Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Five NFL teams face the lightest paths to the playoffs in 2026, with each carrying unique stakes for their season.
- Detroit’s schedule features three opponents with top-10 draft picks, offering a clear path to redemption after a 9-8 finish in 2025.
- Baltimore and Kansas City must capitalize on favorable matchups to avoid franchise-altering consequences in a pivotal year.
We know about the hardest schedules and what teams will have a challenge at reaching the postseason, but what about the easiest schedules? Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens have a lot of pressure to make the most of an easy schedule. They can’t afford to whiff on a chance to pile up the wins and land one of the top seeds in the conference.
Of course, easier said than done. No games have been played yet — and won’t be for some time — which is why the expectations can’t be too high. In the end, these five teams need to take advantage of an easier schedule than most teams in the NFL this season.
Detroit Lions
- 2025 finish: Missed playoffs
- 2025 record: 9-8
- Easiest 2026 opponents: Arizona, New Orleans, Tennessee
The only consolation of the Detroit Lions finishing last in the NFC North division is that they get the easiest schedule of any playoff contender. In fact, they have the easiest schedule in the NFL. They get to play Tennessee, Arizona and New Orleans — all of which have top 10 picks in this past draft. The NFC North was tough, as it has been lately, and if the Minnesota Vikings show early progress with Kyler Murray, they could be contenders too.
The Lions will have to capitalize on their non-division games with an easy schedule. They have every reason to be in the playoffs and honestly be tops in the NFC. The NFC West is a gauntlet and probably Detroit’s biggest threat to the No. 1 seed. That said, Detroit should have no problem hosting a first-round playoff game. Anything less than a top-2 seed in the NFC and the Lions will have to feel like 2026 was a down season — unless they catch fire in the playoffs.
Cincinnati Bengals
- 2025 finish: Missed playoffs
- 2025 record: 6-11
- Easiest 2026 opponents: Tennessee, New Orleans, Miami
This season is pivotal for the Bengals. Joe Burrow’s championship run with Cincinnati was short-lived as the Bengals haven’t been to the NFL playoffs since 2022. This defense has held this team back more than Burrow’s injuries have. Well the Bengals finally started cutting checks and found the players that will actually improve this defense. That also means with new faces, there’s not much margin for error. This defense has to look like the 2021 iteration that carried this team to a Super Bowl appearance.
Well the third easiest schedule in the NFL will certainly help their case, but there are no guarantees. The Bengals invested heavily into this offense and tried to take the cheap route with the defense. Now both sides are at some level of competency; the Bengals have to win some games. If they don’t put it together this year, they probably won’t. Yes, winning championships are hard, but not taking advantage of an easy schedule is inexcusable.
New England Patriots
- 2025 finish: Super Bowl runner-up
- 2025 record: 14-3
- Easiest 2026 opponents: Miami (twice), Las Vegas, New York Jets (twice)
It’s hard to win consecutive championships let alone reach the Super Bowl multiple times in a row. New England has the perfect chance to capitalize on a favorable schedule. It’s not one of the easiest, but considering they’re fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, having the 12th easiest schedule, that should help them capitalize on a phenomenal 2025. They made some key additions, beefing up the offensive line and adding Romeo Doubs. There’s been rumors about the Patriots being favorites to land A.J. Brown. With an offense like that, defending their AFC East title should be realistic.
That said, it’s not the easiest schedule for an NFL team by any means, but the fact that they went to a Super Bowl a year ago and have one of the easiest ones, proves they have a golden chance to build on last year in the best way possible. The AFC East shouldn’t be a challenge, but the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins could have a surprise season and catch New England on an off game. Either way, New England can’t waste this year’s schedule.
Kansas City Chiefs
- 2025 finish: Missed playoffs
- 2025 record: 6-11
- Easiest 2026 opponents: Atlanta, New York Jets, Arizona
The Kansas City Chiefs might be the only team with an enormous amount of pressure to go on a playoff run this year. Sure the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals need to capitalize on easy schedules, but the fact that the Chiefs could reach their four Super Bowl in five years this year thanks to an easy schedule, well that just adds to a team that can’t falter this year. Travis Kelce is probably done after this year and the dominant era of the Chiefs is almost over.
This is Kansas City’s last shot at a championship. They don’t need to prove anything else, but the mere fact that they can end this year with a championship and won’t have a tough schedule ahead either is good for them. The Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers will be competitors in the division. They do have a tough slate though, playing the Rams, Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and the Patriots. Their schedule is tougher than it looks, but shouldn’t be too much for them to overcome.
Baltimore Ravens
- 2025 finish: Missed playoffs
- 2025 record: 9-8
- Easiest 2026 opponents: Carolina, Tennessee, New Orleans
Lamar Jackson is under a lot of pressure to actually win an AFC championship and reach the Super Bowl. The rumors possibly swirling about his future in Baltimore, well, that’s centered around the continued disappointment by the Ravens. It cost John Harbaugh a job and Jackson might be next. That’s why winning this year with a favorable schedule is non-negotiable. It won’t be easy (regardless of how “easy” their schedule is) but with the entire NFC South and the entire AFC South, the Ravens have to look a lot better than they did last year.
Again, Baltimore’s success in the division will come down to how good the Bengals are this year. The Ravens should win this division no problem. The Pittsburgh Steelers are going through a regime change, the Browns are deep in a rebuild, and the Bengals don’t quite know their identity yet. If Baltimore can’t win this division and contend for one of the top seeds in the AFC, it may be the first domino that falls in tearing down this Ravens team and restarting.
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