Sportsnaut
The 2025-26 NFL season has finally arrived. The Week 1 schedule kicks off on Thursday and continues into Monday, like most weeks throughout the regular season. Football fans will even be able to tune in Friday night for the second NFL game in Brazil.
Until the madness begins, we’re ranking the best NFL games to watch on the Week 1 schedule. With all 32 teams in action, there’s a lot of intrigue ahead, so let’s get down to business.
A rematch of the AFC Divisional Round playoffs from last season, this Ravens vs Bills matchup pits the NFL’s last two MVP winners against each other. With two of the NFL’s best dual-threat quarterbacks in action, what’s not to like?
Related: Predicting NFL Playoff Teams and Super Bowl 2026 Winner
Even without the Micah Parsons trade, this NFC North matchup would have been one of the best football games on this week’s schedule. But now that the Packers have added a top-five defender? This Lions vs Packers game is must-see TV for all football fans.
Related: Freshly-Paid Micah Parsons May Not Play for Green Bay Packers in Week 1
Did you know the Los Angeles Chargers haven’t beaten the Kansas City Chiefs since 2021? That’s a long stretch considering these two AFC West rivals play each other twice per season. It’s one of just three matchups that feature two 10-win teams going up against one another this week.
Get the Latest Chargers News and Rumors from LAFBNetwork
Aaron Rodgers up against the team that didn’t even want him to come back in 2025? Yeah, that’s a game that we’ll want to watch closely. How much does the 40-year-old gunslinger have left in the tank? Enough to help the Pittsburgh Steelers embark on a Super Bowl campaign? Can the New York Jets return to relevance under Aaron Glenn?
Related: Super Bowl odds: Every team’s championship futures for 2025-26 NFL season
A classic NFC East showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles would have been much more interesting had Micah Parsons stayed in town. Still, with Dak Prescott returning from injury, plus first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer taking over, this Cowboys vs Eagles game will be exciting. Plus, after trading Parsons, the Cowboys could make a big statement with a Week 1 win over the defending Super Bowl champs. Or, they could fall flat on their faces, thus making the Parsons trade criticism even louder than it already is.
Related: Dallas Cowboys Could Get ‘Very Aggressive’ Targeting Dak Prescott’s Replacement
Not only will 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy be making his first NFL start, he’ll be...
