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
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
The NFC South looks like one of the divisions in the NFL entering the 2025 season that’s already decided, and we’re just going to have to wait and find out the how, not so much the what.
The Buccaneers had another strong offseason, adding another dynamic weapon to their offense with first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka joining the fray. If they can get a big year out of free agent pass rusher Haason Reddick, they’re going to run away with the NFC South quickly.
The Falcons will have something to say about it, but this is just now the true beginning of the Michael Penix Jr. era. The Falcons are also breaking in a number of young bucks defensively, and they need both Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr - their first-round picks in 2025 - to be impact pass rushers immediately.
Prediction: Buccaneers win 31-22
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
It’s been a brutal offseason for both the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, but the Bengals still have one of the strongest core groups of players offensively in the NFL. And their top defensive player - Trey Hendrickson - reported for duty, along with first-round pick Shemar Stewart.
The Bengals are cooking with a little something, even though it was torturous to get to this point. The Browns, however, have nothing to really look forward to this year. Unless Shedeur Sanders finds his way into the starting lineup, this is going to be a team we’re monitoring for future trade deadline selling, and that’ll be the next time they become an interesting topic of discussion.
The Bengals won’t have any trouble here.
Prediction: Bengals win 31-13
Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
The Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts were two teams who threatened the other playoff teams in the AFC last season, but nothing materialized. Injuries and quarterback issues derailed both of these teams as the season wore along, and we could have the same exact storyline here in 2025.
For the Dolphins, it’s going to be a tough road back to the postseason with their secondary already looking like one of the worst in the league and Jaelan Phillips already dealing with injuries. This team should be equipped to load up the box score offensively, but they’re one or two injuries away from being a six-win team.
The Colts have a competition ongoing right now between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson for the starting quarterback position. If Jones wins that competition coming out of camp, there will be much bigger problems facing this team going forward.
Prediction: Dolphins win 24-23
Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
How about this Week 1 matchup with Josh McDaniels fabricating a shot at revenge against the team he destroyed from the inside out?
Now, McDaniels will be calling the offense for the Patriots and expected breakout candidate Drake Maye, and he'll probably make the Raiders look bad in this one. The Raiders have one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and while Maxx Crosby might give Maye and the Patriots some trouble, this game is much more likely to be an early 'we are back' statement by the Pats than it is anything to do with the Raiders.
Although if the Raiders have a chance to win this one late in the tight red zone, Pete Carroll should let Geno Smith hand it off to Ashton Jeanty instead of asking Smith to throw it.
Prediction: Patriots win 23-19
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
The opportunities for the New Orleans Saints to be predicted to win games this season will be few and far between. The Saints don't have nearly as bad of a roster as some people have said, but the mix of veterans and young players they have right now is sort of a recipe for disaster.
They are going to need the defense to come through in a big way if they're going to have any success this season, because Jake Haener has still been taking 1st-team reps at quarterback for them in training camp.
The Arizona Cardinals have a chance to continue their slow but sure ascent up the standings in the NFC West. It's been a grind the past couple of years as Jonathan Gannon takes over, but the vision is slowly coming to fruition.
Prediction: Cardinals win 26-12
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
How about this? Aaron Rodgers is facing his old team, and it's him going against the Jets and not the Green Bay Packers.
The past couple of years have gone by in the blink of an eye, and they've felt like an eternity at the exact same time. Rodgers is entering his Last Dance with the Pittsburgh Steelers this year, but the guys he left on the Jets are going to try and make this debut a miserable one for him.
This is a matchup that could be totally dependent on how competent the Jets look offensively early on, and I'm thinking the Steelers are going to find a way to win what could end up being somewhat of an ugly overall matchup.
Prediction: Steelers win 19-16
New York Giants @ Washington Commanders
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
All offseason, the Washington Commanders have gotten sort of the same exact treatment as we saw last year for the Houston Texans. After showing themselves to be ahead of schedule last year, everyone is expecting the Commanders to pick up right where they left off, but this is not a team without concerns right now.
Specifically in the pass rush department. The Commanders might get a bit of an easy on in Week 1 as Russell Wilson takes a lot of unnecessary sacks, but the Giants are a really improved team on paper and a lot of the key people in that organization are fighting for their NFL jobs right now.
The defensive front in New York should come through big in this game. Week 1 is where weird stuff often happens and I’m taking the Giants to upset the Commanders on the road with a month to go. We’ll see how I feel when Week 1 actually rolls around.
Prediction: Giants win 26-24
Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
This one’s for all the 90s kids out there. The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars are two teams looking to rebound in 2025 after rough years last year.
For the Panthers, it’s going to be figuring out a way to bounce back after having the worst defense in the league. For the Jaguars, it’s the beginning of a new era entirely.
The Panthers have a chance to take a pretty big stride forward this season if a few of their young players defensively can be hits, because Bryce Young showed big-time progression in the second half last season after being benched for Andy Dalton.
This will mark the NFL debut of Travis Hunter, who has apparently been nearly impossible to cover in training camp at receiver. The Jags are hoping Liam Coen can unlock the best of Trevor Lawrence, and this will be a great early test for both teams.
Prediction: Jaguars win 24-22
Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos
Sunday, September 7, 4:05 PM ET
How’s this for a baptism into the NFL? Titans #1 overall pick Cam Ward is going to get to go on the road to face off against what could be the NFL’s best defense in the 2025 season.
Honestly, it’s probably the perfect way to take the pressure off the rookie. Just go out there and play. Go out there and make mistakes, take chances, and whatever else Ms. Frizzle used to say.
Ward and the Titans are in a rebuilding year, there’s no question about it. The Denver Broncos expedited their rebuild after cutting Russell Wilson, thanks to the emergence of quarterback Bo Nix as a rookie last year. Nix finished 3rd all-time with 34 total touchdowns as a rookie, and has given this Broncos team hope for the future.
Sean Payton teams start slow, historically speaking. It’ll be interesting to see if this Denver team can not only meet expectations but change that narrative.
Prediction: Broncos win 27-17
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, September 7, 4:05 PM ET
Seahawks fans will get a first look at the Sam Darnold era, and it’s going to be against a familiar old friend and foe. Robert Saleh, who was part of the historic Legion of Boom on the Seattle coaching staff, is back in San Francisco as the 49ers defensive coordinator, and likely looking to fast-track himself back into a head coaching gig.
Sam Darnold is going to get tested in this one, even against a really young and largely unproven San Francisco defense. This 49ers team is still dealing with injuries, but they’re a lot healthier now than they were most of last season.
The 49ers are going to have to bounce back this year in a number of ways, but with Christian McCaffrey on the field, they’re going to be a tough team to defend. The Seahawks might have some trouble early on after making a bunch of changes offensively.
Prediction: 49ers win 29-24
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers
Sunday, September 7, 4:25 PM ET
Everyone is going to be fascinated to see how the Detroit Lions will look without offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on the coaching staff. Those two guys were instrumental to this team becoming a force in the NFC, and they’ve got a really tough draw as they try to get off to a fast start.
The Packers are my early pick for the NFC North this year, but they could be susceptible in a matchup like this where the Lions just have too many weapons to defend. Green Bay’s biggest roster issue right now is at cornerback, so they might have to get this one to a shootout.
If it comes to a shootout, I think Jordan Love is going to prove himself to be one of the most improved all-around quarterbacks in the league this coming season.
Prediction: Packers win 34-31
Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, September 7, 4:25 PM ET
How about a sneaky potential Super Bowl matchup here in Week 1? There are a number of really great matchups on the docket, but if these two teams enter Week 1 of the season fully healthy, this is going to be must-see TV.
It’s hard to not be harder on the Houston Texans this offseason after the disappointment that was their 2024 regular season, but I’m in the camp that believes the Texans are going to bounce back in a big way this year.
The Rams are a team I was bullish on all of last year, and with Davante Adams and Terrance Ferguson being added to the fold offensively, they’re only going to be tougher to stop. I think Sean McVay and company are going to get the season started off with a convincing win at home.
Prediction: Rams win 27-23
Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills
Sunday, September 7, 8:20 PM ET (NBC)
The best matchup of Week 1 is one fans are going to have to wait all day for on Sunday, but it’ll be worth the wait.
The league MVP from last season was Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, though you could have easily made the argument that Lamar Jackson deserved it more.
Those two guys are the biggest cheat codes in the NFL, so this will be an interesting combination of “chess match meets fireworks display” with two of the league’s biggest stars. The Bills are going to have their new-look defensive front put to the test with Derrick Henry and that Ravens running game.
As good as Buffalo’s home-field advantage is, I don’t think the home field matters in a matchup between two teams this good, not as much as other games. I don’t see the Ravens losing more than two games this year, but this could very well be one of them.
Prediction: Ravens win 30-28
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
Monday, September 8, 8:15 PM ET (ESPN)
The Ben Johnson era gets started in Chicago with the Bears playing host to their division rival Minnesota Vikings, who are also getting the JJ McCarthy era underway.
At this point, Kevin O’Connell deserves the benefit of the doubt for the way he’s been able to maximize everyone he’s had under center, or at least win games in spite of whoever he has out there. The Vikings won 14 games a season ago, and while I don’t see them being that good this year, I do think they’re going to be able to go into Chicago and impress.
The Bears need marked improvement from Caleb Williams this year, but this defensive front of Minnesota is going to bully him and force him to make plays outside the pocket early on, even with Chicago’s improvements on the offensive line.
Prediction: Vikings win 27-22