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The 2022 NFL schedule has been released and now we get to look at how each team will need to maneuver through their own particular set of games. Getting off to a good start is always helpful in any endeavor and NFL teams need as many wins as they can get.
We’ll take a look at which teams get the toughest and easiest schedules to start the 2022 NFL season.
Easiest schedules to start the season
Cleveland Browns
The first four games for the Browns are at Panthers, vs. Jets, vs. Steelers and at Falcons. You really can’t get much better than that, especially when you remember that Mitchell Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett will be the Steelers starting QB in Week 3.
If the Browns don’t have DeShaun Watson to start the year due to a suspension, they could still very much be competitive in these games.
New Orleans Saints
The first five games for the Saints have the Saints facing four teams under six win totals, as they play at Falcons, vs. Buccaneers, at Panther, sat Lions and vs. Seahawks. You really can’t hope for a much better set of games to usher in the post-Sean Payton era.
Toughest schedules to start the season
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers will start their post-Ben Roethlisberger era with an extremely tough schedule to kick off 2022. Week 1 they’ll be at the Bengals, then vs. Patriots, at Browns, vs. Chargers, at Bills, and vs. Buccaneers. It’s crazy to think that the Patriots could be the easiest game of that stretch! The Browns could be without Watson, but even if Watson is suspended, there are four games there that the Steelers will be very lucky to win.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Raiders and Chiefs both have tough starts to the season, but I’ll give the edge to the Chiefs as far as tough starts go. They’ll start the season at Cardinals, then vs. Chargers, at Colts, at Buccaneers, vs. Raiders, vs. Bills and at 49ers before their much-needed Week 8 bye. The Raiders, who brought in Davante Adams this off-season and the 49ers, who can seemingly win with anyone at quarterback, and the Colts, who also just win games are the weakest opponents of the group.