The NFL schedule has officially been released, and after a couple of days to digest the matchups, we can draw some early conclusions as to who’s been handed a golden opportunity–and who’s staring down a rough ride. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the 2025 NFL schedule release.
Winners – Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals head into the season full of optimism after a solid 8-9 campaign, and there is plenty of reason to believe they could make a step forward.
Their offseason moves have strengthened a previously inconsistent defence, bringing in proven pass-rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. At the same time, the draft added exciting young talent in Walter Nolen and Will Johnson. Combine that with a schedule that starts kindly; there’s every reason for hope in the desert.
Arizona will travel to New Orleans and host the Panthers, Titans, and Seahawks within their first five games. They also compete in a division where the winner boasted only a 10-7 record last year.
With early momentum and some key additions, could we see Kyler Murray lead the Cardinals to the top of the NFC West for the first time since 2015?
Losers – Detroit Lions
The Lions enjoyed an incredible regular season last year, tying for the best record in the league and establishing themselves as real contenders. But success comes at a cost, which is often a tougher schedule.
Detroit faces one of the hardest slates in the league this year. Yes, their defence will be back to full strength with stars like Aidan Hutchinson and Carlton David returning, one of the big reasons they conceded 45 to the Washington Commanders in the playoff round.
Now, they’ll have to navigate a brutal road schedule that includes trips to Cincinnati, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, four sides with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Even their own division is tough, despite the fact that they swept it last season.
We know the Lions are more than capable of beating these sides, but will we see the same Lions team we have had the past two seasons after losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn?
Winners – Buffalo Bills
Since drafting Josh Allen, the Bills have been one of the league’s most consistent regular-season teams, but postseason success continues to elude them. Could 2025 finally be the year they take the next step?
The schedule might help them. Buffalo has the second-fewest travel miles in the league this season, at just 10,546, and they’ll be at home for four of their first five games. That includes matchups with the Jets, Dolphins, and Saints and three winnable fixtures.
The tougher games are spread out throughout the season, plus their meetings with the Ravens (week 1), Chiefs (week 9) and Eagles (week 17) are all at home.
They have a favourable run towards the end of their campaign, too, featuring the Patriots, Browns, and Jets in three of their last four. This means they have a good chance to start the season on a high and also end it strong.
Losers – New York Giants
It could be a long year for Big Blue, unless Jaxson Dart turns out to be the next Tom Brady, although it’s likely Russell Wilson will start the season, which is probably wise given the gauntlet they’ll face right out of the gate.
They open the season against the Commanders, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Chargers, four sides that posted winning records last year when healthy. A slow start feels almost inevitable, and that could put head coach Brian Daboll’s job in danger very quickly. Could we potentially see him as the first coach to depart?
Not only that, but they also have the task of a double against the Eagles and a visit to the Lions. It appears to be a rather tough schedule for the Giants this year.
Harrison Richards