Literally speaking, the San Francisco 49ers have the shortest road to Super Bowl 50, which is being played at their home stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Unfortunately for the 49ers though, shortest road doesn't always mean easiest -- and with the 2015 NFL schedule, it actually means hardest. 

Although the Steelers have the most difficult strength of schedule in 2015 -- something we mentioned in February -- the 49ers actually have the hardest path to the playoffs when you look at several other factors: Including the difficulty of a team's first four games and each team's "Vegas Strength of Schedule."

Using those factors, the easiest way to the playoffs is by surviving the pillow fight that is the AFC South. Right now, the Colts are the NFL team with the easiest path to the playoffs and therefore, Super Bowl 50.

So the Colts have the easiest path and the 49ers have the hardest, what about everyone else?

We looked at all 32 schedules to find out where each team ranks.  

Below, you can see the factors we used to rank each team's schedule and an explanation for why we used them.

Using Vegas odds, we now know the Lions schedule isn't easy. (USATSI)
Using Vegas odds, we now know the Lions schedule isn't easy. (USATSI)

Factor 1: Vegas odds. When it comes to ranking NFL teams, there's only three people I trust: My grandma, Pete Prisco and the oddsmakers in Vegas.

Since my grandma's dead and Prisco doesn't talk to me anymore, we're going to use the Vegas odds as our first factor here.

Basically we're going to look at each team's strength of schedule based on 2015 Super Bowl odds. If Vegas thinks your team's going to be a contender, then your team is probably going to be a contender.

Just look at last year as an example: The six AFC teams with the best Super Bowl odds before the 2014 season started all ended up making the playoffs, so if those teams were on your schedule in 2014, that meant you had a tough schedule.  

If we only used the Vegas factor, the Lions would have the toughest strength of schedule in 2015, thanks in large part to the fact that Detroit plays a total of five games against the seven teams with the top Super Bowl odds (Packers x 2, Eagles, Broncos, at Seahawks).

If the Lions get out of those five games at 1-4, they'd likely have to go 9-2 in their other 11 games to have a chance at the postseason. 

Here's a link to the latest Super Bowl odds.

Factor 2: First three to four games. If you ask any NFL coach, they'll tell you that every game's important, but that's a lie, just like it's a lie that only Rose could fit on that floating door after Titanic sank.

THEY BOTH COULD'VE FIT. Jack didn't have to die, but he did and since that happened, let's go ahead and use that as a metaphor for the Chiefs season because their season might be dead after what will surely be a brutal first four games (At Texans, Broncos, at Packers, Bengals).

As a matter of fact, I'm going to go ahead and write the Chiefs off right now. And before Chiefs fans get mad at me, please remember, the Chiefs are the only team I actually know anything about.

Now, although every game is kind of important, we're giving slightly more weight to the first three to four games for one reason: Teams that go winless in their first three or four games almost never make the playoffs.

Since 1990, only three teams have started 0-3 and made the playoffs (1992 Chargers, 1995 Lions, 1998 Bills).

It gets worse if your favorite team starts 0-4: Only one team since 1990 has dropped their first four games and still made the playoffs -- the 1992 Chargers. 

On the flip side of that, 3-0 usually means good things in the NFL: From 1990 to 2010, 75.9 percent of the teams that started 3-0 made the playoffs. Those odds drop to 54.9 percent for 2-1 teams and 23.3 percent for 1-2 teams. 

You can look at last year's 12-team playoff field as proof of how important the first few games are: All 12 playoff teams started the season 2-2 or better.

You might be wondering why we don't just use the final three or four games of the season for this rating instead and that's because the final games don't mean the same for everybody, especially when a team is resting its starters.

The Saints went 0-3 in their final three games in 2009 and still won the Super Bowl. The Ravens went 1-2 in their final three in 2012 and also won the Super Bowl.  

Factor 3: Strength of schedule Believe it or not, this has actually been a pretty strong indicator recently of whether or not a team will make the playoffs, so we'll keep using this. 

So yea, the Colts are a lock for the playoffs, you can probably send your bookie a Facebook message and let him know you're ready to bet on that one. 

Tiebreaking factor: Schedule nuances. When it comes to the NFL schedule, we can probably all agree that every team has at least one thing to complain about. The "schedule nuances" will focus on that.

So what exactly qualifies as a schedule nuance?

Let's use the Falcons, Bills, Dolphins, Jaguars as examples. Of the 32 teams in the NFL, those are the only four that have to play three straight road games this season. 

Playing three straight road games is almost always a recipe for disaster.

Since 1990, there have been 125 instances where a team had to play three straight road games and of those 125 road trips, the visiting team only came away with a winning record (3-0 or 2-1) 36.8 percent of the time. That means on 63.2 percent of those three-game road trips (or 79 times), the visiting team either went 1-2 or 0-3. 

Teams have actually gone 0-3 (22 times) on three-game road trips more than twice as often as they've gone 3-0 (10). 

"Schedule nuances" will only be used as a tiebreaker. You'll notice on the list below that several teams have the same rating, but they don't have the same ranking because the tie was broken by who had more nuances to deal with. 

So with those four things in mind: Who has the toughest schedule and therefore the toughest road to the playoffs and therefore the toughest road to Super Bowl 50? 

Let's take a look.  

Toughest road to Super Bowl 50

1. 49ers: The 49ers have the most difficult home strength of schedule, Weeks 2-7 are going to be a nightmare and the sod on the field at their two-year old stadium is falling apart for the second straight year. The 49ers will also have to travel more than any other team this season. By Week 11, the team might ask Jim Tomsula to coach in a kilt, just to keep fans entertained. (Strength of schedule difficulty: 3rd hardest. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 3rd hardest. First four games difficulty: 3rd hardest. Avg. rating: 3. Overall difficulty: 1.)

2. Lions: The Lions open up with three of their first four games on the road and the only game that's not on the road is against Peyton Manning in Week 3. Just in case that game is too easy, the Lions play the Seahawks the very next week. (Strength of schedule: 15. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 1. First four games: 2. Avg. rating: 6 Overall difficulty: 2.)

3. Vikings: The Vikings are a trendy pick to make the playoffs and if that's going to happen, it's going to be because of Adrian Peterson. Four of Minnesota's final five games will be out in the cold, which should be perfect weather for giving the ball to Peterson a lot.  (Strength of schedule: 12. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 2. First four games: 4. Avg. rating: 6. Overall difficulty: 3.)

4. Chiefs: As you read above, 0-4 teams don't make the playoffs and 0-4 doesn't look completely out of the question for Kansas City. The Chiefs really need to get to their bye week with at least a .500 record and also hope they don't fall apart between Oct. 12 and Nov. 28, a span where they only play one game in Kansas City. (Strength of schedule: T-7. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 11. First four games: 1. Avg. rating: 6.33. Overall difficulty: 4.)

5. Steelers: The Steelers better be leading the AFC North by the the time Thanksgiving rolls around because after Turkey Day, their schedule is brutal. Starting in Week 12, the Steelers play Seattle, Indy, Cincinnati, Denver and Baltimore in consecutive weeks. Oh, and the Seahawks, Bengals and Ravens games are all on the road. (Strength of schedule: 1. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 8. First four games: 11. Avg. rating: 6.67. Overall difficulty: 5.)

6. Seahawks: Since the Seahawks are so good at home, it really doesn't even matter anymore how hard their schedule is. It's almost a lock that they'll go 7-1 or 8-0 at home, which means all Seattle has to do is go 4-4 on the road this year and they'll likely be headed to the playoffs for the fourth straight season. (Strength of schedule: 4. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 7. First four games: 15. Avg. rating: 8.67. Overall difficulty: 6.)

7. Rams: If the Rams get to their bye week with three wins, I'll be sold on them, but that would mean winning at least three games out of this slate: Seattle, at Washington, Pittsburgh, at Arizona, at Green Bay. I count one win, maybe two. (Strength of schedule: 6. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 13. First four games: 7. Avg. rating: 8.67. Overall difficulty: 7.)

8. Broncos: Peyton Manning better buy a comfortable travel pillow because the Broncos play four of fives games on the road starting with a Week 2 Thursday night game against the Chiefs. (Strength of schedule: 10. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 9. First four games: 9. Avg. rating: 9.33. Overall difficulty: 8.)

9. Bears: Remember that stat about how 0-3 teams don't make the playoffs? The Bears open up against the Packers and Cardinals before traveling to Seattle in Week 3. I'm not saying, I'm just saying. (Strength of schedule: 13. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 12. First four games: 6. Avg. rating: 10.33. Overall difficulty: 9.)

10. Bengals: The regular season doesn't even matter anymore to Bengals fans. Most of them have already circled January 10 on their calendar with the expectation that Cincy's season will be over by the time that day ends. And just in case you don't have an NFL calendar in front of you, that's Wild Card Weekend. (Strength of schedule: 2. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 10. First four games: 20. Avg. rating: 10.67. Overall difficulty: 10.)

11. Cardinals: The Cardinals have the fourth toughest schedule when it comes to Vegas odds and a lot of that has to do with the fact that they finish their season with Philadelphia, Green Bay and Seattle, all in a row. (Strength of schedule: 5. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 4. First four games: 28. Avg. rating: 11.67. Overall difficulty: 11.)

12. Packers: The Packers aren't going to go 16-0, but every game on their schedule does look winnable, especially when you consider that some of their most difficult games (Seahawks, Cowboys) are at Lambeau. (Strength of schedule: 14. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 6. First four games: 16. Avg. rating: 12. Overall difficulty: 12.)

13. Ravens: The Ravens are going to need Joe Flacco to be elite on the road this year. Baltimore will be traveling for five of its first seven games, including long road trips to Oakland, Arizona and San Francisco. Speaking of Flacco, there's a guy who looks like him who's running around Maryland stealing credit cards. Wonder if he's elite. (Strength of schedule: 11. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 20. First four games: 10. Avg. rating: 13.67. Overall difficulty: 13.)

14. Raiders: The Raiders get to play on Christmas Eve this year (vs. the Chargers) and if the team's still in playoff contention at that point, it will be a Christmas miracle. (Strength of schedule: T-7. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 18. First four games: 18. Avg. rating: 14.33. Overall difficulty: 14.)

15. Redskins: The Redskins play three of their first four games at home, which is good news because it means we'll get a good look at the giant Tetris pieces the team is using to cover up empty seats this season. (Strength of schedule: T-20. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 5. First four games: 22. Avg. rating: 15.67. Overall difficulty: 15.)

16. Bills: With the Colts and Patriots to start the season, the Bills better not start 0-2 because it's going to be tough to make those wins up in the middle of the season, mainly because the Bills play five of six games on the road from Weeks 10 thru 15. Now for the important stuff: The Bills' bye comes in Week 8, so keep your eyes peeled for a LeSean McCoy party around that time. (Strength of schedule: 19. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 21. First four games: 8. Avg. rating: 16. Overall difficulty: 16.)

17. Chargers: I just moved to San Diego and I don't know why anyone would ever want to leave. And yes, that's all I have to say about the Chargers schedule. (Strength of schedule: 16. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 19. First four games: 14. Avg. rating: 16.33. Overall difficulty: 17.)

18. Jaguars: During the first four weeks of the 2015 season, the Jags play three teams that won their division in 2014. Two of those teams (Colts and Patriots) will be part of a three game road trip for Jacksonville. If you've somehow managed to read this whole entire story, then you probably already know that three-game road trips aren't ever good news for anyone. (Strength of schedule: 25. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 24. First four games: 5. Avg. rating: 18. Overall difficulty: 18.)

19. Jets: Thanks to a game against the Giants and a game in London, the Jets only play six true road games in 2015. Since they've gone 4-12 on the road since 2013, this should be good news to Jets fans. (Strength of schedule: 18. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 25. First four games: 11. Avg. rating: 18. Overall difficulty: 19.)

20. Browns: The most amazing part of the Browns schedule is that even if they're bad this year, they could still start 3-0. The Browns open up on the road against the Jets before hosting the Titans and Raiders. That should be slightly easier than the month of November when Cleveland plays four 2014 playoff teams in a row (Arizona, at Cincy, at Pittsburgh, Baltimore). (Strength of schedule: 9. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 14. First four games: 32. Avg. rating: 18.33. Overall difficulty: 20.)

21. Giants: If Eli Manning looks ugly early in the season against teams like Atlanta (Week 2) and Washington (Week 3), Giants fans won't be laughing, which means it would probably be time to replace Eli with his alter-ego Bad Comedian Eli Manning. (Strength of schedule: T-20. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 16. First four games: 21. Avg. rating: 19. Overall difficulty: 21.)

22. Cowboys: The Cowboys are famous for stumbling in December, a reputation they might be able to permanently put behind them in 2015. After going undefeated in December 2014, the Cowboys could continue their streak with games against three teams who don't exactly instill fear in anyone thanks to their quarterback situations: The Jets, Bills and Redskins. An undefeated December would be especially big in 2015 because it would mean a win over the Packers in Green Bay. (Strength of schedule: 24. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 15. First four games: 23. Avg. rating: 20.67. Overall difficulty: 22.)

23. Patriots: The Patriots home schedule includes exactly one game against a team that made the playoffs last season. Basically, the Patriots might only need Tom Brady for their away games. (Strength of schedule: 22. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 22. First four games: 19. Avg. rating: 21. Overall difficulty: 23.)

24. Eagles: Someone in the scheduling office must like Chip Kelly. The Eagles get three of their final four games at home. Also, Philly gets one of its biggest games of the season (at Dallas) coming off a bye. Strength of schedule: 23. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 17. First four games: 25. Avg. rating: 21.67. Overall difficulty: 24.)

25. Dolphins: The bad news for the Dolphins: They only play two games in Miami between now and Nov. 21 (Week 10). The good news for the Dolphins: They likely won't be seeing a lot of cold weather this year thanks to four home games and a trip to San Diego in the final five weeks of the season. That seems like a nice way to spend the winter. We should all be so lucky. (Strength of schedule: 17. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 23. First four games: 30. Avg. rating: 23.33. Overall difficulty: 25.)

26. Saints: The Saints are usually pretty dominant when they play indoors, which is good news for Saints fans because New Orleans plays 12 of its 16 games indoors in 2015. As far as outdoor games, the Saints might not ever see a temperature lower than 50 degrees. (Strength of schedule: 28. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 29. First four games: 17. Avg. rating: 24.67. Overall difficulty: 26.)

27. Falcons: The Falcons went 0-4 against the NFC North last season, if they do the same thing against the NFC East this year, the season will be over before it starts, thanks to a schedule that includes four NFC East teams in the first five weeks. If the Falcons to fall flat on their face, all's not lost, fans can just watch the fascinating video below of the roof opening on their new stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2017. (Strength of schedule: 32. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 30. First four games: 13. Avg. rating: 25. Overall difficulty: 27.)

28. Titans: The Titans have a three-game stretch that starts in November that goes Jaguars-Raiders-Jaguars. I'm only mentioning that because every other team in the NFL wishes they had a stretch in November that went Jaguars-Raiders-Jaguars. (Strength of schedule: 26. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 28. First four games: 24. Avg. rating: 26. Overall difficulty: 28.)

29. Buccaneers: The Buccaneers haven't won a home game since December 2013. I'm guessing that changes this year with the Titans and Jaguars both scheduled to visit Raymond James Stadium in 2015. (Strength of schedule: 29. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 26. First four games: 26. Avg. rating: 27. Overall difficulty: 29.)

30. Panthers: The Panthers better come out of their bye week on fire because after it's over, they get the Seahawks, Eagles, Colts and Packers. In a row. Even a Panthers optimist would probably agree that 1-3 could end up being the best case scenario there. (Strength of schedule: 27. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 27. First four games: 29. Avg. rating: 27.67. Overall difficulty: 30.)

31. Texans: Looking for a surprise playoff team in the AFC? The Texans could be it if they have anything that resembles competent quarterback play this season. (Strength of schedule: 30. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 31. First four games: 27. Avg. rating: 29.33. Overall difficulty: 31.)

32. Colts: The Colts might be able to start resting their starters by Week 7.  (Strength of schedule: 31. Las Vegas strength of schedule: 32. First four games: 31. Avg. rating: 31.33. Overall difficulty: 32.)