Which NFL team has the toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024? Ranking top 5 franchises 

The upcoming season's NFL matchups are set and some teams have ended up with a tougher Strength of Schedule in 2024 than others, despite the best efforts by the league to make the distribution as equitable as possible. That is the nature of the NFL and wholly unsurprising because some teams played better than others in 2023 and not every team faces every other team in the league.

Therefore, based on the 2023 form book, here are the teams with the toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024.

Top 5 franchises with toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024

#T4 - Green Bay Packers, 0.526 combined 2023 win-loss ratio for 2024 opponents

The Green Bay Packers made it to the Divisional Round of the 2023 playoffs in Jordan Love's first year as a starter. It was quite an accomplishment and now expectations are high for an even better performance in 2024.

But their Strength of Schedule in 2024 is the joint fourth-toughest in the league. Having the Detroit Lions in their NFC North division was bound to make it tougher but they also face the NFC West teams this term.

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams were both in the playoffs, while the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles are two other postseason teams from 2023 that they face in 2024.

Given that the Bears and the Vikings have new franchise quarterbacks and have strengthened elsewhere, with the Lions still looking like the team to beat in the NFC North, expectations might need to be tempered in Wisconsin.

#T4 - Houston Texans, 0.526 combined 2023 win-loss ratio for 2024 opponents

Tied for the fourth-toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024 are the Houston Texans. C.J. Stroud was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2023 and he has a fantastic assemblage of weapons in newly-added Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz. Head coach DeMeco Ryans will be expected to fix their defense, and they are legitimately being considered as Super Bowl contenders.

But repeating and exceeding last season's success could prove tougher than expected. They play the reigning Super Bowl champions, Kansas City Chiefs, the AFC heavyweights Baltimore Ravens and the entire AFC East slate including the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins, both of whom made the postseason.

Add into the mix the Jaguars, Titans and Colts in their division, all of whom look stronger than last season, and it could be a brutal comedown for C.J. Stroud and Co.

#3 - Pittsburgh Steelers, 0.533 combined 2023 win-loss ratio for 2024 opponents

The AFC North was the toughest division last season as three teams made it to the playoffs in 2023 and every single team finished with a winning record. And that contributes to a tough Strength of Schedule in 2024 for every team in that group.

The Steelers have the third-toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024. They will play all their divisional rivals, who each had a record better than 0.500. They also face the Dallas Cowboys and Eagles from the NFC East, both of whom featured in the playoffs for the 2023 season. And if that were not enough, they also have to play the Kansas City Chiefs.

Russell Wilson escaped the Denver Broncos and would have been looking for an easier schedule to rehabilitate his image in front of NFL fans. Unfortunately for him, and Justin Fields too, they are going to have to do it the hard way. Luckily, if there's one head coach who can tough it out, it is Mike Tomlin.

#2 - Baltimore Ravens, 0.536 combined 2023 win-loss ratio for 2024 opponents

By the same logic, the Baltimore Ravens have the second-toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024. The AFC North teams were expected to get the short end of the stick when it came to facing tough opponents, and they did.

The Ravens are not only facing their divisional rivals but some formidable opponents outside of that too. It gets spicy from the start as they face the Chiefs in Week 1, in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game which Baltimore lost at home. In addition to that, they also have to go up against the Bills, Eagles, Buccaneers and Texans.

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are a formidable duo. But they will need to be at their best right from the beginning if they are to go one better in 2024 as compared to 2023.

#1 - Cleveland Browns, 0.547 combined 2023 win-loss ratio for 2024 opponents

The team with the toughest Strength of Schedule in 2024 is the Cleveland Browns. The AFC North factor is again pronounced here. Add in the Eagles and the Cowboys from the NFC East and one can understand why they are up against it. From the AFC, the Chiefs and Dolphins come face-to-face with the Browns in 2024.

If Deshaun Watson is to do what Joe Flacco did last season or go better, then he will need to be at his best. Coming back from an injury, such an accomplishment is easier said than done. But what the Browns and every other team on this list can take comfort from is that the past is not an accurate predictor of the future and the games will be decided on the field and not on paper.