Eagles face a brutal rest disadvantage in their 17-game schedule
Eagles face a brutal rest disadvantage in their 17-game schedule
Glenn Erby , Eagles WireMon, May 25, 2026 at 9:07 AM UTC
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The NFL released the regular-season schedules for all 32 teams two weeks ago, and one of the biggest topics of discussion among fans, pundits, and experts is the lack of rest for some teams compared to others.
Rest differential is a real thing, according to NFL analyst Arif Hasan and Warren Sharp. Hasan describes his version as the "sum net rest days vs. opponents across all 17 games." Hasan calculates it by adding up the difference in rest days between each team and its opponent for all games. A high positive number means the team has more recovery and preparation time than the teams it faces.
Sharp uses net rest edge to general rest advantage, and notes the unfavorable historical nature of the 2026 schedule for some teams.
A rest edge in the NFL is the number of extra days a team has to rest and prepare for their game over their opponent.
An example of rest edge: if the Dolphins have a full 7-day bye week ahead of their game vs. the Bills, and the Bills play on Monday Night Football and are on a short week, the Dolphins have a rest edge of +8 days before their game against the Bills. Conversely, the Bills have a rest edge of -8 days.
Based on Hasan's version, only the Chargers will play against 2026 opponents on less rest. Philadelphia will face four teams this season coming off their bye weeks.
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On the positive end of the schedule spectrum, the NFL team with the highest net rest differential in Hasan's version is the Chicago Bears at +15, a total of 15 extra days compared to their opponents. The Bears, along with the Buffalo Bills (+14) and Dallas Cowboys (+11.5), have the highest net rest differentials in the league since 2002. The Bears, Cowboys, Bills, and 12 other teams won't face a single team off a bye week in 2026.
Arif Hasan's rest differential chart
Ranking
Team
Net Rest Differential
1
Chicago Bears
+15
2
Buffalo Bills
+14
3
Dallas Cowboys
+11.5
4
Washington Commanders
+10
T-5
New England Patriots
+8.5
T-5
Carolina Panthers
+8.5
T-7
Seattle Seahawks
+8
T-7
Houston Texans
+8
9
Atlanta Falcons
+7.5
10
Tennessee Titans
+5.5
11
Minnesota Vikings
+4.5
T-12
New York Giants
+3
T-12
Denver Broncos
+3
T-14
Detroit Lions
+1
T-14
Arizona Cardinals
+1
16
San Francisco 49ers
0
17
Cleveland Browns
-0.5
18
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
-1
19
Kansas City Chiefs
-1.5
20
Green Bay Packers
-2
21
Jacksonville Jaguars
-3
T-22
Cincinnati Bengals
-3.5
T-22
Baltimore Ravens
-3.5
24
Pittsburgh Steelers
-5.5
T-25
Los Angeles Rams
-6
T-25
Indianapolis Colts
-6
27
Miami Dolphins
-6.5
28
New Orleans Saints
-8
29
New York Jets
-9.5
30
Las Vegas Raiders
-13.5
31
Philadelphia Eagles
-15
32
Los Angeles Chargers
-24
Warren Sharp Rest Disparity
Warren Sharp Rest Disparity
Using Sharp's version, the Eagles are among seven teams that play 5+ games with a rest disadvantage:
7 – Chargers5 – Eagles, Rams, Packers, Chiefs, Steelers, Dolphins
The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders are among the three total teams playing one or fewer games with a rest disadvantage all season.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: NFL scheduling data exposes Eagles uphill battle in 2026
Source: “AOL Sports”
