While NFL teams reverse their fortunes year over year all the time, it's still not easy facing a schedule loaded with adversaries who were successful a season ago.
Here is the squad with the toughest strength of schedule -- based on opponents' winning percentage from the previous year -- in each of the past five seasons:
- 2025: New York Giants
- 2024: Cleveland Browns
- 2023: Philadelphia Eagles
- 2022: Los Angeles Rams
- 2021: Pittsburgh Steelers
Of those five teams, none won a playoff game and only two finished with a winning record (the 2023 Eagles went 11-6, while the '21 Steelers finished at 9-7-1). That quintet posted a combined record of 32-52-1.
That's not music to the ears of Bears fans, considering their team faces the toughest SOS in 2026 (.550). I would caution against dwelling too much on that number, though. Chicago had the second-toughest SOS heading into last season (.571), and the franchise forged its deepest playoff run in more than a decade. In fact, four of the 10 teams with the toughest SOS entering the 2025 campaign advanced to the postseason.
With that in mind, I'm ranking the toughest 2026 schedules with an eye on the future.
- Strength of schedule: .493 (20th)
- Prime-time games: 6
The heat gets turned up on Dallas in Week 3, when the team travels to Brazil for a date with Lamar Jackson, a two-time MVP looking to make a bounce-back statement on a big stage. The Cowboys then have three of their next four games on the road against teams that made the playoffs last season, including back-to-back prime-time battles in Green Bay and Philadelphia. A Thanksgiving date with the Eagles and a trip to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks will be a rough way to begin the holiday season, and a visit to the Rams coming out of a long-awaited Week 14 bye won’t be a treat, either.
Week 1: at Giants (SNF)
Week 2: Commanders
Week 3: Ravens (Rio de Janeiro)
Week 4: at Texans
Week 5: Buccaneers (TNF)
Week 6: at Packers (SNF)
Week 7: at Eagles (MNF)
Week 8: Cardinals
Week 9: at Colts
Week 10: 49ers
Week 11: Titans
Week 12: Eagles (Thanksgiving)
Week 13: at Seahawks (MNF)
Week 14: BYE
Week 15: at Rams
Week 16: Jaguars (SNF)
Week 17: Giants
Week 18: at Commanders (TBD)
- Strength of schedule: .522 (9th)
- Prime-time games: 3
The first two contests look highly favorable for Jim Harbaugh and Co., but the script flips in a hurry. In the six matchups scheduled from Week 3 through Week 9, five of their opponents won at least one playoff game last season. The Chargers play Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Patrick Mahomes (provided he’s healthy) and Matthew Stafford during that stretch. New DC Chris O'Leary will have his work cut out for him. Then the Bolts have to visit former DC Jesse Minter and Lamar Jackson on a Monday night. Los Angeles plays four of its final six on the road, too, with a game at reigning AFC West champion Denver in Week 18.
Week 1: Cardinals
Week 2: Raiders
Week 3: at Bills
Week 4: at Seahawks
Week 5: Broncos
Week 6: at Chiefs
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: at Rams
Week 9: Texans
Week 10: at Ravens (MNF)
Week 11: Jets
Week 12: Patriots (SNF)
Week 13: at Buccaneers
Week 14: at Raiders
Week 15: 49ers (TNF)
Week 16: at Dolphins
Week 17: Chiefs (TBD)
Week 18: at Broncos (TBD)
- Strength of schedule: .514 (14th)
- Prime-time games: 6
After an opening few weeks that should not overwhelm Mike Macdonald’s crew, the schedule's intensity abruptly ramps up. Starting in Week 4, the Seahawks play four out of five games against 2025 playoff teams, including a trip to Denver on a short week. The lone team Seattle plays during that stretch that ¾±²õ²Ô’t coming off a postseason berth: the Chiefs, who are going to be eager to show the defending champs they’re still up to the challenge. A gauntlet awaits the 'Hawks coming out of their Week 11 bye, too, with visits to the 49ers, Eagles (on a short week), Panthers and Rams -- all playoff teams last season -- to close out the regular season.
Week 1: Patriots (Wednesday)
Week 2: at Cardinals
Week 3: at Commanders
Week 4: Chargers
Week 5: 49ers
Week 6: at Broncos (TNF)
Week 7: Chiefs (SNF)
Week 8: Bears (MNF)
Week 9: Cardinals
Week 10: at Raiders
Week 11: BYE
Week 12: at 49ers
Week 13: Cowboys (MNF)
Week 14: Giants
Week 15: at Eagles (Saturday)
Week 16: Rams (Christmas)
Week 17: at Panthers
Week 18: at Rams (TBD)
- Strength of schedule: .516 (13th)
- Prime-time games: 7
I’m not seeing a ton of room to breathe for the franchise with a league-high seven prime-time games. The Rams open with a tough division opponent as the designated home team in Australia and play four of their first five contests against squads that made the playoffs last season. Things become more manageable in the weeks leading up to the Week 11 bye -- even with three out of four on the road -- but the final seven games are an absolute beast, with two of the final three coming against the reigning champion Seahawks.
Week 1: 49ers (Melbourne)
Week 2: Giants (MNF)
Week 3: at Broncos (SNF)
Week 4: at Eagles
Week 5: Bills (MNF)
Week 6: Cardinals
Week 7: at Raiders
Week 8: Chargers
Week 9: at Commanders
Week 10: at Cardinals
Week 11: BYE
Week 12: Packers (Wednesday)
Week 13: Chiefs (TNF)
Week 14: at 49ers
Week 15: Cowboys
Week 16: at Seahawks (Christmas)
Week 17: at Buccaneers (TBD)
Week 18: Seahawks (TBD)
- Strength of schedule: .538 (T-3rd)
- Prime-time games: None
There is nothing the schedule-makers could have done to keep Arizona from appearing on this list, although they didn't do the Cardinals any favors by sending them on the road for six of their first nine games. The Cards’ fate was sealed by their mandated double dips with division foes. They will play seven games against teams that logged at least one playoff win last season, and six of those contests come against NFC West opponents. The 49ers, Rams and Seahawks haven’t done anything this offseason to project a major step back in 2026. The division is not built to give rebuilding teams a soft landing right now. There are tough tilts against the Broncos, Eagles, Chiefs and Chargers awaiting new head coach Mike LaFleur, too, with the latter two matchups on the road. LaFleur is charged with pointing the ship in the right direction in Year 1, and even if he makes progress on that front, the standings could be a harsh reminder of how far the franchise still must go.
Week 1: at Chargers
Week 2: Seahawks
Week 3: at 49ers
Week 4: at Giants
Week 5: Lions
Week 6: at Rams
Week 7: Broncos
Week 8: at Cowboys
Week 9: at Seahawks
Week 10: Rams
Week 11: at Chiefs
Week 12: Commanders
Week 13: Eagles
Week 14: BYE
Week 15: Jets
Week 16: at Saints
Week 17: Raiders
Week 18: 49ers (TBD)
