One of the most active and entertaining times of the NFL off-season is upon us as the NFL released its full schedule for all 32 teams on Wednesday night.
Teams hurry to post creative, often viral, schedule release videos while fans begin mapping out their team’s path to a Lombardi trophy.
Whether it’s knocking helmets against a division rival or facing an unfamiliar foe with new motives — like a star QB taking on his former team — the 18-week campaign is chock-full of enticing matchups.
Here’s one game from each week to keep your eyes throughout the 2024-25 NFL season.
Week 1 – Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs (TNF)
The matchup to watch in Week 1 is the season-opening game between the Ravens and Chiefs. It’s a rematch of last year’s AFC title game that took a game-winning field goal for Kansas City to advance to the Super Bowl. The last two league MVPs in Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson still lead both squads, so we don’t need to overthink Week 1. It’ll be a heavyweight bout.
Week 2 – Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson returns to the Mile High City in Week 2 after a tumultuous two seasons was capped off by an unceremonious exit. Wilson was acquired by the Broncos in 2022 and immediately signed to a five-year, $245 million extension. But after back-to-back losing seasons, and a 13-21 record, Denver released the former Super Bowl champion.
It was a cost-cutting maneuver by the Broncos before Wilson’s massive extension was set to kick in, the same reason why they benched the QB in Week 16 to avoid contract guarantees. With no love lost between the two sides, it’ll be interesting to see how personal Wilson takes the matchup.
Week 3 – Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys
As cross-conference opponents, the two teams have only played each other six times, with Baltimore dominating the series 5-1. However, Dak Prescott and Jackson have yet to face off, so it’ll be interesting to see what the QBs have in store for the early-season matchup.
Week 4 – Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens (SNF)
AFC powerhouses led by two of the top quarterbacks Josh Allen and Jackson, the primetime matchup has the makings of an instant classic. Jackson leads the regular season series 2-1, but it’s been close, as the last two games were decided by less than a touchdown each.
Meanwhile, Allen has the edge in their lone playoff contest, winning 17-3 in the divisional round back in 2021.
Week 5 – Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears
The Bears are a franchise that’s been tortured by the fact they’ve never really had a No. 1 quarterback. In the same draft class they could’ve selected Patrick Mahomes, they opted for Mitch Trubisky.
Week 5 could be Chicago’s first opportunity to be on the other side of the QB “what if” scenarios. Carolina traded their 2023 draft pick to move up and select Bryce Young a season ago, subsequently handing over superstar prospect Caleb Williams. If the USC product can come out and shine like most expect him to, it could be the Bears’ turn to finally get the last laugh…at the Panthers’ expense.
Week 6 – Buffalo Bills at New York Jets (MNF)
Last season we were robbed of Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen facing off as division rivals for the first time as the former tore his Achilles moments into their Week 1 matchup.
The Jets went on to win that game in overtime thanks to a thrilling punt return but it didn’t erase the fact that NFL fans lost out on a marquee QB duel. Hopefully, we get to see it happen this year as the AFC East rivals showdown in Week 6.
Week 7 – Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers
A Super Bowl rematch is always an intriguing matchup, but even more so when it’s between two teams that went to overtime to settle things.
The Chiefs won 25-22 in that game to capture their third Super Bowl in five seasons, two of which came at the expense of the 49ers.
Week 8 – Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders
It’ll be a battle between the top two picks in the 2024 NFL draft. Often when quarterbacks are taken one after the other, especially at the top of the draft, people can’t help but link the two players’ careers together.
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will be going head-to-head for the first time in the NFL for this Week 8 matchup, and fans will certainly be comparing the two every snap they take.
Week 9 – Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons
There may not be a matchup between more polarizing quarterbacks this season. Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins are two of the highest-paid QBs in the NFL and have three combined postseason wins to show for it through their eight and 12 seasons, respectively. Both have had immense success in the regular season while facing the same kind of scrutiny for their playoff failures.
Falcons fans will also enter this game hoping that Cousins can help them get some revenge against the Cowboys. The last two times these teams faced off, Dallas won both contests in two different, but equally crushing outcomes. In 2021 the Cowboys won by 40 points and a year before that, the Falcons blew a 20-point lead to lose 40-39.
Week 10 – Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
The AFC North rivals will be battling to assert dominance in the division and a win could be the difference in a post-season spot come January.
It’ll also be interesting to see if Joe Burrow can finally find some success against the Ravens. The former No. 1 overall pick is 1-4 against Jackson, with Baltimore sweeping the season series in 2023. If the Bengals want to remain a factor in the AFC picture they have to start by reclaiming top spot in their division.
Week 11 – Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills
The Chiefs and Bills have been powerhouses in the AFC for half a decade now and the matchup always makes for massive intrigue. Even if Buffalo hasn’t been able to figure out Kansas City in the playoffs, they find ways to make the regular season interesting, like their 20-17 win last year. Week 11 is also the only time the teams would meet barring a postseason showdown, so it ought to be a game football fans tune in for.
There may also be a special guest in attendance. Taylor Swift will be performing in Toronto for the weekend but doesn’t have a show on Sunday should she choose to make the short trip to Buffalo to support her partner, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Week 12 – Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers
After winning a National Championship with Michigan, Jim Harbaugh was lured back to the NFL by the Chargers. His return to the professional ranks means an inevitable matchup with older brother John and the Ravens.
The two notably became the first brothers to coach against each other in a Super Bowl in 2012 when John’s Ravens took down Jim’s 49ers. The Harbaughs have only faced off twice in the NFL with John winning both times, so it’s safe to say Jim will be itching to get into the win column against his big brother.
Week 13 – San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills (SNF)
Two teams consistently towards the top of their divisions, and conferences, but have yet to put the right pieces together for a championship. Regardless of their post-season demons, a matchup between two juggernauts who haven’t faced off since 2020, when Nick Mullens was taking snaps for the 49ers, should make for a stellar primetime game.
Week 14 – Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings
Cousins will be making his return to Minnesota in Week 14 after spending six seasons with the Vikings. He made three Pro Bowls with the team through two winning seasons and a 1-4 playoff record.
He threw for over 4,000 yards in four of his six years in Minnesota and many considered the 35-year-old the top free-agent QB despite coming off an Achilles injury that ended his 2023 season prematurely. The Falcons clearly weren’t dissuaded by age or health concerns as they signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal this offseason.
Both teams had unique but subtlety connected offseasons. Both signed veteran QBs, Minnesota had to because Atlanta poached their snap taker, and both still drafted a quarterback in the first. We’ll see how all of it manifests for their Week 14 face-off.
Week 15 – Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (TNF)
The division rivals will meet for a primetime matchup and the NFC West is notorious for upsets. Both teams ought to be competitive this year barring injuries, so a late-season contest could include major playoff implications.
Week 16 – Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs
There has yet to be a team to dethrone Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Bills and Ravens have tried with no success, and the Bengals did it one season but that momentum vanished in quick succession.
C.J. Stroud and the Texans look like the latest up-and-comer in the AFC and with veteran additions like Stefon Diggs on offence and Danielle Hunter on defence, they could be poised to be the team to knock off Kansas City finally. At the very least, the Week 16 matchup should give fans an idea of how close the Texans are to joining the top teams in the conference.
Week 17 – Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers (MNF)
It may get lost in the shuffle between a slate of Christmas Day games, but Detroit vs. San Francisco still looks like a marquee matchup worth tuning into.
The Lions and 49ers will face off in a rematch of last year’s nail-biting NFC championship game. Detroit led that contest by 17 points at halftime before crumbling in the second half and losing 34-31, costing them a trip to their first Super Bowl.
Week 18 – Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
This end-of-season matchup may seem inconsequential if you’re a general NFL fan. But to the people of Indianapolis, a season-finale against AFC South rival Jacksonville brings back painful memories they’re hoping to wash away this year.
With an opportunity to make the playoffs with a victory in 2021, the nine-win Colts, led by Carson Wentz, lost to the two-win Jaguars and missed their chance. Since that infamous defeat, they’ve yet to make it back to the playoffs and have lost three consecutive season finales.