The NFL schedule release is on Wednesday, May 14, and that will reveal which teams have to travel the most, when each franchise will have its bye week, what the primetime matchups look like, and more.
While we’ll have a full breakdown of the schedule once it is released, we already know the opponents every team will face, so we have a good idea of which game will be the toughest on each team’s respective schedule. Also, check out the latest NFL schedule rumors and leaks here.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals won six of their first 10 games last season, and I think they could push for a playoff spot this season. One of their hinge games this season will be on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Since 2022, Kyler Murray is 6-10 when playing on the road, failing to lead this offense past 16 points in the majority of those defeats. That’s not likely to get it done against the sixth-highest scoring offense from 2024 that returns all of their firepower.
Atlanta Falcons
The Michael Penix Jr. era enters a stage of optimism after he showed some signs down the stretch of last season, and this team has invested plenty in terms of offensive skill position players over the past three seasons.
The Atlanta Falcons will need to function at full capacity if they are going to walk away with a win when the Buffalo Bills come to town. The Falcons have lost 21 of their past 27 games when labeled as an underdog, with 10 of those losses coming by double figures.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens opened last season at Arrowhead with a 27-20 loss in a game that could have gone to overtime if Isaiah Likely had slightly smaller feet. Now, they will get a chance to avenge that result during the 2025 season.
Baltimore has seen their season end against a different elite QB in each of the past three seasons — Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen — making a win in such a spot very valuable if they can get it. They also draw the Detroit Lions this season, but they will host Detroit, and that Jared Goff offense isn’t the same when they take the show outdoors.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills believe they can beat anyone, and they will get a chance to prove that this season when the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles come to town.
Since the start of 2022, Philadelphia is a league-best 16-5 (76.2% win rate) against future playoff teams in the regular season. Buffalo’s season will be defined by how they perform in January, though this devoted fanbase could use a confidence-building win prior to the postseason.
The Bills enter 2025 with hopes of giving this franchise its first Super Bowl victory, and what better way to drum up excitement than to beat the team that just climbed that mountain?
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers continued to show their trust in Bryce Young during the draft, and a big season could be in store for the young quarterback if he can take the next step in his development.
Carolina is unlikely to win a ton of games, but if they could beat the Bills at home, that result alone would give this franchise signs of hope that have been lacking in recent years. The Panthers are 2-23 in their last 25 games against future playoff teams, with an average point differential of -11.5 PPG in those contests.
Chicago Bears
The loaded NFC North will make it difficult for the Chicago Bears to make significant strides in terms of victory count, but a win in Philadelphia against the reigning champions would give this franchise confidence that Caleb Williams is a true franchise cornerstone.
Year 1-2 Quarterbacks Since 2020
- Home: 47.5% win percentage
- Road: 36.1% win percentage
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals travel to Baltimore every season, and it often serves as a nice measuring stick. This matchup is likely to be a shootout, with both offenses being ahead of the defenses.
While that is the game profile that Cincinnati wants, Lamar Jackson is plenty comfortable in such a spot as well. After all, the Baltimore Ravens are a league-best 17-5 over the past three seasons when the game total is expected to clear 45 (+8.2 PPG).
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns made waves at the NFL Draft and could well be ready to trend up for a rebuilding process that has taken a variety of turns. Expecting an offense without clarity under center to keep up with the Lions in Detroit, however, is a tough ask.
Cleveland is trending in the right direction, but the Browns were 2024’s lowest-scoring offense (15.2 PPG), and they’ll be traveling to face the top-scoring unit (33.2 PPG). For reference, Cleveland didn’t score more than 32 points in a game last season.
Dallas Cowboys
America’s team has to travel to Detroit to face the team that America has fallen in love with recently. The Lions went into Jerry’s World in Week 6 of last season and won by 38 points. If a healthy Dak Prescott can post a competitive effort on the road against a top-tier team in the conference, it would go a long way toward proving that this team is ready to compete for a playoff spot in a strong NFC East.
Dallas has to travel to Philadelphia as well, something they do annually, but they are 5-4 in their past nine games against their divisional rival, and their general familiarity with them makes them, in my eyes, a little more prepared for that contest than the juggernaut that is the Lions.
Denver Broncos
Sean Payton was rewarded last season for planting his flag on Bo Nix, and a strong Year 2 seems more likely than not. The Denver Broncos can really prove themselves as here to stay with a win in Philadelphia, but it would require them to overcome a decade-long trend of Denver struggling to win away from the comforts of home.
Broncos’ Win Splits Since 2015
- Home: 54.8%
- Road: 36.1%
Detroit Lions
The Lions proved last season that they are capable of scoring with anyone and at full health, this team has a real chance to sit atop our power rankings. One of the teams that will challenge for that title is the Ravens, a team that Detroit will have to travel to play during the 2025 regular season.
This version of Dan Campbell’s club can score anywhere, but during the Jared Goff era, the scoring splits are something they will need to overcome to win at the level that most of us think is possible.
Lions’ Points In Jared Goff’s Starts
- Indoors: 29.8 PPG
- Outdoors: 22.3 PPG
Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love showed increased levels of passing maturity as last season wore on, and if he can lead the Green Bay Packers to a win in Detroit, he’ll put himself on the radar of young QBs who are threatening to make noise this winter.
However, this is easier said than done. The Lions are the best divisional team of late, winning 15 of their last 18 against their NFC North competition.
Houston Texans
We all fell in love with C.J. Stroud during his standout rookie season, but 2024 was a significant step backward. He could regain our trust with a win in Baltimore over Jackson, but it’s going to require a full 180-degree turn from last season.
In Stroud’s second season, only the New York Giants and Browns scored 30 points in fewer games than his Houston Texans. On the flip side, only the Bills hit the 30-point plateau more often than the Ravens a year ago.
Indianapolis Colts
This feels like a massive season for the Indianapolis Colts in terms of projecting their future, as it certainly seems like a do-or-die season for Anthony Richardson, assuming he can hold off Daniel Jones this preseason.
Nothing would instill more confidence in this franchise than seeing their former No. 4 overall pick march into Kansas City and slay the Chiefs. In order to do that, they are going to have to overcome the odds; since 2022, the Colts have turned the ball over 1.7 times per game (second most), and Patrick Mahomes is 82-9 for his career when not losing the turnover battle.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars could be a Trevor Lawrence bounce-back season away from doubling their 2024 win total, and there’s increased optimism after hiring head coach Liam Coen and landing some studs through the draft (including Travis Hunter).
If they are truly ready to make that sort of leap, beating the Chiefs at home would be a good place to start. Kansas City is a league-best 61-14 (81.3% win rate) since 2020 in games in which they are favored, something they certainly will be for this contest.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Bills don’t fear the Chiefs, but they haven’t been able to beat them under the brightest of lights in the postseason. However, Buffalo is actually 4-3 in their past seven games against Kansas City, making a trip to Upstate New York the most difficult game for the Chiefs entering the 2025 regular season.
While I’d argue that their games against the Los Angeles Chargers will prove to be more critical, the fact that the Chiefs are 58-12 against the rest of the NFL (82.9% win rate) during that 3-4 mark against the Bills makes this the game that their fans will have circled as crucial.
Las Vegas Raiders
The new-look Las Vegas Raiders will get a chance to measure themselves against the best in the league during the 2025 regular season, as they have a date with the Eagles in Philadelphia.
Geno Smith is an obvious upgrade over their recent struggles at the quarterback position, but he will have to reverse a concerning trend if Vegas wants a chance at pulling off this upset.
Geno Smith, Career Road Splits
- Facing a playoff team: 3-14 (17.6% win rate)
- Facing a non-playoff team: 16-8 (66.7% win rate)
Los Angeles Chargers
Could the Bolts win the AFC West this season? I currently have the Chargers projected to dethrone the Chiefs for the division crown.
But for Jim Harbaugh’s team to make that happen, they will likely have to reverse a seven-game losing streak against Kansas City — a run that includes them failing to surpass 17 points in each of their past four meetings.
Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford elected to come back for another season, and while his weaponry is a bit different (Davante Adams replaced Cooper Kupp as the WR2 next to Puka Nacua), this team still projects as one that will have to win with its offense.
That’s a dangerous line to walk, especially when traveling to face a powerhouse like the Ravens. Stafford has lost 12 of 13 games during his time with Los Angeles when his defense allows at least 28 points, and Baltimore just so happens to be putting 28.9 points on the board per game under Todd Monken.
Miami Dolphins
No need to overthink things here: the Miami Dolphins are going to have to handle Josh Allen before anything other than “at Bills” is highlighted in this section.
Not only have the Dolphins dropped 13 of their past 14 against the divisional “rival,” but they are going to be watching the schedule release with all of us and hoping that this game comes during the first half of the season.
Recent Games vs. Buffalo, Sub-70-Degree Kickoff Temperature
- Week 17, 2018: 42-17 loss
- Week 7, 2019: 31-21 loss
- Week 11, 2019: 37-20 loss
- Week 17, 2020: 56-26 loss
- Week 8, 2021: 26-11 loss
- Week 15, 2022: 32-29 loss
- Wild Card, 2022: 34-31 loss
- Week 18, 2023: 21-14 loss
- Week 9, 2024: 30-27 loss
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have their fair share of difficult games this season, but asking J.J. McCarthy to go into Detroit and keep up with one of the most potent home teams in the league is tough to do.
The Lions won the NFC North with a 31-9 home victory over Minnesota to wrap last regular season and if the 2024 No. 10 overall pick is going to put his early stamp on this franchise, avenging that loss would be a massive step — not just for the outlook of this franchise this season, but for the foreseeable future.
New England Patriots
Speaking of teams that hope that their second-year quarterback is the long-term answer, the New England Patriots addressed the 2025 NFL Draft in a similar fashion to the Bengals in 2021 — the year after they brought in Joe Burrow — and they’ve been competitive as a result.
The Patriots, of course, will travel to play the Bills this season and they will be a significant underdog that week. Buffalo has won 14 of its past 15 home divisional games, outscoring the opposition by an average of 12.4 PPG. If New England can compete for 60 minutes, that will represent a significant step forward as it looks to build a future winner.
New Orleans Saints
Are the 2025 New Orleans Saints going to be the 2024 Broncos? That might be a little optimistic, but like Sean Payton 12 months ago, Kellen Moore identified his franchise building block in Tyler Shough and wasn’t shy about picking him.
We don’t know how New Orleans will go about developing Shough, and there are still unanswered questions about Derek Carr’s health, too. But maybe Shough will get a chance to compete with one of the league’s best when the Saints head to Buffalo.
Josh Allen is 9-4 for his career when facing rookie signal callers, outscoring them by an average of 11.6 points per game, so the expectations would be measured. But if 2025 is labeled as a learn-by-fire situation for New Orleans, this is a good opportunity to see what an annual contender looks like.
New York Giants
Are the New York Giants going to dig themselves out of a near-decade-long rut that has seen them average a mere five wins since 2017? Only time will tell, but the drafting of Jaxson Dart at least gives them a developmental project to work through this year and sell to the fanbase.
They will travel to Detroit this year to face a perennial loser turned Super Bowl contender in the Lions, hoping to replicate their turnaround sooner rather than later. Detroit has outscored opponents by 10.1 points per game while racking up 414 yards of offense per home game since 2022. New York is going to be overmatched in this game, and that makes it a can’t-lose situation since no one expects them to put up much of a fight.
New York Jets
Fantasy football managers are allowed to get excited about Justin Fields being labeled as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback, but asking him to get this team to the postseason is a step most aren’t willing to take.
With that said, we’ve been wrong before.
This is a talented roster around Fields, and if he can lead this team to an upset of the Ravens in Baltimore, the narrative could flip in a hurry. Lamar Jackson’s crew is 34-8 against non-playoff teams since 2020 (81% win rate), out-gaining them by an average of 67.1 yards per game.
Philadelphia Eagles
All Super Bowl champions that run back a similar roster enter the season with sky-high expectations, and that is the situation the Eagles find themselves in entering the 2025 season.
Did they put an end to the Chiefs’ dynasty bid in February? I’m not so sure, but if they can handle the reigning AFC champions at Arrowhead this regular season, they’d take another step toward building a dynasty of their own.
Philadelphia also gets the Bills, Chargers, Packers, and Vikings on the road (not to mention the Lions at home) this season. Going back-to-back is difficult for a reason, and the Eagles will be pushed to repeat as division champs long before they have to defend their crown in the postseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Mike Tomlin legacy is solid. He has yet to have a losing season, and that is a testament to the culture he has built. With that said, his team doesn’t currently have a quarterback who profiles as a 2025 starter, and that’s a problem in this era of rules that favor the offense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t scored 20 points against the Ravens since Week 8 of 2020, a trend they will likely have to change when they face the AFC North rival this season. Baltimore sports one of the most consistent offenses in the league and has won 60 of 74 games when clearing 20 points since 2019.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers will have to travel east to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this regular season in a game that could prove more daunting once we have a sense of how the schedule looks around this cross-country flight.
In any event, this is a 49ers offense that moved on from Deebo Samuel this offseason and is relying on Brock Purdy to play his way into franchise-quarterback money. The Bucs were the fourth-highest scoring offense a season ago (and our third-rated offense in our Offense+ metric) and added more talent to an already impressive core during the draft.
If the 49ers are going to bounce back, their offense will have to prove capable of competing in shootouts like this, especially on the road.
Seattle Seahawks
This division as a whole isn’t subjected to much in the way of high-end competition, but traveling to Washington to face Jayden Daniels and company is no walk in the park.
The Seattle Seahawks brought in Sam Darnold to lead their offense this offseason and swapped out DK Metcalf for Cooper Kupp. The defense is going to have a hard time being better than they were last season (when they ranked sixth in Defense+) and a game like this against an offensive-oriented team like the Commanders will serve as a nice test if this franchise wants to post their 13th winning record in a 14-year stretch.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last season, the Buccaneers scored 502 points after putting 348 on the board in 2023. Was that an outlier or a natural progression for an organization headed in a positive direction?
I tend to believe the latter, and they will get an opportunity to prove that accurate when they head to Buffalo. The Bills are a league-best 39-11 at home since Allen introduced himself as a game changer in 2019, making a win in this spot the sort of result that would elevate the Bucs to the feared tier of the NFC.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans hope that they took a huge step forward in April by drafting Cam Ward No. 1 overall, and they very well might have.
The rookie doesn’t appear to have an overly daunting schedule ahead of him, but opening the season, at altitude, against an elite Broncos defense that allowed Bo Nix the freedom to flourish as a rookie is a tough start to a career.
The matchup is tough for this team as a whole and it gets even more difficult to overcome should Ward be overly aggressive against our top-ranked defense from a season ago.
Washington Commanders
The only thing more valuable than a franchise quarterback is a franchise quarterback on a rookie deal, and that is the position the Commanders find themselves in after Daniels lit the league on fire during his first season.
Washington’s win total increased by eight from 2023 to 2024, and if they are going to sustain that level of immediate growth, they are going to have to compete against the elites. Daniels will get a chance to stare greatness in the eye when he takes his squad into Arrowhead to face the Chiefs — the league’s best team against playoff-level competition since 2021 (20-11 record, 64.5% win percentage).
This franchise changed the narrative surrounding them 12 months ago, and they have a real chance to win a division that sees turnover as often as any in the sport.