Don't forget that a lot of rookies wear down in the latter half of their rookie NFL seasons since they aren't used to the length of the NFL season vs the college season.

This is a learning and development year for a lot of rookies on this team. I'm not too worried about what the record will be.

I think that is now not anywhere near as much of an issue as it was in years past. Especially for teams who are making the National Championship game. They are playing a 12 game regular season slate, then usually a Conference Champion game, followed up with the semi final and then the final, so will be playing 15 competitive games. Sure when you get into the playoffs in the NFL you are adding in extra games and there are also the preseason games, but those are not games that high draft picks will actually see all that much game time in.

So for teams who fail to make the playoffs which is almost 2/3 of the league they will be playing 1 less game than the absolute elite teams in college.

Clearly there are still more games played, and the intensity and standard of overall play is going to be higher in the NFL.

Kareem Hunt sure looked like he wore down the last part of the season.

College is easier than the NFL. Along with the schedule being longer, you also have weeks where you have to play on short rest due to Monday or Thursday games.

I agree with your premise, but also feel the need to point out that college teams play on more days of the week than NFL teams. I've seen college games on pretty much every day of the week, and not just in bowl season.