NFL schedule release date 2022: When the league will announce 2022 games, strength of schedule & more
Heavy is the finger that wears the Super Bowl ring.
The Rams will have a difficult path to walk to repeat as Super Bowl champions. While the division around them is still tough, they’ll be playing the reloaded AFC West, arguably the toughest division in football come the 2022 season.
For the NFC East, a pair of long-time division rivals will share the ease of the league’s fluffiest schedule, as the Cowboys and Commanders will play an easy slate of games this upcoming season, based on 2021 win percentage.
With the NFL schedule set to be unveiled in the weeks following the 2022 NFL Draft, here’s what we know about opponents, strength of schedule and more for the 2022 season.
MORE: When is the NFL Draft in 2022?
NFL schedule release date 2022
The NFL is set to release its complete 2022 schedule on Thursday, May 12.
In advance of the full schedule release, select games will be announced on Thursday, April 28 (“Thursday Night Football” schedule), Wednesday, May 4 (international games) and select marquee matchups the week of May 9.
NFL schedule release:
- Date: Thursday, May 12
- Time: 8 p.m.
- TV: NFL Network, ESPN2, ESPN+, fuboTV
The NFL schedule release is carried by the NFL Network, ESPN and other networks.
You can also live stream the schedule release via fuboTV, which carries the ESPN family of networks and NFL Network and offers a free trial.
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Who has the hardest NFL schedule in 2022?
The defending Super Bowl champs, the Los Angeles Rams, have the toughest NFL schedule in 2022, with their 2021 opponents’ win percentage sitting at .567.
Here’s who they’ll play this season:
Home | Away |
---|---|
Seattle Seahawks | Seattle Seahawks |
San Francisco 49ers | San Francisco 49ers |
Arizona Cardinals | Arizona Cardinals |
Carolina Panthers | New Orleans Saints |
Atlanta Falcons | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Dallas Cowboys | Green Bay Packers |
Las Vegas Raiders | Kansas City Chiefs |
Denver Broncos | Los Angeles Chargers |
Buffalo Bills | — |
Who has the easiest NFL schedule in 2022?
The NFC Least: The Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys have the easiest schedules of the 2022 season, tied at a .462 winning percentage.
Commanders:
Home | Away |
---|---|
Dallas Cowboys | Dallas Cowboys |
New York Giants | New York Giants |
Philadelphia Eagles | Philadelphia Eagles |
Green Bay Packers | Chicago Bears |
Tennessee Titans | Detroit Lions |
Jacksonville Jaguars | San Francisco 49ers |
Minnesota Vikings | Houston Texans |
Cleveland Browns | Indianapolis Colts |
Atlanta Falcons | — |
Cowboys:
Home | Away |
---|---|
New York Giants | New York Giants |
Philadelphia Eagles | Philadelphia Eagles |
Washington Commanders | Washington Commanders |
Chicago Bears | Green Bay Packers |
Cincinnati Bengals | Jacksonville Jaguars |
Detroit Lions | Los Angeles Rams |
Houston Texans | Minnesota Vikings |
Indianapolis Colts | Tennessee Titans |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | — |
2022 NFL strength of schedule rankings
The defending Super Bowl champs have the toughest schedule, while several teams below are tied with strength of schedule, giving the NFL the elusive parity it so desperately craves.
Rank | Team | Opponents’ 2021 win percentage |
---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles Rams | .567 (164-125-0) |
2 | Arizona Cardinals | .543 (157-132-0) |
3 | Cincinnati Bengals | .536 (154-133-2) |
4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | .535 (154-134-1) |
T5 | San Francisco 49ers | .533 (154-135-0) |
T5 | Kansas City Chiefs | .533 (154-135-0) |
T7 | Las Vegas Raiders | .528 (152-136-1) |
T7 | New Orleans Saints | .528 (152-136-1) |
9 | Atlanta Falcons | .524 (151-137-1) |
10 | Los Angeles Chargers | .519 (150-139-0) |
11 | Seattle Seahawks | .517 (149-139-1) |
T12 | Carolina Panthers | .512 (147-140-2) |
T12 | Pittsburgh Steelers | .512 (148-141-0) |
T12 | Buffalo Bills | .512 (148-141-0) |
15 | Denver Broncos | .509 (147-142-0) |
16 | New England Patriots | .498 (143-144-2) |
T17 | New York Jets | .495 (142-145-2) |
T17 | Cleveland Browns | .495 (142-145-2) |
19 | Houston Texans | .488 (141-148-0) |
20 | Minnesota Vikings | .484 (139-148-2) |
21 | Miami Dolphins | .481 (138-149-2) |
22 | Green Bay Packers | .478 (147-150-2) |
23 | Baltimore Ravens | .474 (136-151-2) |
T24 | Chicago Bears | .471 (135-152-2) |
T24 | Tennessee Titans | .471 (136-153-0) |
T26 | Jacksonville Jaguars | .469 (135-153-1) |
T26 | Indianapolis Colts | .469 (135-153-1) |
28 | Detroit Lions | .467 (135-154-0) |
29 | New York Giants | .465 (134-154-1) |
30 | Philadelphia Eagles | .464 (133-154-2) |
T31 | Dallas Cowboys | .462 (133-155-1) |
T31 | Washington Commanders | .462 (133-155-1) |
2022 NFL schedule for all 32 teams
While dates have yet to be set for each of the 32 teams’ matchups, fans have a decent idea as to who is playing who come the 2022 season. The formula the NFL uses is as follows:
- Home and away against its three division opponents (Six games)
- The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (Four games)
- The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (Four games)
- Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (these games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season) (Two games)
- One interconference game based on the prior year’s standings on a rotating four-year cycle. These games match a first-place team from one division against a first-place team in an opposite conference division that the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place and fourth-place teams in each division are similarly paired. The home conference for this game will rotate each season.
While the dates and times of these games are scheduled to be released in the coming weeks, we already know the opponents for all 32 squads. Here’s what we know:
AFC East
New England Patriots
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers
Buffalo Bills
- Home: Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
New York Jets
- Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
- Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, and Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
- Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams
- Away: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles
Cleveland Browns
- Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Chargers
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and Washington Commanders
Cincinnati Bengals
- Home: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins
- Away: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tennessee Titans
AFC South
Houston Texans
- Home: Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
- Away: Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears
Tennessee Titans
- Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals
- Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
- Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
- Away: Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens
- Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, Detroit Lions
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
- Home: Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills
- Away: Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals
Denver Broncos
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders
- Away: Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens
Las Vegas Raiders
- Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots
- Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints
Los Angeles Chargers
- Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins
- Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys
- Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals
- Away: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
New York Giants
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens
- Away: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks
Washington Commanders
- Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons
- Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
- Home: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans
- Away: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
- Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts
- Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Football Team, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins
Chicago Bears
- Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans
- Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons
Detroit Lions
- Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville
- Away: Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles
Atlanta Falcons
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Home: Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, New York Jets
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Rams
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills
- Away: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona Cardinals
- Home: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks