Regarding the Schedule and playing rested teams.

@Froob brought up an interesting question in one of the recent game day threads regarding the Patriots schedule and playing teams that had had more rest days between games. At the time I thought that no other team would have played more rested teams than the Pats but I was horribly incorrect.

(I am prone to errors so if you see any or have any additional thoughts please post)

This includes the complete season. Played = have played or will have played.

1. I only counted additional opponent rest days.
a. playing a team coming off of a bye week = 7 additional rest days.
b. playing a team coming off of a TNF game = 3
c. Playing a team after a MNF game = 1
d. Playing a team coming off of a Saturday game = 1
(There are various combinations of the above examples that result in rest days at 4. i.e One team coming off of a TNF game and the other off of a bye week.)

The Patriots played against teams with 15 additional total rest days between games. Tied with Buffalo for 5th most.

The Average rest days for the league were 9.5 days.

Washington/Seattle both played teams with 25 additional rest days. They both played 3 teams coming off of bye weeks. Ouch. Both played two of those 3 games back to back. Double ouch.

Tampa Bay played against teams with 0 additional rest days. The 10-1 Panthers have played against teams with 1.

Some interesting anomalies:

Denver, GB, Ind/ATL and Ariz/Seattle played each other after both having bye weeks resulting in 0 additional rest days.

GB/Det play back to back TNF games and are the only teams besides the season opening NE/Pits to play two TNF games.




I downloaded the original schedule from The 2015 NFL Schedule.

Tony2046 said:

@Froob brought up an interesting question in one of the recent game day threads regarding the Patriots schedule and playing teams that had had more rest days between games. At the time I thought that no other team would have played more rested teams than the Pats but I was horribly incorrect.

(I am prone to errors so if you see any or have any additional thoughts please post)

This includes the complete season. Played = have played or will have played.

1. I only counted additional opponent rest days.
a. playing a team coming off of a bye week = 7 additional rest days.
b. playing a team coming off of a TNF game = 3
c. Playing a team after a MNF game = 1
d. Playing a team coming off of a Saturday game = 1
(There are various combinations of the above examples that result in rest days at 4. i.e One team coming off of a TNF game and the other off of a bye week.)

The Patriots played against teams with 15 additional total rest days between games. Tied with Buffalo for 5th most.

The Average rest days for the league were 9.5 days.

Washington/Seattle both played teams with 25 additional rest days. They both played 3 teams coming off of bye weeks. Ouch. Both played two of those 3 games back to back. Double ouch.

Tampa Bay played against teams with 0 additional rest days. The 10-1 Panthers have played against teams with 1.

Some interesting anomalies:

Denver, GB, Ind/ATL and Ariz/Seattle played each other after both having bye weeks resulting in 0 additional rest days.

GB/Det play back to back TNF games and are the only teams to play two TNF games.

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Tony2046 said:

GB/Det play back to back TNF games and are the only teams to play two TNF games.

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Also 2 other teams play 2 times on Thursdays
Patriots: Opening night (vs Pitt) and vs 10/29 Dolphins

Steelers: Opening night (vs NE) and 10/1 vs Ravens
(Edited to remove a mistake)

Patsrock said:

Also 4 other teams play 2 times on Thursdays
Patriots: Opening night (vs Pitt) and vs 10/29 Dolphins

Steelers: Opening night (vs NE) and 10/1 vs Ravens

Cowboys Thanksgiving Day(vs Car) and 12/19 vs Jets

Eagles Thanksgiving Day (vs Det) and 12/26 vs Washington

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Thanks. I missed counting the Pats and Steelers first TNF games.

The Cowboys (12/19) and the Eagles (12/26) are Saturday games.

Tony2046 said:

Thanks. I missed counting the Pats and Steelers first TNF games.

The Cowboys (12/19) and the Eagles (12/26) are Saturday games.

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Just noticed that and wish they when releasing the schedule for Thursday Night games don't include the Saturday games in the release without noting Saturday game.

Does this count one side of the story? How many times do the Patriots play a team with "more rest days"? Should we consider how many times the Patriots play a team with "fewer rest days"?

I am sure that things do not even out for every team and that most teams in the aggregate will have additional/fewer rest days against their opponents.

I'd like to see how well the Pats typically do on the road after a Monday night game, and compare that to their winning percentage on normal 7 days rest.

Of course, the league took all the ball pressure measurements from all these games, right?...RIGHT? I mean, it's all so Roger fair and Goodell square, right? RIGHT? Logically, you LOSE in federal court therefore your sanctions are UPHELD, right? RIGHT? Then it follows that whatever schedule YOU,as a league, determine, that schedule is absolutely fair and balanced, right? RIGHT?

Thanks for taking the time to look at this, @Tony2046...it's easy as a Pats fan to develop a persecution complex, which in this case I guess isn't warranted.

But maybe not totally unwarranted either, huh? #5 on that list, and of course not all games are created equal. Giving the Pats short rest before playing the Broncos--and during Thanksgiving week, no less, followed by the Eagles with extra rest (they suck, I know) gets you thinkin'....

micronin127 said:

Does this count one side of the story? How many times do the Patriots play a team with "more rest days"? Should we consider how many times the Patriots play a team with "fewer rest days"?

I am sure that things do not even out for every team and that most teams in the aggregate will have additional/fewer rest days against their opponents.

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The Patriots Played with 10 extra rest days.

@Buffalo WK 2 following the TNF opener. 3 days
@Dallas WK 5 following a bye-week. 7 Days

They Played Washington following a TNF game but Washington was coming off of a Bye-week which resulted in Washington having 4 more rest days than NE.

aluminum seats said:

Thanks for taking the time to look at this, @Tony2046...it's easy as a Pats fan to develop a persecution complex, which in this case I guess isn't warranted.

But maybe not totally unwarranted either, huh? #5 on that list, and of course not all games are created equal. Giving the Pats short rest before playing the Broncos--and during Thanksgiving week, no less, followed by the Eagles with extra rest (they suck, I know) gets you thinkin'....

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I think it speaks more to the NFL trying to make the schedule fit a ratings model rather than a competitive fairness model. IMO

Seattle had one of the toughest Strength of Schedules as well as playing 3 teams coming off of bye weeks. They played Panthers, SF and Pittsburg coming off of their bye weeks. SF and Pittsburg were back to back.

If the NFL was worried about health they should schedule TNF games after a teams bye week with the exception of the opening TNF game of the season.

Tony2046 said:

If the NFL was worried about health they should schedule TNF games after a teams bye week with the exception of the opening TNF game of the season.

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Yeah, I can't think of any reason they couldn't add that to whatever algorithms they use to generate schedules. Wouldn't have to change anything else, as far as I can see.

Goodell, "What's an algorithm?"

The pats, steelers, lions, and packers are not really at a disadvantage. Pats steelers was opening game so there was no short week/3 day turn around from Sunday-Thursday

Lions packers, both teams played thanksgiving so that 2nd Thursday game is coming off a full week in between games


Basically for Thursday games, every team has the same disadvantage of playing 1 game on a short 3 day turn around

Foxyboro said:

The pats, steelers, lions, and packers are not really at a disadvantage. Pats steelers was opening game so there was no short week/3 day turn around from Sunday-Thursday

Lions packers, both teams played thanksgiving so that 2nd Thursday game is coming off a full week in between games


Basically for Thursday games, every team has the same disadvantage of playing 1 game on a short 3 day turn around

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That's not exactly accurate but I agree with the premise. Some teams such as the Patriots played a Thursday game but played a team (Washington) that was coming off of a bye week. Yes they had more rest when playing Buffalo but not against Washington.

The Schedule does not seem to logically align Thursday, Monday, Bye weeks etc..in a way that removes the advantages for other teams. A great example of that is the Seattle Schedule which has/had them playing 3 teams coming off of bye weeks. Furthermore, when Seattle had their bye week their next game was against a team (Ariz) coming off of their bye week.

You still might have a point. I will compare each teams rested days and compare them to opponents rested days.

Good thoughts by you. Thanks

OK. This is a chart reflecting the total additional rest days a team has had when playing their opponents.

If I subtracted total positive rest days of a team from the total negative rest days of a team I find the following:

I might need some help here but if this is accurate Seattle has had a really tough schedule.

PatsWickedPissah said:

Goodell, "What's an algorithm?"

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This animated GIF should not be construed as social or political commentary on the part of the poster, and is intended only as a lame joke.

oldrover said:

This animated GIF should not be construed as social or political commentary on the part of the poster, and is intended only as a lame joke.

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Is that Gore?

micronin127 said:

Does this count one side of the story? How many times do the Patriots play a team with "more rest days"?

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You'd think this would be meaningful, but it really isn't. Most teams play one Thursday game (four play two), have one bye and every Monday game involves a game saved one week and lost the next. It is impossible for the schedule to create extra rest for an individual team. It can, however, tally up extra rest for the opponents depending on how their schedule lays out.