. New England - Cold             26. New Orleans - Neutral (Dome)
11. New York Giants - Cold       27. New York Jets - Cold
12. Philadelphia - Cold               28. Oakland - Moderate
13. Pittsburgh - Cold                  29. St. Louis - Neutral (Dome)
14. San Diego - Moderate          30. San Francisco - Moderate
15. Tennessee - Hot                    31. Seattle - Cold
16. Washington - Moderate         32. Tampa Bay - Hot

The foundation has been laid out... So hold on tight, here are the results:

   OVERALL (Best Schedule to worst)
  Arizona Cardinals       31
  Houston Texans         27
  Cleveland Browns      26
  Baltimore Ravens       24
  Minnesota Vikings     23
  Green Bay Packers    22
  Pittsburgh Steelers     21
  Cincinnati Bengals     18
  Philadelphia Eagles    18
  New England Patriots 16
  Tennessee Titans       16
  Dallas Cowboys        14
  Indianapolis Colts      13
  Chicago Bears           12
  Seattle Seahawks      12
  Kansas City Chiefs    11
  San Diego Chargers    8
  Washington Redskins   6
  Jacksonville Jaguars     5
  New York Giants        5
  New Orleans Saints    4
  New York Jets           2
  Miami Dolphins          1
  Buffalo Bills                0
  Oakland Raiders         0
  San Francisco 49ers  -3
  Tampa Bay Bucanneers  -3
  Detroit Lions              -8
  Denver Broncos       -11
  St. Louis Rams         -15
  Atlanta Falcons        -20
  Carolina Panthers     -25

                       BY CONFERENCE
            NFC                                  AFC 

                          
Arizona Cardinals 31          Houston Texans 27
Minnesota Vikings 23        Cleveland Browns 26
Green Bay Packers 22       Baltimore Ravens 24
Philadelphia Eagles 18        Pittsburgh Steelers 21
Dallas Cowboys 14           Cincinnati Bengals 18
Chicago Bears 12              New England Pats 16
Seattle Seahawks 12         Tennessee Titans 16
Washington Skins   6         Indianapolis Colts 13
New York Giants   5         Kansas City Chiefs 11
New Orleans Snts  4          San Diego Chargers   8
Tampa Bay Bucs  -3          Jacksonville Jags   5
San Francisco 49ers-3       New York Jets   2
Detroit Lions  -8                 Miami Dolphins   1
St. Louis Rams  -15           Buffalo Bills   0
Atlanta Falcons  -20          Oakland Raiders   0
Carolina Panther -25         Denver Broncos -11

                     BY DIVISION
NFC EAST                            AFC EAST 
Philadelphia Eagles 18          New England Pats 16
Dallas Cowboys 14              New York Jets   2
Washington Skins   6            Miami Dolphins   1
New York Giants   5            Buffalo Bills         0

NFC NORTH                       AFC NORTH 
Minnesota Vikings 23         Cleveland Browns 26
Green Bay Packers 22        Baltimore Ravens 24
Chicago Bears 12              Pittsburgh Steelers 21
Detroit Lions  -8                Cincinnati Bengals 18

NFC SOUTH                      AFC SOUTH 
New Orleans Saints   4     Houston Texans 27
Tampa Bay Bucs  -3        Tennessee Titans 16
Atlanta Falcons -20          Indianapolis Colts 13
Carolina Panthers -25       Jacksonville Jags   5

NFC WEST                        AFC WEST 
Arizona Cardinals 31       Kansas City Chiefs 11
Seattle Seahawks 12       San Diego Chargers   8
San Francisco 49ers-3    Oakland Raiders   0
St. Louis Rams   -15       Denver Broncos   -11

Now we all know the standings won't look anything like this once the upcoming season is in the books, but it may give us all an indication why teams like the Houston Texans or Cleveland Browns get it turned around or why the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos have a tough time...

The schedule makers played a big role in role in it!