Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season absolutely delivered with big twists and turns, exciting finishes, and as always -- the unexpected. How will Week 2 go as an encore?
The NFL has plenty of big-time matchups set for the spotlight, which doesn't even include the Super Bowl LIX rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles. Still, every primetime matchup features at least one playoff team from a season ago, some of the biggest star quarterbacks in the NFL, and some of the brightest up-and-coming players as well.
We've already made full NFL picks and score predictions for the slate of games in Week 2, but here, we'll focus more directly on each primetime matchup.
Week 2 NFL Predictions: Picks and score predictions for every primetime matchup
Washington Commanders (1-0) @ Green Bay Packers
Thursday, September 11, 8:15 PM ET
Week 2 starts off with an absolute banger as Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers play host to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Not surprisingly, these two teams looked fantastic in Week 1 but the Packers came away with a more "impressive" win considering they destroyed the Lions, who won 15 games a season ago.
This matchup is going to come down to each quarterback and limiting mistakes. The Packers traded for Micah Parsons before the start of the season, in case you missed that one, and that move paid immediate dividends. Plus, a move like that just send a jolt through the entire organization. It tells everyone from the top down of the organization that there's belief in a championship-caliber season.
It's going to be a lot, even for a team as strong as the Commanders, to go on the road and deal with in Week 1. While I think this could be an epic matchup and back-and-forth game that comes down to who has the ball last, I'm rolling with the Packers in a tight one.
Prediction: Packers win 27-24
Atlanta Falcons (0-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
Sunday, September 14, 8:20 PM ET
After a dismal three quarters, JJ McCarthy turned it up with three touchdowns in the 4th quarter as the Vikings came storming from behind to beat the Chicago Bears.
It was enough, even with a pick-six earlier in the game, to earn him NFC Player of the Week honors. Wild.
As impressive as McCarthy was, Michael Penix Jr. was equally impressive for the Falcons, leading what should have been a game-winning drive. The defense couldn't come through for him.
Penix was let down against the Bucs in Week 1, and that might be the unfortunate reality a number of times this season. Until we see the Falcons' defense catch up to the offense, I don't know if we can really project that team to go on the road and beat a team as talented as the Vikings.
We'll see if Minnesota can build on that 4th quarter against the Bears, but under the lights on Sunday Night Football, that Vikings fan base is going to be going ballistic to see their newly crowned franchise QB in person for the first time in a regular season game.
Prediction: Vikings win 23-19