Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season is officially this week. Let's dive into our picks and score predictions for this week's games. We have finally made it, as the 2025 season begins on Thursday when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys.
It's a classic NFC East showdown, but we've also got 30 other teams in action, and our picks and score predictions are right here. The upcoming season should be yet another one filled with a ton of parity and close games.
Fortunately, our picks and predictions can give you some top-notch knowledge and guidance for the coming slate of NFL action, so let's get into it right here.
NFL picks and score predictions for Week 1 games
Thursday, September 4th
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 PM
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the toughest games of the weekend against the defending Super Bowl champions, and while Week 1 upsets are always happening each year in the NFL, the Eagles are going to be riding high in this one and should take care of business, as Saquon Barkley is going to run wild against this limp Cowboys defensive front, and that's going to be the main factor here.
Eagles win 28-20
Friday, September 5th
Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers, 8:00 PM, Brazil
In Brazil, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers see each other in an AFC West matchup of two teams that did win double-digit games and make the playoffs in the 2024 NFL Season. I like LA's roster better than KC's, and the Chargers are simply going to out-main the Chiefs in this one.
Chargers win 24-21
Sunday, September 7th
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM
While I am high on the Atlanta Falcons in 2025, Michael Penix Jr is still quite ripe in the NFL, and I would not expect the Falcons to hit their stride until later on in the season, so the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should win this one.
Buccaneers win 30-17
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns, 1:00 PM
The Cincinnati Bengals were able to get Trey Hendrickson's contract situation fixed for the 2025 NFL Season, so the Bengals did get their crucial to-do list done, and while this team has started slow in recent years, the offensive line for Cincy actually feels quite solid, and that's been a sticking point for this team. The Bengals take care of business.
Bengals win 27-13
Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 PM
In a game of two bad teams, the Indianapolis Colts are starting Daniel Jones in the 2025 NFL Season, so the one big thing that Indy is going to have against them in 2025 is indeed the QB position. The Miami Dolphins, if nothing else, do have an advantage at the position, and with this game also being indoors, it bodes well for Miami's high-flying passing attack.
I would expect the Dolphins to be able to come away with a close victory here, as the defense should not have much trouble stopping Daniel Jones and that offense.
Dolphins win 24-20
Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots, 1:00 PM
The New England Patriots are going to be better than the Las Vegas Raiders this year. I've been high on the Patriots for most of the 2025 NFL Offseason, as they do have the better QB and might also have the better roster. Las Vegas' roster feels a bit hollow, so New England should be able to win the battle in the trenches, and the Pats getting this game at home is another bonus.
Patriots win 17-16
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM
Arguably the worst team we'll see thus far in the 17-game era, the New Orleans Saints are going to struggle in every single game this year, and with the Arizona Cardinals trending in the right direction, there really shouldn't be much of a discussion here. Sure, the Week 1 upset could be at play in this one, but I like the Cardinals to slam the door shut and start 1-0.
Cardinals win 23-14
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets, 1:00 PM
Both Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields were on the opposite teams last year in this interesting and perhaps weird matchup. Rodgers is the better quarterback, and the Steelers are clearly the better team, but I like the Jets do score one of those wild Week 1 upsets, as first-year head coach Aaron Glenn, if nothing else, seems to know how to motivate his players at a high level.
Jets win 20-17
New York Giants @ Washington Commanders, 1:00 PM
Let's get feisty in this one - the New York Giants, if nothing else, do have a top-tier defensive line and could get to the QB at a high level in the 2025 NFL Season, and with this being a Week 1 game, I am predicting another Week 1 upset. The Giants' defensive line is going to force Jayden Daniels to run for his life, and the Commanders' below-average offensive line is going to be a sore spot in this contest. Russell Wilson, the Giants' starter, may still just barely be good enough to lead the team's offense to enough production.
Giants win 20-19
Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 PM
In perhaps the most irrelevant and boring game of Week 1, the Carolina Panthers are in Jacksonville to face the Jaguars, and you get the sense that both teams have to perform to some degree in the 2025 NFL Season, and while I am higher on the Panthers this year, the Jags do have the better QB at the moment and get this game at home, so that is enough to tip the scales in their favor.
Jaguars win 23-20
Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos, 4:05 PM
Cam Ward, the 2025 NFL Draft's first overall pick, gets to play his first NFL game against the best pass rush in the NFL in their house. The Denver Broncos led the league in sacks in 2023 and are featuring the same top-tier defensive line for 2025. Second year QB Bo Nix is also projected by many to take a huge leap forward in 2025, so the Broncos simply might be ahead of the Titans enough to not only win, but blow them out.
Broncos win 31-10
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 PM
The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are pretty evenly-matched on paper, but I would give the nod to the 49ers at the QB position and with the coaching staff, so while this game is in Seattle, I am banking on the experienced Kyle Shanahan to deploy a strong enough gameplan to earn a crucial Week 1 win.
49ers win 24-23
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers, 4:25 PM
A massive NFC North showdown sees the Detroit Lions heading to Green Bay to face the Packers, and it just feels like the Packers did close the gap in a big way with their Micah Parsons trade. Furthermore, the Lions lost both Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson to head coaching jobs, so some have called the Lions an obvious team to regress. I tend to agree, and with the Packers clearly making an all-in push this offseason, it going make for some competitive and perhaps different results in the division this year. Give me the Packers in yet another close Week 1 contest.
Packers win 28-27
Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 PM
In what would be a very fun and different Super Bowl in 2025, the Houston Texans face off against the Los Angeles Rams, and the main thing to watch out for in this one is if the Texans' offensive line saw the right changes in the offseason. With this being a Week 1 game, their OL could fail to find that key chemistry, and the Rams are more of a known commodity, so I'll take LA in this one.
Rams win 27-23
Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills, 8:20 PM
In a rematch of one of the AFC Divisional games in 2024, the Baltimore Ravens face the Buffalo Bills. Some would say that both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are the two best quarterbacks in the NFL, and it's really going to be hyped as a "Allen vs. Lamar" type of thing, which is obviously wrong. Baltimore has the better roster and better coaching staff, and in my eyes, also have the better QB, so give me Baltimore in an expected close game.
Ravens win 30-28
Monday, September 8th
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears, 8:15 PM
This week's Monday Night Football game sees de-facto rookie QB JJ McCarthy making his first regular season start against a hungry and solid Chicago Bears' defense. While you may be right in saying that the Vikings will be a better football team, the Bears are going to overwhelm McCarthy, and I would not expect his first NFL start to go all that well. Give me the Bears in an emotional victory to close out Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season.