Falcons owner Arthur Blank is expecting general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn, after retaining them, to "produce a different set of results on the field" in 2020 and they'll have to do it against the fifth toughest schedule in the league.
After consecutive 7-9 seasons, the Falcons have a second-place schedule that features team from the NFC North And AFC West.
Only New England (.537), New York Jets (.533), Miami (.529) and San Francisco (.528) have tougher schedules based on the opposition’s 2019 records. The Falcons, Bills and Lions are tied for fifth with .525.
In the NFC South, Tampa Bay (.502) has the 16th toughest schedule, Carolina (.500) 18th and the Saints (.490) 24th.
A second-place finish added a road game at the NFC East’s Cowboys and a home game against Seattle. The Falcons will play six games against 2019 playoff teams, including the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Next season’s away games will be at: Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Carolina, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Chargers), Green Bay, Minnesota and Dallas.
In the home games, the Falcons will face: Bucs, Saints, Panthers, Bears, Lions, Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders and Seahawks. Speculation is that the Denver game will be the International game in London.
Here’s the list of the team’s toughest schedule:
1. New England Patriots: 137-118-1 (.537)
2. New York Jets: 136-119-1 (.533)
3. Miami Dolphins: 135-120-1 (.529)
4. San Francisco 49ers: 134-120-2 (.528)
T5. Atlanta Falcons: 134-121-1 (.525)
T5. Buffalo Bills: 134-121-1 (.525)
T5. Detroit Lions: 134-121-1 (.525)
T8. Arizona Cardinals: 132-123-1 (.518)
T8. Houston Texans: 132-123-1 (.518)
T10. Los Angeles Rams: 131-123-2 (.516)
T10. Minnesota Vikings: 131-123-2 (.516)
12. Denver Broncos: 131-125 (.512)
T13. Seattle Seahawks: 129-125-2 (.508)
T13. Chicago Bears: 129-125-2 (.508)
14. Green Bay Packers: 128-126-2 (.504)
T16. Indianapolis Colts: 128-127-1 (.502)
T16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 128-127-1 (.502)
T18. Carolina Panthers: 127-127-2 (.500)
T18. Kansas City Chiefs: 128-128 (.500)
20. Tennessee Titans: 127-128-1 (.498)
21. Las Vegas Raiders: 127-129 (.496)
22. Jacksonville Jaguars: 126-129-1 (.494)
23. Los Angeles Chargers: 126-130 (.492)
24. New Orleans Saints: 125-130-1 (.490)
25. Philadelphia Eagles: 124-131-1 (.486)
26. New York Giants: 123-132-1 (.482)
27. Cincinnati Bengals: 122-134 (.477)
28. Washington Redskins: 118-136-2 (.465)
29. Cleveland Browns: 118-138 (.461)
30. Dallas Cowboys: 117-138-1 (.459)
31. Pittsburgh Steelers: 117-139 (.457)
32. Baltimore Ravens: 112-144 (.438)
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