Leverkusen set a Bundesliga record for the longest unbeaten run in a single season when they drew 0-0 at home to Cologne last Saturday.
However, rather than celebrate the achievement, the team sometimes called Neverkusen, were left ruing two dropped points which allowed Bayern Munich to overtake them at the top.
Leverkusen visit struggling Nuremberg at the weekend hoping to regain the leadership as Louis van Gaal's Bayern, who are top for the first time in 18 months, have a tougher assignment at Cologne.
"If we finished second but unbeaten, then we would still have had an exceptional season and we would qualify directly for the Champions League," Heynckes told the Bild newspaper
"We mustn't forget the type of team we have got in Leverkusen and the possibilities that Bayern have," added Heynckes, referring to the Bavarians' greater financial resources.
"There are still 10 rounds of matches to go and it would be too early to talk about that now," he added.
"Furthermore, we still have to play at home against Bayern, Schalke and Hamburg."
Bayern will be missing Argentine defender Martin Demichelis for their visit to Cologne on Saturday after he was injured in his country's 1-0 win over Germany in Munich on Wednesday.
