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The schedule for the 2021 NFL season has been released and fans are counting down the days until the season begins.
Based on the teams' records last season, some franchises have a rather easy schedule, primarily facing teams that performed poorly last season.
However, some franchises are scheduled to face some of the best teams from last season and will have their work cut out in their attempts to reach the playoffs.
Who has the NFL's Toughest Schedule in 2021?
Here are the ten NFL teams with the toughest schedule in 2021.
#1 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers fixtures list sees them face the Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns in 2021. All these teams had 11 or more wins last season.
The Steelers started the 2020 season with 11 straight wins but won just one of their last five before being beaten in the Wild Card round of the playoffs by the Browns. If their form from the tail-end of last season is an indicator of their roster strength, the Steelers might be in for a rough ride in 2021.
#2-Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers will open their campaign against the Washington Football Team, before taking on the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
Three of those teams were in the playoffs in 2020, while the Raiders missed out by just a couple of wins. The Cowboys also looked destined for the playoffs before an injury to quarterback Dak Prescott derailed their campaign.
Right after their bye week, the Chargers will face the revamped New England Patriots. The 2021 NFL season is shaping up to be a testing campaign for Justin Herbert and the Chargers.
#3 - Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders will open their campaign with games against the Ravens, Steelers and Miami Dolphins. They are also scheduled to face the Kansas City Chiefs twice while also facing games against the Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts.
Head coach John Gruden and the Raiders will be tested thoroughly in 2021.
#4 - Indianapolis Colts
The Colts will open their 2021 campaign with games against the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams at home before heading on a three-game road trip to take on the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens.
Their 17th game is against the reigning Super Bowl champions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which will be anything but easy. The Colts won't have a bye week until Week 14 which could be a long wait depending on how the season pans out.
#5 - Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars (and the rest of the AFC South) will face the NFC West this season, which isn't good news for this young team.
First-year head coach Urban Meyer and rookies Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne will have to take on last season's best defensive division. Additionally, they also have to face the Titans and Colts twice in 2021.
The Jaguars have their hands full with this schedule.
#6 - Baltimore Ravens
The AFC North was one of the toughest divisions last season, as three out of the four teams made it to the playoffs.
The Steelers reclaimed the division title from the Ravens, who are looking for a rebound season in 2021. But with tough divisional rivals and games against the Chiefs and Packers on the horizon, the Ravens have their work cut out for them.
#7 - Green Bay Packers
If Aaron Rodgers stays in Green Bay, the Packers' schedule doesn't seem as daunting. But if the quarterback leaves Green Bay, doubts will creep in about whether they have it in them to win the NFC North title.
The Packers' schedule sees them take on the Steelers, Chiefs, Seahawks and Ravens.
#8 - Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills were undoubtedly the best AFC team in the regular season in 2020. If not for their woeful display in the AFC Championship Game, they might have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
The Bills won't necessarily rate their schedule as tough, given the fact that they have one of the best rosters in the league. The Bills will open their campaign at home against the Steelers, which should fall in their favor, but Pittsburgh has made some significant moves and are a Wild Card team at this point.
Their division games will be competitive and tough but they should win the AFC East title. A notable stretch midway through the season sees them take on the Colts, Saints, Patriots and Buccaneers.
#9 - Kansas City Chiefs
Seeing as the Kansas City Chiefs have made Super Bowl appearances in the last two seasons, it's hard to rate their schedule as tough.
The Chiefs will play the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens to start the season and then play an AFC Championship Game re-match against the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs will then finish the season with games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos.
#10 - Washington Football Team
The reigning NFC East champions, the Washington Football Team, will play the Buffalo Bills in their seventeenth game and finish their campaign with three divisional road games in the final four matches of the season.
Depending on the state of the NFC East this year, this schedule is definitely a tough one for Washington.
