We now have the full 2025 NFL schedule at our fingertips. There are plenty of juicy matchups to dissect with a number of great primetime games. Below, we break down the top 5 games we can’t wait to see play out this season.
5. Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders (Thurs. 12/25 1pm EST) – Netflix
Get ready for a Christmas NFC East showdown in DC. The up-and-coming Commanders, who have 8 standalone games in the upcoming season, will host their rivals in this intriguing matchup.
Whenever these two teams play it’s always must watch television. Now we get to settle in after unwrapping presents and enjoy Jayden Daniels vs. Dak Prescott. This game could very much have NFC East title implications being this late in the season.
Many including myself expect the Commanders to be in the NFC East title race but the Cowboys are the wild card. If Prescott can stay healthy and newly acquired George Pickens behaves, Dallas could be in the mix by the time they kickoff this one.
4. Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Fri. 9/5 8pm EST Brazil) – YouTube
YouTube will join the NFL party this upcoming season by streaming this AFC West battle opening week in Brazil. It’s a rare Friday night matchup but there is plenty of buzz for this one.
The Chiefs are coming of a 15-2 season where they were eventually blown out by the Eagles in the Super Bowl. They will look to start the season on a winning note versus their rival. Justin Herbert and the Chargers surprised many last season by finishing 11-6 and earning a Wild Card berth. It didn’t take long for Jim Harbaugh to make his mark in LA.
I expect the Chargers to take the next step this season and really challenge the Chiefs in this division. They added a much needed weapon in Omarion Hampton and Herbert should thrive in his second year in Harbaugh’s system. Look for this one to go down to the wire.
3. Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens (Mon. 9/25 8:15pm EST) – ABC/ESPN
This game may end up being the best Monday night matchup of the upcoming season. It is also a potential Super Bowl matchup. The Lions will look to bounce back from losing to the Commanders in the Divisional round while the Ravens will look to finally get over the hump.
Baltimore has been one of the best regular season teams the past couple of years but keep finding ways to lose in the playoffs. Case and point Mark Andrews costly fumble last year vs. the Bills. Lamar Jackson takes the majority of the blame for the playoff failures but the team as a whole seems to fade down the stretch.
Detroit was a heavy favorite last year to reach the Super Bowl but ran into a hot Commanders team. Expect them once again to compete for the NFC Title in 2025. The major question for the Lions is health. They were hammered with injuries last year, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
2. Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs. 9/4 8:20pm EST) – NBC/Peacock
Is there any question about whether the NFC East is the best division in football? The NFL seems to agree with the Cowboys, Commanders and Eagles dominating the primetime schedule. We are also fortunate to kick of the season with a classic Eagles vs. Cowboys matchup.
As we stated before, the Cowboys are a fascinating team to watch this season. On the one hand they could compete for the NFC East title or they could finish 4-13. It all depends on the health of Dak Prescott and if new head coach Brian Schottenheimer can push the right buttons.
The Eagles on the other hand should once again compete for the NFC crown with most of their weapons back. They are the team to beat until proven otherwise.
1. Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (Sun. 9/7 8:20pm EST) – NBC/Peacock
The Ravens have another big-time matchup against the Bills in our Sunday night opener. Baltimore will be out for revenge after their demoralizing defeat in Buffalo in last year’s playoffs.
Both of these AFC titans need to find a way to get past the Chiefs to reach their goal. Josh Allen and company came close last season but once again fell just short in KC. The Chiefs have had the Bills number for some time now. Can the Bills finally break through?
Meanwhile, the Ravens just need to play better in the playoffs. They have all the makings of a Super Bowl team but need to be more disciplined in crunch-time. This game, although in just week 1 could set the tone for the top of the AFC down the stretch.
Justin Fuhr
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