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The NFL has released the strength of schedule rankings for all 32 teams ahead of the full 2023 schedule announcement. The San Francisco 49ers are smack in the middle of the pack, according to the NFL’s Andrew Siciliano and NFL Research.
The league also revealed some key matchups from the 2023 season and the 49ers are included in two of them. Here’s what you need to know.
The 49ers Are Ranked No. 15 Out of 32 Teams in Strength of Schedule
According to NFL Research, the 49ers are almost exactly in the middle of the league in terms of strength of schedule. The rankings are based on a team’s opponent’s win percentage from the previous season. In 2022, the 49ers’ 2023 opponents had a combined record of 147-142-0, which is a win percentage of .514 and lands them right in the middle of the rankings.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the rankings. They are the only teams whose 2023 opponents had a win percentage last year over 55%. The Atlanta Falcons are last in strength of schedule; their 2023 opponents only managed a win percentage of .417 last year.
The full rankings are as follows:
1. Eagles, 161-123-4, .566
2. Dolphins, 158-127-2, .554
3. Patriots, 156-128-3, .549
T-4. Cowboys, 156-128-4, .549
T-4. Giants, 157-129-2, .549
6. Jets, 155-129-3, .545
7. Bills, 155-131-2, .542
8. Commanders, 153-133-2, .535
9. Rams, 152-133-3, .533
10. Raiders, 150-136-2, .524
11. Cardinals, 148-147-3, .519
T-12. Chargers, 149-139 , .517
T-12. Broncos, 148-138-2, .517
T-12. Seahawks, 148-138-2, .517
15. 49ers, 147-142-0, .514
16. Chiefs, 147-140, .512
17. Bengals, 146-140-2, .510
18. Bears, 143-145-1, .497
19. Vikings, 143-145, .497
20. Lions, 143-146, .495
21. Ravens, 138-147-2, .484
22. Buccaneers, 138-148-2, .483
23. Jaguars, 135-148-4, .477
24. Packers, 137-151-1, .476
25. Steelers, 134-151-2, .470
26. Browns, 131-154-2, .460
27. Panthers, 130-157-2, .453
28. Titans, 127-157-4, .448
29. Colts, 124-162-2, .434
30. Texans, 123-163-2, .431
31. Saints, 122-164-3, .427
32. Falcons, 119-167-3, .417
The way an NFL schedule works is as follows. It stars with division opponents, with each team having a home game and an away game with its three division opponents. That accounts for six games. Then they play four teams from another division within the conference, which accounts for four games. Those games rotate on a three-year cycle. They also play all the teams from a division in the other conference, which accounts for four games. That rotates on a four-year cycle.
Then there are two intra-conference games where first-place teams (based on last year’s standings) are matched, second-place teams are matched, and so on, from the same-conference divisions that the team does not play this season. Then there is one interconference game where they also match first place with first place (based on last year’s standings), second with second, and so on. In this game, a team plays an opponent from the opposite conference division that they are not scheduled to play this year.
The Early Games Released
The NFL will officially release the full 2023 schedule on Thursday, May 11 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, but ahead of that, they announced 13 games, including holiday games and international games.
The San Francisco 49ers are featured in two of these match-ups. They host the Dallas Cowboys in week 5 on October 8 for Sunday Night Football. The 49ers also play in Sunday Night Football on December 12 in week 13 when they travel to face off with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The full list of early-released games includes:
- Week 1, Thursday, September 7: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. Eastern
- Week 1, Monday, September 11: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. Eastern
- Week 5, Sunday, October 8: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. Eastern
- Week 12: Friday, November 24, Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 3 p.m. Eastern
- Week 13: Sunday, December 12, San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. Eastern
- Week 16: Monday, December 25, Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. Eastern
- Week 16: Monday, December 25, New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. Eastern
- Week 17: Sunday, December 31, Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. Eastern
International Games:
- Week 4: Sunday, October 1, Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons in London, England, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 5: Sunday, October 8, Buffalo Bills vs Jacksonville Jaguars in London, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 6: Sunday, October 15, Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans in London, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 9: Sunday, November 5, Kansas City Chiefs vs Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, 9:30 a.m. Eastern
- Week 10: Sunday, November 12, Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots in Frankfurt, 9:30 a.m. Eastern