Week 5: Oct. 5 at Cleveland in London, 8:30 a.m. (NFL Network/Fox 9)
Despite last year’s three wins and this year’s dysfunctional four-man QB competition, the Browns are still a scary team with game-wrecker Myles Garrett leading Jim Schwartz’s attacking defense. The Vikings will have the fresher legs, having been overseas since Week 4. Expect Kevin Stefanski to lean again on 40-year-old Joe Flacco to help save him from the Deshaun Watson fiasco, not to mention the Shedeur Sanders (over)hype and the possibility that Cleveland’s QB of the future won’t come until next year.
Week 7: Oct. 19 vs. Philadelphia, noon (FOX)
Eagles in 2024: 14-3; NFC East, NFC and Super Bowl champions
The world champs visit U.S. Bank Stadium with Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley, receiver A.J. Brown, four returning starters from the league’s best O-line and a Vic Fangio defense that ranked first in yards allowed and second in points allowed in 2024. Other than that, piece of cake, eh, Vikings fans? Yes, there were key defections defensively – Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, C.J. Gardner-Johnson – but the Eagles remain the team to beat in the NFC, if not the NFL.
Week 8: Oct. 23 at L.A. Chargers, 7:15 p.m. (Prime Video/Fox 9)
Chargers in 2024: 11-6; lost in wild-card playoffs
After transforming a 5-12 team into an 11-6 playoff squad, Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman spent the offseason enhancing their successful smashmouth style of play by adding massive right guard Mekhi Becton, running back Najee Harris and North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton via the draft’s first round. Defensively, Joey Bosa is gone, but many familiar faces – Derwin James Jr., Khalil Mack, Denzel Perryman, Daiyan Henley and Tuli Tuipulotu – return to a unit that led the NFL in scoring defense.