2011 NFL Schedule: Which Teams Face Murderer's Row in 2011?

The NFL can sometimes be a grueling league. Depending on the division and how the schedule lays out, good teams get left out of the playoffs, and bad teams get in.

The regular season schedule is set in stone and some teams face a long, tough road to the end of the year

The next five teams will face their toughest test during the 2011 regular season.

5. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are poised to make a huge jump in 2011 under a healthy Matt Stafford.

The only thing in their way is a very difficult regular season schedule.

According to ESPN.com, the Lions will play the third most difficult schedule. Detroit resides in the NFC North, which means they have to play the cream of the NFC crop twice every year.

After having to play the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings twice, the Lions will have their skills tested.

Detroit will open their season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then will go on a tear against the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers.

All five teams are expected to be playoff contenders, so if the Lions find themselves in the midst of a playoff run, they will surely belong there.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jack Del Rio picked a bad year to release his starting quarterback days before his team's season opener.

Not saying David Garrard would have been the savior of the season, but Luke McCown or Blaine Gabbert, whoever starts the majority of the season, will struggle against the third most difficult schedule.

While the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans might not be the teams they once were, the Houston Texans will give the Jags plenty of trouble throughout the year.

As if the AFC South was not a difficult enough division, Jacksonville will face off against the likes of the New York Jets, the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons.

All of the teams listed above are division title contenders and at least, playoff contenders. The Jaguars will need to rely heavily on Maurice Jones-Drew and their uplifted defense.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning's neck has been the talk of the sports world over the past month or so.

After you get past Manning's injured neck, the real story is how the Colts will contend with such a difficult schedule. The Colts are tied with the Jaguars and Lions for the third most difficult schedule.

While having to defend their title as AFC South champions, Indianapolis will face tough tests in matchups with the Bucs, Steelers, Chiefs, Saints, Falcons, Ravens and New England Patriots.

Regardless of if Manning returns for the 2011 regular season, their schedule offers a dilemma in itself.

2. Buffalo Bills

As Chan Gailey tries to return the Buffalo Bills to prominence in the AFC, he will have to contend with the AFC East and the second most difficult schedule in the NFL.

The Bills will play against the Patriots, Jets and Miami Dolphins twice during the regular season, but their out-of-conference games will prove to be just as difficult.

Buffalo will open their season against the Chiefs, then go on to match up against the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and San Diego Chargers.

Any team not named the "Patriots" or "Jets" in the AFC East will face a tough test as it is, but the extra pressure from teams outside of the division will make a successful season that much more difficult for the Bills.

1. Carolina Panthers

Coincidentally, the worst team from 2010 has the most difficult schedule in the 2011 NFL regular season. 

The Carolina Panthers will enter the season under new head coach Ron Rivera and rookie quarterback Cam Newton.

Carolina plays in the NFC South, where the three other teams are expected to make the playoffs this season.

Despite having to play the Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints twice during the season, the Panthers will have to contend with the Packers, Bears, and Texans throughout the season.

Only time will tell how the young Panthers team deals with the pressure the 2011 season will bring.

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