The 2025 NFL schedule was revealed on Wednesday night, generating expectations and analysis about the teams’ performance. Will Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles be able to repeat as Super Bowl champions and, furthermore, be the first team in two decades to win the NFC East consecutively? The season will begin on Thursday, September 4, with the Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys. ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” will begin on September 8, with a matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears.
Based on the difficulty of the schedule, based on opponents’ results in 2024, the New York Giants have the most difficult schedule, while the San Francisco 49ers will face the most accessible one.
The 2025 regular season will end on January 4, 2026. The playoffs will begin on January 10 and culminate with Super Bowl LX on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Here are bold predictions for each team, following the schedule announcement.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys will end Kyler Murray’s dominance at AT&T Stadium. The Cardinals quarterback has an undefeated 8-0 record as a starter in Arlington, Texas. Only two of those games have been in the NFL. Dak Prescott and Tony Romo are the only ones with more wins at AT&T Stadium.
New York Giants
The Giants will secure a road win in the first two weeks against a divisional rival. They need a good start after a 0-6 divisional record year. They have won their opening game only twice in the last 13 years.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles could face difficulties at the start of the season. The Cowboys, Chiefs, and Rams have a lot to prove, and two of them lost to the Eagles in the past postseason. With a new offensive coordinator and the addition of several new starters on defense, they may suffer one or two early losses.
Washington Commanders
Washington will win three of their last four games to secure a playoff spot. It will be the first time since the 1991-92 seasons that the organization reaches the playoffs in consecutive years. The Commanders will surpass the Giants and Cowboys, and tie with the Eagles, after a first season of 12 wins under coach Dan Quinn.
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Caleb Williams will become Chicago’s first 4,000-yard passer, breaking the record against Green Bay in Week 16. The Bears closed the 2024 season by snapping a 10-game losing streak with a win at Lambeau Field and will sweep the Packers for the first time since 2007.
Detroit Lions
The Lions will defeat the defending champion Eagles on the road in Week 11. With a talented team, the Lions can compete with and beat any team, including Philadelphia.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers will have more than the four prime-time games they currently have on the schedule. Flexible scheduling will include them in at least one more featured game. The Week 16 game against the Bears could be on Saturday afternoon or evening. It’s possible that the last two games, against the Ravens and at the Vikings, will also be played at night.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings will enter Week 17 needing to win their last two games to make the playoffs. This is due to a five-game stretch that will include four road games between Weeks 12 and 16. Their only home game during that period is against the Commanders, and three of the road games, against Green Bay, Seattle, and New York, are outdoors.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons will sweep their rivals, the Saints, for the first time since their Super Bowl season in 2016. The Falcons could improve on both sides of the ball this season, while the Saints’ quarterback situation is uncertain.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers will beat Tampa Bay in Weeks 16 and 18 to win the NFC South with an 8-9 record. Eight wins would be a significant improvement compared to the 5.1 average of the last seven years.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints will extend their home winning streak, but the positive momentum won’t last, as a Week 2 game against the 49ers and long road trips will slow their momentum. The first month won’t be easy for the Saints with a new head coach, an aging defense, and no veteran quarterback.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs will have the best home record in the division. Only one of their home opponents this year made the playoffs last year and finished with a winning record: the Eagles.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals will start the season 4-2, or even 5-1, and will take early control of their playoff destiny. The new defense will work from the start and will live up to the expectations created by a deep draft and an active free agency.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams will win at least seven of their last 10 games after the bye week to finish the season. The schedule favors a strong finish in 2025, especially with few games in cold weather.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers will start the season 4-0. If the Niners can beat the Seahawks in Week 1, they could enter the playoff conversations from the start. Having a full offseason of rest seems to have energized some of the team’s older stars.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks will be 4-1 during their tough November stretch. Winning four of five would be an impressive feat, but the stretch begins right after Seattle’s bye week.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
The Bills will be undefeated entering the bye week. The early games against the AFC East (Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots) are earlier than usual, but the Bills have a 24-6 record against the division since 2020.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins will finish with a winning record on the road for the first time since 2020. This is the year that McDaniel’s team will turn things around away from home.
New England Patriots
The Patriots will still be in the playoff hunt coming out of the bye week in early December. The overall schedule appears to be more favorable than last year’s.
New York Jets
The Jets will close the season with a streak and win five of their last six games, falling short of the playoffs, but generating hope for 2026. They will face Lamar Jackson in Week 12 and Josh Allen in Week 18.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens will win three road games in three weeks for the first time in team history, sweeping their games against Miami (Week 9), Minnesota (Week 10), and Cleveland (Week 11). Lamar Jackson has a 34-13 road record (.723), second only to Patrick Mahomes.
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati will win two out of three games in the “Killer B” portion of the schedule. Having extra days of rest and then a home matchup against Baltimore should give the Bengals the edge to win at least two games.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns will lose their first four away games before the bye week. After the bye week, with a matchup against the Jets at MetLife Stadium, Cleveland should be well-rested and in a position to start their second-half schedule on a strong note.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers will win their first international regular season game. The Steelers’ defense is notoriously lethal against rookie quarterbacks.
AFC South
Houston Texans
The Texans will fight to secure the division in Week 18. There is a good possibility that their divisional competition will improve enough to push the Texans to the limit.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts will come out of September with a 3-1 record. Indianapolis has not managed to record a winning record after four games since 2020, which is also the last time they made the postseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars will arrive at their matchup against the Chiefs with a 4-0 record. Then they will go to San Francisco and surprise the 49ers, who let go of 17 free agents.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans will win their two consecutive trips to the West Coast in October. The second victory will be against the Raiders in Las Vegas, which will put the Titans with a 3-3 record before their matchup with New England in Week 7.
AFC West
Denver Broncos
The Broncos’ defense will force at least three turnovers in the season opener. Tennessee is expected to start rookie quarterback Cam Ward, and his regular season debut will be difficult. He will face a Denver defense that led the NFL in sacks in 2024.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Broncos will sweep the two-game series against the Chiefs for the first time since 2014.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders will enter the bye week with a 4-3 record. They may have trouble defeating the Chargers and Commanders in consecutive weeks.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers will not win ten games. With a much more difficult schedule and the Chargers’ roster not improving much from last season, it will be an uphill battle for this team to reach ten wins in 2025.
