Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase hosted the second episode of his new podcast. Chasing No 1, and his guest this time around was fellow Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.
Higgins and Chase addressed numerous topics, but one topic directly applies to the beginning of the 2026 season. Chase's co-host Annie Agar asked the receiver duo what they and head coach Zac Taylor had to say about their "easy" schedule.
After a 6-11 finish in 2025, only better than the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North, the Bengals were given a third-place schedule in 2026.
Higgins and Chase aren't overlooking their any opponent on this season's slate
The Bengals don't just have a third-place schedule after a disappointing 2025 season; they have what is considered the third-easiest schedule in the NFL based on opponents' winning percentages in 2025. Only the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns have easier schedules.
When asked about what is potentially the easiest schedule in the entire NFL, Higgins said he and head coach Zac Taylor did not take any matchups for granted.
"Coach doesn't talk about nothing like that because at the end of the day, you got to play professional athletes that are really good at their job," Higgins said. "We just got to go in with the mindset of wanting to win every game."
According to Vegas' forecasted winning percentages, the Bengals have the second-easiest schedule in the NFL.
NEW: NFL strength of schedule for 2026!
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 4, 2026
5 easiest schedules:
1️⃣ Lions
2️⃣ Saints
3️⃣ Bengals
4️⃣ Browns
5️⃣ Jets
5 hardest schedules:
2️⃣8️⃣ Rams
2️⃣9️⃣ Cowboys
3️⃣0️⃣ Panthers
3️⃣1️⃣ Dolphins
3️⃣2️⃣ Cardinals
1-32 with insight & analysis:https://t.co/iS1PFqfcxx
Regardless of the strength of schedule, Higgins' point still stands. There is no such thing as an easy NFL schedule because there are professional athletes at the top of their game going at it every single week.
Another thing to consider when trying to calculate the strength of a schedule is that it is impossible to predict the future. Last season, the Chicago Bears entered the year with the third-hardest schedule in the league based on win percentage. After the season was done, the win percentage of the Bears' opponents gave them the third-easiest schedule in the league.
While preseason strength of schedule can seem insignificant when provided with a scenario like the Bears' 2025 season, the New England Patriots' 2025 season says the opposite. Before the 2025 season, the Patriots' opponents had them with the third-easiest schedule in the league, with a collective .429 winning percentage, which would be tied for last going into the 2026 season.
The Patriots went on to have a schedule that was by far the easiest in 2025, going 14-3 against opponents with a .391 winning percentage. This led them to a No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and a Super Bowl bid in Drake Maye's second year as New England's quarterback.
When Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in 2021, the Bengals had the sixth-hardest strength of schedule going into the season.
Conflicting results based on preseason strength of schedule reiterate the idea that it is impossible to predict the future. This means Higgins' outlook on the schedule and refusal to chalk up any future games as wins before they happen is ideal for the Bengals.
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