Regarding parity in the NFL...

[nygfanmaybe]

I was wondering how much an effect the last year's schedule has on the next year's so I checked it out. As it turns out, we have the same opponents as the rest of the teams in our division except 2 games. It is in those 2 games each year that we will play other teams based on how we finished the year before. As an example...we played SF this year because they won the west. Dallas played someone else from the west as did Philly and Skins...if I am reading this correctly.

The question is this. With the division being so close, does this help create the parity that the NFL so greatly wants? I say it is a big factor, coupled with the draft. I don't think it is just coincidental that all teams seem to have a chance every year...with the exception of a couple...but just wait awhile. They will find a way to the top eventually.

http://football.about.com/cs/football101/a/bl_schedproced.htm

[TheAnalyst]

Thats exactly what it is for. The divisional winners all play each other the following year, thus being tougher games. While the celler dwellers play the other worst teams in the other divisions for an easier schedule.

They also rotate an AFC and NFC division to play every year. This year we played the AFC North and NFC South. Next year it is the AFC West and NFC North.

[Toadofsteel]

The thing is, we beat GB and SF, while dallas lost to SEA and CHI, washington lost to STL and MIN, and philly lost to DET and ARI. Yet our records are the same. So we're losing more vs common opponents relative to them...