5 best weeks on the NFL's 2025 schedule
Julian Catalfo / theScore
Mark your calendars, football fans.
The NFL announced its full schedule for the 2025 regular season Wednesday. Featuring several 2024 playoff rematches, this year's slate starts with a bang and includes several high-profile matchups in the second-last week of the year.
Here are the season's five best weeks.
⭐ - Prime-time game
🍿 - 2024 playoff rematch
🎄 - Christmas Day
🌎 - International game
Week 1
| Notable games | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys @ Eagles ⭐️ | Sept. 4 | 8:20 p.m. |
| Chiefs vs. Chargers ⭐️🌎 | Sept. 5 | 8 p.m. |
| Steelers @ Jets | Sept. 7 | 1 p.m. |
| Lions @ Packers | Sept. 7 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Texans @ Rams | Sept. 7 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Ravens @ Bills ⭐️🍿 | Sept. 7 | 8:20 p.m. |
| Vikings @ Bears ⭐️ | Sept. 8 | 8:15 p.m. |
Why we're pumped for these:
- The Eagles celebrate their Super Bowl LIX victory before kicking off the season against a bitter rival.
- Brazil hosts an epic opener as AFC West rivals, led by two great quarterbacks, renew hostilities.
- Aaron Rodgers could be in uniform for an emotionally charged trip to one of his former employers.
- The NFC North is a gauntlet, so this early-season battle already feels big.
- Super Bowl hopefuls tangle right away and get a barometer for where they stand.
- The Ravens have an opportunity to exorcise their demons in a return to the site where their 2024 campaign ended.
- J.J. McCarthy's turn at the wheel begins on the road against 2024 draftmate Caleb Williams.
Week 2
| Notable games | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders @ Packers ⭐️ | Sept. 11 | 8:15 p.m. |
| Bears @ Lions | Sept. 14 | 1 p.m. |
| Jaguars @ Bengals | Sept. 14 | 1 p.m. |
| Seahawks @ Steelers | Sept. 14 | 1 p.m. |
| Eagles @ Chiefs 🍿 | Sept. 14 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Falcons @ Vikings ⭐️ | Sept. 14 | 8:20 p.m. |
Why we're pumped for these:
- What more needs to be said about a matchup between a pair of rising stars in Jayden Daniels and Jordan Love?
- Bears coach Ben Johnson goes against his former team for the first time.
- No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter faces the Panthers in his NFL debut, but his true "welcome to the NFL" moment could come when he has to defend Ja'Marr Chase and/or Tee Higgins in coverage.
- The "Metcalf Bowl" will have DK square off against his former club in his home debut with the Steelers.
- Patrick Mahomes & Co. are out for revenge after their bid to three-peat as Super Bowl champs was dashed in a lopsided contest.
- Kirk Cousins' return to Minnesota will likely be on the sidelines watching Michael Penix Jr. lead the Falcons into U.S. Bank Stadium.
Week 6
| Notable games | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Eagles @ Giants ⭐️ | Oct. 9 | 8:15 p.m. |
| Rams @ Ravens | Oct. 12 | 1 p.m. |
| Chargers @ Dolphins | Oct. 12 | 1 p.m. |
| 49ers @ Buccaneers | Oct. 12 | 1 p.m. |
| Bengals @ Packers | Oct. 12 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Lions @ Chiefs ⭐️ | Oct. 12 | 8:20 p.m. |
| Bears @ Commanders ⭐️ | Oct. 13 | 8:15 p.m. |
Why we're pumped for these:
- Saquon Barkley is coming back to New Jersey again, but this time he's returning as a Super Bowl champion.
- The past two meetings between the Rams and Ravens came down to the wire, so there's a good chance this will be worth the hype.
- At this stage, Chargers vs. Dolphins is basically a bragging-rights game for 2020 draft stars Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert.
- The new-look 49ers are in for a real test when they face off against the four-time reigning division champion Buccaneers.
- The Bengals' high-octane offense against Jordan Love and a stout Packers defense makes this one of the more intriguing AFC vs. NFC clashes.
- Chiefs vs. Lions has potential Super Bowl preview written all over it.
- 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams in a potential shootout against No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels? We're all winners for getting this in prime time.
Week 14
| Notable games | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys @ Lions ⭐️ | Dec. 4 | 8:15 p.m. |
| Seahawks @ Falcons | Dec. 7 | 1 p.m. |
| Commanders @ Vikings | Dec. 7 | 1 p.m. |
| Bengals @ Bills | Dec. 7 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Texans @ Chiefs ⭐️🍿 | Dec. 7 | 8:20 p.m. |
Why we're pumped for these:
- America's Team visits one of the rowdiest stadiums in the NFL. Both clubs will be looking to make a statement at the other one's expense.
- A pair of teams hungry to make headway in the NFC lock horns in a game that should have playoff ramifications.
- A Jonathan Allen revenge game might not make the national news, but this also features two teams on the cusp of championship contention with young quarterbacks.
- It's Josh Allen and Joe Burrow - two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
- Houston is 1-5 against K.C. in the Mahomes era. Let's see if C.J. Stroud can get the Texans over this hump at a time when the Chiefs will be rounding into playoff form.
Week 17
| Notable games | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys @ Commanders 🎄 | Dec. 25 | 1 p.m. |
| Lions @ Vikings 🎄 | Dec. 25 | 4:30 p.m. |
| Broncos @ Chiefs ⭐🎄 | Dec. 25 | 8:15 p.m. |
| Eagles @ Bills | Dec. 28 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Ravens @ Packers | TBD | TBD |
Why we're pumped for these:
- Christmas Day kicks off with a showdown between the Cowboys and Commanders that's likely to play a big role in the final NFC East standings.
- The Lions and Vikings are also likely to be vying for division and playoff positioning at this point in the year after being two of the league's best squads in 2024.
- The final gift under the Christmas Day tripleheader tree is an AFC West showdown between the Broncos and Chiefs.
- It feels like the playoffs are arriving early with an elite interconference game between the Eagles and Bills.
- We don't know exactly when the Ravens and Packers will face one another, but we're excited for this heavyweight matchup anyway.