NFL Schedule 2011: Top 10 Most Difficult Schedules of the Season

While the media and fans make their predictions for the upcoming 2011 season, one of the most influential things to focus on is schedule difficulty.

With the way the schedules are designed, it makes it quite difficult for teams with quality division rivals to improve. For example, the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers are going to have to play six of their 16 games within their own brutal divisions.  

On the other hand, despite making the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh's opponents this season were only a combined 121-135 in 2010, which certainly seems to increase the likelihood of the organization making the playoffs again.

For a complete list of all schedules for the 2011 season, check out NFL.com.

10. Houston Texans

Finishing 6-10 and tying the Tennessee Titans for last place in the AFC South in 2010, the Houston Texans don't have the easiest schedule in order to help them rebound from their disappointing season.

Of course it never helps that Houston has to face the Indianapolis Colts twice.

Their 2011 schedule consists of a 132-124 combined record from their opponents.

Week 1: Colts at Texans

Week 2: Texans at Dolphins

Week 3: Texans at Saints

Week 4: Steelers at Texans

Week 5: Raiders at Texans

Week 6: Texans at Ravens

Week 7: Texans at Titans

Week 8: Jaguars at Texans

Week 9: Browns at Texans

Week 10: Texans at Buccaneers

Week 11: Bye

Week 12: Texans at Jaguars

Week 13: Falcons at Texans

Week 14: Texans at Bengals

Week 15: Panthers at Texans

Week 16: Texans at Colts

Week 17: Titans at Texans

Estimated 2011 record: 9-7  

9. San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers finished the 2010 season 9-7, but missed the playoffs, finishing second in the AFC West to the Kansas City Chiefs.

San Diego's 2011 schedule consists of opponents whose cumulative 2010 records were 133-123.

Week 1: Vikings at Chargers

Week 2: Chargers at Patriots

Week 3: Chiefs at Chargers

Week 4: Dolphins at Chargers

Week 5: Chargers at Broncos

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: Chargers at Jets

Week 8: Chargers at Chiefs

Week 9: Packers at Chargers

Week 10: Raiders at Chargers

Week 11: Chargers at Bears

Week 12: Broncos at Chargers

Week 13: Chargers at Jaguars

Week 14: Bills at Chargers

Week 15: Ravens at Chargers

Week 16: Chargers at Lions

Week 17: Chargers at Raiders

Estimated 2011 record: 10-6

8. New York Jets

Although the New York Jets were the sixth seed heading into the playoffs last year, they were able to get past the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots before falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game. Still, the Jets proved themselves to be amongst the league's best.

The Jets' 2010 record was 11-5, but their opponents' combined record of 133-123 and playing in the same division as the Patriots may make it difficult to top that mark.

Week 1: Cowboys at Jets

Week 2: Jaguars at Jets

Week 3: Jets at Raiders

Week 4: Jets at Ravens

Week 5: Jets at Patriots

Week 6: Dolphins at Jets

Week 7: Chargers at Jets

Week 8: Bye

Week 9: Jets at Bills

Week 10: Patriots at Jets

Week 11: Jets at Broncos

Week 12: Bills at Jets

Week 13: Jets at Redskins

Week 14: Chiefs at Jets

Week 15: Jets at Eagles

Week 16: Giants at Jets

Week 17: Jets at Dolphins

Estimated 2011 record: 12-4

7. Kansas City Chiefs

Despite finishing first in the AFC West at 10-6, the Kansas City Chiefs were blown out in the first round of the playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens.

Unfortunately in 2011, their schedule will be rather difficult with the rest of the division looking to overtake them. For the upcoming season their opponents' 2010 combined record was 133-123.

Week 1: Bills at Chiefs

Week 2: Chiefs at Lions

Week 3: Chiefs at Chargers

Week 4: Vikings at Chiefs

Week 5: Chiefs at Colts

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: Chiefs at Raiders

Week 8: Chargers at Chiefs

Week 9: Dolphins at Chiefs

Week 10: Broncos at Chiefs

Week 11: Chiefs at Patriots

Week 12: Steelers at Chiefs

Week 13: Chiefs at Bears

Week 14: Chiefs at Jets

Week 15: Packers at Chiefs

Week 16: Raiders at Chiefs

Week 17: Chiefs at Broncos

Estimated 2011 record: 10-6 

6. Jacksonville Jaguars

After a disappointing 2010 season that saw the Jacksonville Jaguars miss the playoffs with an 8-8 record, it'll be even more difficult to wrestle the AFC South division title from the Indianapolis Colts with a difficult schedule.

Their 2011 schedule includes several teams that made the playoffs last season including the Colts, Ravens, Jets, Steelers, and Saints with a combined record of 133-123 in 2010.

Week 1: Titans at Jaguars

Week 2: Jaguars at Jets

Week 3: Jaguars at Panthers

Week 4: Saints at Jaguars

Week 5: Begals at Jaguars

Week 6: Jaguars at Steelers

Week 7: Ravens at Jaguars

Week 8: Jaguars at Texans

Week 9: Bye

Week 10: Jaguars at Colts

Week 11: Jaguars at Browns

Week 12: Texans at Jaguars

Week 13: Chargers at Jaguars

Week 14: Buccaneers at Jaguars

Week 15: Jaguars at Falcons

Week 16: Jaguars at Titans

Week 17: Colts at Jaguars

Estimated 2011 record: 7-9 

5. Indianapolis Colts

Yet another team from the AFC South with a tough schedule, the Indianapolis Colts may find it difficult to make the playoffs for the 10th straight season in 2011.

Although the Colts finished first in the AFC South in 2010, their season was ended by the Jets in the first round of the playoffs.

In 2011, Indianapolis will have to deal with six playoff teams from 2010 and total combined record of 133-123. 

Week 1: Colts at Texans

Week 2: Browns at Colts

Week 3: Steelers at Colts

Week 4: Colts at Buccaneers

Week 5: Chiefs at Colts

Week 6: Colts at Bengals

Week 7: Colts at Saints

Week 8: Colts at Titans

Week 9: Falcons at Colts

Week 10: Jaguars at Colts

Week 11: Bye

Week 12: Panthers at Colts

Week 13: Colts at Patriots

Week 14: Colts at Ravens

Week 15: Titans at Colts

Week 16: Texans at Colts

Week 17: Colts at Jaguars

Estimated 2011 record: 11-5

4. Detroit Lions

Another year and another losing record for the Detroit Lions. In 2010, despite finishing on a four-game winning streak, the organization finished at 6-10.

It won't get much easier in 2011, however. Their opponents finished a combined 133-123 and are in a division with two teams that made the playoffs, including the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

Week 1: Lions at Buccaneers

Week 2: Chiefs at Lions

Week 3: Lions at Vikings

Week 4: Lions at Cowboys

Week 5: Bears at Lions

Week 6: 49ers at Lions

Week 7: Falcons at Lions

Week 8: Lions at Broncos

Week 9: Bye

Week 10: Lions at Bears

Week 11: Panthers at Lions

Week 12: Packers at Lions

Week 13: Lions at Saints

Week 14: Vikings at Lions

Week 15: Lions at Raiders

Week 16: Chargers at Lions

Week 17: Lions at Packers

Estimated 2011 record: 5-11

3. Denver Broncos

There's not much that went right for the Denver Broncos in 2010, finishing at 4-12 and in last place in the AFC West.

With Denver's opponents a combined 133-123 in 2010, the Broncos have to deal with their tough division rivals as well as the Packers, Jets, Bears and Patriots in 2011.

Week 1: Raiders at Broncos

Week 2: Bengals at Broncos

Week 3: Broncos at Titans

Week 4: Broncos at Packers

Week 5: Chargers at Broncos

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: Broncos at Dolphins

Week 8: Lions at Broncos

Week 9: Broncos at Raiders

Week 10: Broncos at Chiefs

Week 11: Jets at Broncos

Week 12: Broncos at Chargers

Week 13: Broncos at Vikings

Week 14: Bears at Broncos

Week 15: Patriots at Broncos

Week 16: Broncos at Bills

Week 17: Chiefs at Broncos

Estimated 2011 record: 5-11

2. Buffalo Bills

It was another losing season for the Buffalo Bills in 2010, ending in last place in the brutal AFC East with a record of 4-12. The quality of their division is certainly going to prevent them from altering things from last season.

For the upcoming season, their opponents' combined record in 2010 was 137-119. Aside from their difficult division rivals, the Bills will have to deal with every team from the NFC East—Eagles, Giants, Redskins and Cowboys—as well as the Chiefs.

Week 1: Bills at Chiefs

Week 2: Raiders at Bills

Week 3: Patriots at Bills

Week 4: Bills at Bengals

Week 5: Eagles at Bills

Week 6: Bills at Giants

Week 7: Bye

Week 8: Redskins at Bills

Week 9: Jets at Bills

Week 10: Bills at Cowboys

Week 11: Bills at Dolphins

Week 12: Bills at Jets

Week 13: Titans at Bills

Week 14: Bills at Chargers

Week 15: Dolphins at Bills

Week 16: Broncos at Bills

Week 17: Bills at Patriots

Estimated 2011 record: 3-13

1. Carolina Panthers

A miserable 2010 season ended with the Carolina Panthers at 2-14. Not only did they finish in last place in the tough NFC South, but also with the worst record in the league.

The difficulty of their schedule this upcoming season—facing opponents with a combined 142-114 record from 2010—will hardly make it easy to improve. Although the Panthers play in a division with three teams that won at least 10 games last season, they do have a few winnable games in 2011. 

Week 1: Panthers at Cardinals

Week 2: Packers at Panthers

Week 3: Jaguars at Panthers

Week 4: Panthers at Bears

Week 5: Saints at Panthers

Week 6: Panthers at Falcons

Week 7: Redskins at Panthers

Week 8: Vikings at Panthers

Week 9: Bye

Week 10: Titans at Panthers

Week 11: Panthers at Lions

Week 12: Panthers at Colts

Week 13: Panthers at Buccaneers

Week 14: Falcons at Panthers

Week 15: Panthers at Texans

Week 16: Buccaneers at Panthers

Week 17: Panthers at Saints

Estimated 2011 record: 3-13