The NFL is set to release a normal 17-week schedule this week, with a start date of Sept. 10 and an end date of Feb. 7 for the Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla., league spokesman Brian McCarthy recently told ESPN.
Here’s a reminder of the Falcons’ opponents for the 2020 season:
The away games will be at Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Carolina, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay, Minnesota and Dallas.
In the home games, the Falcons will face the Buccaneers, Saints, Panthers, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Las Vegas and Seattle.
One of those "home" games was expected to be in London. The Falcons played the Lions there in 2014. The Broncos haven't played abroad since 2010.
But that game, because of the coronavirus pandemic, is expected to be played in Atlanta.
The Falcons, who have posted consecutive 7-9 seasons, will play teams from the NFC North and AFC West next season.
Only New England (.537), the 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 at .525.
In the NFC South, Tampa Bay (.502) has the 16th toughest schedule, Carolina (.500) 18th and the Saints (.490) 24th.
The Falcons will play six games against 2019 playoff teams, including the Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Here’s the list of the NFL’s toughest schedules, based on last season’s records:
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. 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)
15. 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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