2026 NFL schedule: Cowboys, Seahawks among 5 teams facing toughest slates

Key Points:

• NFL teams with the toughest schedules based on last season's opponents' winning percentage have struggled historically, with none of the top five toughest schedule teams from 2021-2025 winning a playoff game and only two achieving winning records.
• The Chicago Bears face the toughest strength of schedule (SOS) in 2026 at .550, but previous experience with a difficult schedule in 2025 did not prevent them from making a deep playoff run, suggesting a tough SOS is not an insurmountable obstacle.
• The Dallas Cowboys have the 20th toughest schedule in 2026 (.493) with six prime-time games, including challenging road games against playoff teams and a unique Week 3 game in Brazil against Lamar Jackson's Ravens.
• The Los Angeles Chargers hold the 9th toughest schedule (.522) with three prime-time games, facing multiple playoff teams early in the season and finishing with four of their last six games on the road.
• The Arizona Cardinals face one of the hardest schedules (.538, tied for 3rd toughest) with no prime-time games but six of their first nine games on the road, and seven games against teams that won playoff games last season, including six within their tough NFC West division.