5 Can’t Miss Primetime Games on the 2025 NFL Schedule

The NFL schedule was officially released on Thursday night. With plenty of anticipation, fans around the world can now plan to attend some of the most exciting matchups this NFL season. From Week 1 divisional matchups to playoff-clinching scenarios in Week 18, the 2025 NFL schedule has it all. 

Below we will pick out five of the best primetime NFL games you can expect from the 2025 NFL season announced in the 2025 NFL schedule release.

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Cowboys @ Eagles: Week 1 Season Opener

There’s no better way to start the season off than a classic Week 1 divisional matchup in the NFC East. For Philadelphia, this matchup sets the tone for their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions. 

On the other hand, the Cowboys hope to redeem themselves after a lackluster 7-10 season as QB Dak Prescott returns to the field. Adding WR George Pickens and some young talent through the draft brings some excitement for this Cowboys team however. 

While it may seem as if we get this matchup often, Jalen Hurts and Prescott have only played against each other three times. Prescott is 2-1 in those games and with both teams heading into what is already an intense matchup with healthy rosters, the sky's the limit to kick this NFL season off between two explosive offenses.

Ravens @ Bills: Week 1 – Sunday Night Football

Speaking of explosive offenses, we’ll get two of the highest-flying offenses in football, as Sunday Night Football leads off with arguably the most anticipated matchup of the entire season. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson versus the 2025 NFL MVP Josh Allen in a rematch of last year’s divisional round duel. 

The Ravens will be looking for revenge as the last time they visited the Bills, Mark Andrews went viral for all the wrong reasons, dropping the crucial two-point conversion. That drop would send the Bills to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. 

The Bills will look to repeat the outcome of last year’s game and will likely need a strong performance from the MVP to do so.

Commanders @ Chiefs: Week 8 – Monday Night Football

Jayden Daniels and Patrick Mahomes — what more is there really to say about this game. Daniels was phenomenal last season, playing with such calmness and poise you only see in a NFL vet. That led his team to the NFC Championship as a rookie. 

We could have easily gotten this matchup in last year’s Super Bowl, and nobody would have been disappointed. 

On the other side, you have the generation’s best quarterback. Two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes will always find a way to make a game exciting. Although the production from the Chiefs as a whole wasn’t up to par last season, they still found a way to make it to the Super Bowl, where their shortcomings were exposed. 

This game should provide sparks of offense unlike many others as these two star quarterbacks will battle it out on primetime.

Lions @ Eagles: Week 11 – Sunday Night Football

We finally get the NFC Championship game we all dreamed of last season between the Lions vs. Eagles. 

Facing key injuries while being matched up against Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels was the nail in the coffin. In Week 1, they’ll be healthy, and they’ll instantly be considered an NFC contender.

This matchup should prove which team has the upper hand heading into the end of the season..

While these two teams will not be exactly what they were last season, it still provides us with enough star power to go around between the two preseason favorites in the NFC. This will be the first matchup between the two franchises since they put up 73 total points in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season.

Bengals @  Ravens:  Week 13 – Thanksgiving Thursday Night Football

What better way to end one of the best holidays of the year than an AFC North showdown between Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. This matchup never disappoints as between the two sides they have put up 148 points combined over their last two matchups (74 points per game), including an overtime thriller. 

While both teams did invest in some defensive upgrades this offseason, it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to stop star players such as Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase and Ravens RB Derrick Henry. 

The Bengals got out to a rough start last season, but they have higher expectations this season. Look for the offenses to run wild this game as they typically always do.

Broncos @ Chiefs: Week 17 – Thursday Night Football

This 2024 Week 10 matchup was arguably one of the best games of the season. Many believed the Chiefs were frauds for most of last season, squeezing out wins by the thinnest of margins and although they weren’t playing their best football, they always found a way. 

This matchup was no different, after a drive in which many believed to be the end of the Chiefs undefeated season, they somehow managed to block the game-winning field goal as time expired. 

This matchup was scheduled the last week of the season in 2024, and with nothing to play for, the Chiefs rested their starters, and the Broncos took full advantage to clinch a playoff spot. 

With this divisional matchup taking place in Week 17, there should still be plenty to play for and ultimately some playoff clinching scenarios for both teams. If anything remotely close to last season’s matchup, this game should kick off the Week 17 slate quite well.

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