The NFL's scheduling formula dictates the NFC East will face the NFC North and AFC South in 2022. In addition, because NFC teams will host the 17th game that was added in 2021, the New York Giants will have nine home games in 2022, including a meeting with the AFC North's Baltimore Ravens.

So, how "tough" is the Giants' 2022 slate of opponents?

Based on combined winning percentages from the 2021 season, the Giants have the fourth-easiest strength of schedule. The only three "easier" schedules belong to their division rivals. The Philadelphia Eagles have the third-easiest schedule, and the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders are tied for the easiest in the league. The Los Angeles Rams, meanwhile, have the "toughest" schedule as they try to defend their Super Bowl title.

With that in mind, it's never wise to jump to conclusions based off previous seasons, especially in the NFL.

Since 1990 (32 straight seasons), at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the year before. At least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 18 of the last 19 seasons (Bengals and Cowboys in 2021). At least one team has gone "worst-to-first," winning its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place in 17 of the last 19 seasons.

Below is a look at the 2022 strength of schedule for all 32 clubs, listed from hardest to easiest based on opponents' 2021 record:

1. Los Angeles Rams (0.567)

2. Arizona Cardinals (0.543)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (0.536)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0.535)

T-5. San Francisco 49ers (0.533)

T-5. Kansas City Chiefs (0.533)

T-7. Las Vegas Raiders (0.528)

T-7. New Orleans Saints (0.528)

9. Atlanta Falcons (0.524)

10. Los Angeles Chargers (0.519)

11. Seattle Seahawks (0.517)

T-12. Carolina Panthers (0.512)

T-12. Pittsburgh Steelers (0.512)

T-12. Buffalo Bills (0.512)

15. Denver Broncos (0.509)

16. New England Patriots (0.498)

T-17. New York Jets (0.495)

T-17. Cleveland Browns (0.495)

19. Houston Texans (0.488)

20. Minnesota Vikings (0.484)

21. Miami Dolphins (0.481)

22. Green Bay Packers (0.478)

23. Baltimore Ravens (0.474)

T-24. Chicago Bears (0.471)

T-24. Tennessee Titans (0.471)

T-26. Jacksonville Jaguars (0.469)

T-26. Indianapolis Colts (0.469)

28. Detroit Lions (0.467)

29. New York Giants (0.465)

30. Philadelphia Eagles (0.464)

T-31. Dallas Cowboys (0.462)

T-31. Washington Commanders (0.462)

How the scheduling formula works:

The league's 32 teams are split into two conferences — the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The 16 teams in each conference are split into the East, North, South and West divisions; every division has four teams.

Every team will play 17 regular-season games with one bye week. Teams will alternate seasons where they host nine regular-season games and one preseason game, or eight regular-season games and two preseason games. The AFC had nine regular season home games in the 2021 season.

Here's a breakdown of how each team's opponents are set:

• Six games against divisional opponents — two games per team, one at home and one on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division within its conference — two games at home and two on the road.
• Four games against teams from a division in the other conference — two games at home and two on the road.
• Two games against teams from the two remaining divisions in its own conference — one game at home and one on the road. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season.
• The new 17th game is an additional game against a non-conference opponent from a division that the team is not scheduled to play. Matchups are based on division ranking from the previous season.