It's great to be the New England Patriots with Tom Brady at quarterback, even with Brady set to serve a four-game suspension. It's greater still considering the Patriots face the NFL's weakest lineup of opposing quarterbacks.
Plugging results from our 2016 QB Tier Rankings survey into the regular-season schedules for every team showed New England at one end and the Denver Broncos at the other. The quarterbacks Denver faces this season averaged 2.3 on the five-tier scale, roughly the equivalent of facing Matt Ryan every week. The Patriots' opposing quarterbacks averaged about 3.1 in voting from 42 league insiders, more in line with Teddy Bridgewater or Ryan Tannehill.
A few important notes before we get to the rankings: The San Francisco 49ers have not yet named a starting quarterback, so I averaged the ratings for Colin Kaepernick (3.83) and Blaine Gabbert (3.93) when calculating results for their opponents. I assumed Mark Sanchez (4.14) would start for Denver, figuring the rating for Trevor Siemian would be similar. Like Siemian, Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was not part of the survey. I assigned a 4.0 rating for teams facing the Patriots during Brady's suspension, which places Garoppolo between Gabbert and Sanchez.
Here's a ranking of all 32 teams' opposing quarterback lineups, starting with the toughest QB schedules:
DOUBLE MATT DIVISION
The first six teams listed face opposing quarterbacks with average tier ratings between 2.29 and 2.41, similar to playing QBs in the Matt Ryan to Matthew Stafford range.
1. Denver Broncos
Opposing QB average: 2.29
Good news: Three of the four highest-rated QBs on the Broncos' schedule -- Tom Brady, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck -- must visit Denver.
Bad news: The Broncos play a league-low two games against QBs ranked outside the top 20 in average tier ranking. The lowest-rated QB on the defending Super Bowl champions' schedule is Brock Osweiler, whom the Broncos allowed to reach the free-agent market and sign with Houston.
T-2. Cleveland Browns
Opposing QB average: 2.35
Good news: The Browns could have a better shot at winning on the road, where they face five of the six lowest-rated QBs on their schedule.
Bad news: Cleveland will catch Brady in his first game back from suspension. Brady could be rusty, but his return also figures to energize New England.
T-2. Philadelphia Eagles
Opposing QB average: 2.35
Good news: The Eagles do not face the Cowboys until Weeks 8 and 17. The timing could benefit Philadelphia if Tony Romo fails to hold up for a full season.
Bad news: The Eagles, who will not face a fourth-tier QB after the season opener against Robert Griffin III, will play 11 games total against QBs in the top two tiers. That is tied with Washington for most in the NFL.
4. Minnesota Vikings
Opposing QB average: 2.36
Good news: Luck, Eli Manning, Jay Cutler, Blake Bortles and Stafford make this a highly volatile opposing QB lineup for the Vikings. Minnesota's defense appears more consistent than those passers.
Bad news: The Vikings play an NFC North-high nine games against QBs in the top two tiers. No other team in the division plays more than seven.
5. Los Angeles Rams
Opposing QB average: 2.39
Good news: Opening the season against Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick is a good way to kick off the Rams' Los Angeles reincarnation. Drawing Russell Wilson at home in Week 2 also seems advantageous, given that Seattle will be in the early stages of breaking in a new offensive line.
Bad news: The Rams face Drew Brees, Brady, Ryan and Wilson over a four-week stretch from Weeks 12 to 15, by far the NFL's toughest QB lineup over that span (1.61 average). They play 10 games against QBs who received at least one Tier 1 vote, tied with Tampa Bay for most in the league.
6. Washington Redskins
Opposing QB average: 2.41
Good news: Griffin could still be in the Browns' lineup when Cleveland visits FedEx Field in Week 4. Browns backup Josh McCown polled slightly higher than Griffin in the QB Tiers survey (his results did not appear in the story once Cleveland named Griffin its starter).
Bad news: The Redskins play 11 games against QBs in the top two tiers. That is tied with Philadelphia for most in the NFL.
ANDY DALTON DIVISION
These next six teams face QBs with average tier rankings between 2.45 and 2.56, roughly in line with facing the Bengals starter Andy Dalton each week.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opposing QB average: 2.45
Good news: Case Keenum, Sanchez and Gabbert/Kaepernick surround a Week 5 date with Cam Newton. That explains how the Buccaneers face the NFL's third-easiest QB lineup through Week 8, giving Tampa Bay the potential, at least, for a quick start.
Bad news: The Buccaneers lost their final four games last season, costing Lovie Smith his job. The final four weeks of the 2016 season might not be easier. Tampa Bay faces Brees, Romo, Brees again and Newton to close this season. That is the NFL's toughest closing four-game stretch (1.73 average), and no team has a more difficult QB lineup after Week 8. In total, the Bucs will face 10 of the 13 QBs who got at least one Tier 1 vote, tied with the Rams for most in the NFL.
8. Atlanta Falcons
Opposing QB average: 2.47
Good news: The Falcons face the NFL's easiest QB lineup from Weeks 10 to 15, a period that saw the team post a 1-4 record last season. Games against whomever the 49ers and Rams have starting in Weeks 14 and 15 could help put the Falcons on solid footing for a playoff push.
Bad news: Newton and Brees await the Falcons on the other side of that soft spot in Weeks 14 and 15.
9. San Francisco 49ers
Opposing QB average: 2.51
Good news: Keenum is on the schedule in Week 1.
Bad news: San Francisco faces the NFL's toughest QB lineup from Weeks 2 to 5, when Newton, Wilson, Romo and Carson Palmer are on the schedule. Overall, the 49ers play nine games against QBs in the top two tiers. Only five teams play more. The 49ers, still seeking a home-field edge at their new stadium, play the NFL's toughest QB home schedule after Week 5. Brees, Brady and Wilson visit Santa Clara over that span.
10. Kansas City Chiefs
Opposing QB average: 2.53
Good news: Sanchez could be the Broncos' starter. Not that the formula for beating Sanchez is a mystery, but Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton should know all the variations. He was with the Jets during Sanchez's first four seasons in the league.
Bad news: The Chiefs play only three home games in the season's first eight weeks. Philip Rivers and Brees will be the opposing QBs for two of them.
11. New Orleans Saints
Opposing QB average: 2.55
Good news: The Saints, owners of the NFL's toughest QB schedule through Week 8, play the NFL's third-easiest QB lineup over the final nine weeks.
Bad news: Chris Redman, Matt Moore, Jake Delhomme, Josh Freeman and Ryan were the NFC South's starting QBs against New Orleans during the Saints' 2009 Super Bowl season. Times have changed. The reigning league MVP Newton joins Ryan and the rising Jameis Winston in representing the Saints' divisional QB opposition this season.
12. Chicago Bears
Opposing QB average: 2.56
Good news: The Bears play six of their eight home games against QBs outside the top two tiers.
Bad news: Some of those QBs ranked outside the top two tiers have enough upside and/or weaponry to outplay their ranking when they visit Soldier Field. Marcus Mariota, Kirk Cousins, Sam Bradford and Bortles come to mind.
DEREK CARR DIVISION
The next nine teams face QBs with average tier ratings between 2.59 and 2.67, roughly the equivalent of facing Raiders QB Derek Carr each week.
13. New York Jets
Opposing QB average: 2.59
Good news: The Jets, 4-4 on the road last season, should have their opportunities to win away from MetLife Stadium. Griffin, Gabbert/Kaepernick, Ryan Tannehill and Tyrod Taylor are the lowest-rated QBs on their road schedule.
Bad news: No AFC East team plays a tougher QB schedule than the Jets on average. Losing the Brady suspension lottery did not help. The Jets get two games against Brady and none against Garoppolo. They did go 1-1 versus Brady last season, at least.
14. Detroit Lions
Opposing QB average: 2.60
Good news: While the Lions do have to face Aaron Rodgers at home, their other seven games in Detroit come against QBs in the third or fourth tiers. That is tied with San Diego for most in the NFL.
Bad news: Detroit plays its first two games against recent top-two overall picks Luck and Mariota, followed by a Week 3 date with Rodgers at Lambeau Field.
15. Oakland Raiders
Opposing QB average: 2.61
Good news: The Raiders are one of seven teams with zero games against the three Tier 1 QBs, a small reward for facing Peyton Manning twice annually in recent seasons. And even though Osweiler left the AFC West, the Raiders still get to face him. They held Osweiler to zero TDs passes on 51 attempts last season.
Bad news: The top four QBs on the Raiders' schedule -- Newton, Brees, Luck and Rivers (twice) -- could easily play at a Tier 1 level. Oakland also faces three rising QBs in Winston, Mariota and Bortles.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars
Opposing QB average: 2.62
Good news: Bortles (3.00) polled ahead of 2016 opponents Bridgewater, Taylor, Osweiler and Sanchez. Will he outplay them all?
Bad news: No team plays a tougher QB lineup than the Jaguars over the season's first four weeks. Rodgers, Rivers, Joe Flacco and Luck combine for a 1.65 average.
17. Green Bay Packers
Opposing QB average: 2.63
Good news: The Packers' road schedule features six third-tier QBs. Ryan (Week 8) and Stafford (Week 17) are the only ones in the second tier. The Packers are the only team without a road game against one of the 10 highest-rated QBs.
Bad news: The Packers, 0-3 at home against the NFC North last season, face a non-division home schedule featuring four solid second-tier QBs: Luck, Wilson, Romo and Eli Manning.
18. Houston Texans
Opposing QB average: 2.64
Good news: Not long ago, road games against AFC powers New England and Denver would have meant near-certain defeats against Hall of Fame QBs. The Texans have to love facing Garoppolo and Sanchez instead.
Bad news: Garoppolo, drafted 62nd overall by New England in 2014, is the only projected starter on the Texans' schedule who entered the NFL as a lower draft choice than Houston's own starter (Osweiler was the 57th choice in 2012).
19. Carolina Panthers
Opposing QB average: 2.65
Good news: Super Bowl losers are supposed to fall off the next season. The Panthers draw Sanchez and Gabbert/Kaepernick in their first two games to help them regain their footing.
Bad news: The Panthers play the NFL's second-toughest home QB schedule after Week 5 (2.08 average), headlined by Palmer, Brees, Rivers and Ryan.
T-20. Baltimore Ravens
Opposing QB average: 2.67
Good news: Griffin can become the 10th Browns QB to start against Baltimore since the Ravens drafted Flacco. The other nine were 2-14 against Baltimore over that span. McCown, the Browns' backup, went 1-1 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Ravens last season.
Bad news: The Ravens play three games against Tier 1 QBs, tied with the Browns, Bengals and Jets for most in the league. That includes the usual two games against Ben Roethlisberger and a Week 14 road game against Brady.
T-20. New York Giants
Opposing QB average: 2.67
Good news: Games against Los Angeles (Week 7) and Cleveland (Week 12) could mean games against Griffin, McCown, Keenum or Rams rookie Jared Goff.
Bad news: The Giants face Tier 1 QBs Rodgers and Roethlisberger on the road. They open the season against Dallas, which means Romo will probably be healthy and at his physical best. The Giants then get Brees in Week 2.
JAMEIS WINSTON DIVISION
The next three teams face QBs with averages between 2.69 and 2.72, nearly matching the 2.71 for Winston.
22. Dallas Cowboys
Opposing QB average: 2.69
Good news: Drawing San Francisco and Cleveland in the scheduling rotation means the Cowboys will face two of the teams least settled at the QB position. The division-rival Eagles also could qualify for inclusion in that discussion, although they have options with greater appeal.
Bad news: The Cowboys face two of the three Tier 1 QBs in Rodgers and Roethlisberger, both on the road.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers
Opposing QB average: 2.71
Good news: The Steelers play five of their first six games against third-tier QBs, most in the league. From Weeks 1 to 6, only Arizona plays more games against QBs outside the top two tiers.
Bad news: Pittsburgh draws Brady instead of Garoppolo. The Steelers also do not face Flacco until Weeks 9 and 16, giving the Ravens' QB time to regain his form following knee surgery.
24. Indianapolis Colts
Opposing QB average: 2.72
Good news: The Colts play 11 games against third-tier QBs and 12 against QBs in the bottom two tiers. Both figures are most in the NFL.
Bad news: Indy faces the NFL's toughest QB lineup from Weeks 9 to 12. Rodgers, Mariota and Roethlisberger are on the schedule during that stretch, which also includes a bye week. The Colts also open the season against Stafford, who tossed 19 touchdowns with only two picks to close last season.
ALEX SMITH DIVISION
The next three teams all play opposing QBs with a 2.75 average, right in line with the 2.84 average for the Chiefs QB Alex Smith.
T-25. Cincinnati Bengals
Opposing QB average: 2.75
Good news: The eight QBs set to visit Cincinnati carry a 3.07 average, giving the Bengals the NFL's easiest QB schedule at home.
Bad news: The Bengals play three games against top-tier QBs, tied for the league high with Baltimore, Cleveland and the Jets. Two of those three are on the road.
T-25. Seattle Seahawks
Opposing QB average: 2.75
Good news: Seattle got off to a slow start last season, but that shouldn't be a problem in 2016. The Seahawks play the NFL's easiest QB lineup over the first four weeks. Tannehill, Keenum, Gabbert/Kaepernick and Ryan Fitzpatrick combine for a 3.67 average.
Bad news: After the easy start, Seattle plays the NFL's toughest QB schedule from Weeks 6 to 10, capped with a matchup against Brady in New England.
T-25. Tennessee Titans
Opposing QB average: 2.75
Good news: The Titans have five home games against teams with QBs ranked outside the top 20 in QB Tiers voting. That is tied with Seattle, New England, Buffalo, Detroit and Cincinnati for most in the league. It'll be a big boost if Mariota quickly ascends into the second tier, as quite a few QB Tiers voters thought he would.
Bad news: Tennessee faces the NFL's toughest QB schedule from Weeks 7 to 11. They get Luck (twice), Rodgers and Rivers during that stretch. The "easiest" game during that span falls at home against Bortles, who tossed five touchdowns and zero interceptions in his visit to Tennessee last season.
MARCUS MARIOTA DIVISION
The next three teams will face QBs between 2.80 and 2.84 on average, right around the 2.83 for Mariota in the 2016 survey. The Dolphins and Chargers face the actual Mariota as well.
28. Miami Dolphins
Opposing QB average: 2.80
Good news: The Dolphins play four games against QBs in the fourth tier, tied for the second-highest number in the league behind Arizona (five). They draw Garoppolo instead of Brady in Week 2. They also face multiple teams that had unsettled QB situations during the offseason, notably San Francisco, Cleveland and Los Angeles.
Bad news: Opening the season against Wilson (road) and finishing the season against Brady (home) means the Dolphins could be vulnerable to stumbling into and out of the season.
29. San Diego Chargers
Opposing QB average: 2.83
Good news: The Chargers play only four games against QBs in the top two tiers. That is tied with Indianapolis for the lowest in the league. They have seven home games against QBs in the bottom two tiers, tied with Indianapolis for most in the league.
Bad news: The Chargers face Luck (road) and Brees (home) in Weeks 3 and 4. It's the only time all season they play successive games against QBs in the top two tiers.
30. Buffalo Bills
Opposing QB average: 2.84
Good news: The Bills play nine games against QBs ranked outside the top 20, tied for second most in the NFL. They could be in good shape if Taylor outplays his 3.29 average. Drawing New England early in the season means facing Brady only once during the regular season.
Bad news: The Bills face two of the three Tier 1 QBs. They also get Palmer in Week 3, before his 36-year-old body has taken much pounding. As much as the Bills have to like playing Garoppolo, they'll face him in Week 4, giving the Patriots time to fine-tune their winning formula.
BLAKE BORTLES DIVISION
Many in the QB Tiers survey saw Bortles as a young QB on the rise, but they weren't always willing to bump him into the second tier just yet. Bortles emerged with a 3.0 average, nearly matching the average for the Cardinals' opposing QBs this season.
31. Arizona Cardinals
Opposing QB average: 2.98
Good news: The Cardinals play a league-high five games against QBs in the fourth tier, thanks to Brady's suspension and division games against Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Bad news: The finish isn't easy. Arizona follows a long Week 14 trip to Miami with games against Brees (home) and Wilson (road). Finishing the season at Los Angeles means the Rams' untested QBs will have some seasoning.
TEDDY BRIDGEWATER DIVISION
Bridgewater checked in with a 3.10 average, in close proximity to the Patriots' average opposing QB this season.
32. New England Patriots
Opposing QB average: 3.06
Good news: The Patriots play one second-tier QB (Palmer) and three third-tier QBs (Tannehill, Osweiler, Taylor) while Brady serves his four-game suspension to start the season. Overall, they play 11 games against QBs ranked outside the top 20. No other team plays more than nine. Thirteen QBs received at least one first-tier vote. New England plays a league-low three of them.
Bad news: There is no bad news. This is a dream schedule, as far as opposing QBs are concerned. The Patriots play only five games all season against QBs anywhere near the top two tiers. Brady will be eligible to play every one of those games, except the opener at Arizona.