We are around the halfway through the NFL regular seasonand with the playoff races taking shape, we must remember that not all remaining schedules are equal.

Schedule strength is always a major factor in the competitive balance of the league, but it can sometimes be forgotten that certain schedules can become noticeably harder or easier as the weeks go by. And that has a major impact on how the playoffs play out. Take a team like Pittsburgh Steelers. They’re off to a fabulous start at 6-2, but they’re about to face an incredibly tough final stretch to their season.

According to my NFL Projection Modelthe Steelers actually have the toughest remaining force on the schedule. To determine this, the model takes into account the teams remaining on the schedule, adjusts for whether that game is played at home or on the road, as well as adjusts for rest and/or travel implications .

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So even if the Steelers are doing well, winning games won’t be easy for the rest of the season. The same can be said for a few other teams ranked at the top of this table, which are ranked from hardest remaining force to easiest.

Best Takeaways

• The Steelers still have to face four teams with six or more wins, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t face any of them the rest of the way. Interestingly, the model expects both teams to go 4-5 down the stretch despite projecting the Steelers as the better team.

• THE Kansas City Chiefs are 8-0 and face just the fifth-easiest remaining schedule. Outside of their game at Buffalo in Week 11, my model projects the Chiefs to have at least a 62% chance of winning each of their remaining games. And with this remaining schedule, the The Chiefs have a 3% chance of remaining undefeated.

• It will be a sprint to the finish in the NFC East, as the Philadelphia Eagles And Washington Commanders are both aiming for a division title and a guarantee of at least one home game in the playoffs. Luckily for both of them, they have some of the easiest schedules in the world. NFL. Although the Eagles’ schedule is a bit easier, the road for both teams to comfortably qualify for the playoffs is there.

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• It will be an uphill battle for the San Francisco 49ers to qualify for the playoffs since their record is currently 4-4, and they face the fourth-toughest remaining schedule. Six of their remaining nine games will be against teams .500 or better. Considering all the injuries the 49ers are still dealing with, it will be difficult for them to make the playoffs. My model currently gives them a 41% chance.

(Photo by Mike Tomlin: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)