The 2025 NFL season is officially just one month away, which means it's time to take an early look at every Week 1 matchup on the schedule.
The NFL has no trouble getting eyes on its product anyway, but the Week 1 slate is loaded with intrigue. We've got potential Super Bowl previews, division rivalries getting off to a hot start, a couple of MVPs going head to head, and a lot of new eras getting underway
Let's take a look at every matchup in Week 1 and make our early picks and score predictions for each of them.
2025 NFL Picks and Score Predictions for Every Week 1 Game (one month out)
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
Thursday, September 4, 8:20 PM ET (NBC)
The regular season will kick off, as always, with the reigning Super Bowl champions on your screen for a Thursday night primetime matchup. The Philadelphia Eagles will begin their title defense against the Dallas Cowboys, who are dealing with some major contract drama right now with star pass rusher Micah Parsons.
Regardless of the contract drama with Parsons, the Cowboys present an intriguing challenge if everyone is out on the field, even for a team as good as the Eagles. The young duo of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the defensive backfield is going to be tested by a Cowboys team with a healthy Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and newcomer George Pickens.
I wouldn’t be shocked by an upset here, but I’ll take the champs by a field goal.
Prediction: Eagles win 26-23
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Friday, September 5, 8:00 PM ET (YouTube)
Game will be played in Brazil
The NFL really loved the way last year’s Brazil game went, so they’re doing it again this year. The Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs will meet for the first of two matchups in what should end up being one of the best matchups of the week.
These two teams had top-five defenses last season in a number of key metrics, and they both boast top-tier quarterbacks. Ultimately, this is a game that will come down to which team can make fewer mistakes, and I think the Chiefs are going to come out this season with a renewed focus.
The past two years, the Chiefs have been in the middle of the pack offensively and unable to pose the type of threat we had gotten used to seeing. Patrick Mahomes is going to make an example of his division rivals here.
Prediction: Chiefs win 27-21