Now that the 2025 NFL schedule has been released, we can finally peer into the crystal ball and see how the regular season will shake out.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our way-too-early 2025 win-loss predictions for all 32 NFL teams.
Which teams are poised to win many games in the 2025 NFL season?
Arizona Cardinals: 8-9
The star-studded Cardinals offense should keep them around in the wild card race, but Jonathan Gannon’s group is merely the fourth-best team in its division. The schedule after Week 9 is brutal, too.
Look at their final six-game stretch: At Bucs, vs Rams, at Texans, vs Falcons, at Bengals, and at Rams. That could be six straight losses to knock them out of the playoff race. Especially if Kyler Murray does his good ol’ no-showing the second half of the season.
Atlanta Falcons: 8-9
Atlanta will need to survive a brutal six-game slate to open their season: vs. Bucs, at Vikings, at Panthers, vs. Commanders, vs. Bills, and at 49ers.
The Falcons have the talent on both sides of the ball to be a playoff team. It simply comes down to the play of second-year QB Michael Penix Jr. We need to see more to buy the hype, so we’re settling on them matching last year’s record.
Baltimore Ravens: 12-5
The Ravens have won double-digit games in six of Lamar Jackson’s first seven seasons, so nothing should change this year.
Jackson and Derrick Henry will cruise through the regular season, but the real question is if the Ravens will ever break through after yet another crushing NFL playoff loss — this time at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.
Stay tuned…
Buffalo Bills: 13-4
The Bills’ four hardest opponents are the Ravens, Chiefs, Bengals, and Eagles. And guess what? Josh Allen gets all of them at home.
After hosting Baltimore in Week 1, Buffalo has a clear path to six straight wins against teams that finished below .500 a year ago. They hit 13 wins again, but will it be enough to wrestle home-field advantage away from Kansas City in the NFL playoffs?
Carolina Panthers: 5-12
We want to think the Panthers will take a leap, especially if Bryce Young finally puts it all together in year three. But Carolina has a daunting schedule, with only a handful of games against bottom-tier opponents.
The Panthers played some of their top competition tough last year, though, so don’t be surprised if Dave Canales’ squad scores a big upset victory or two.
Chicago Bears: 8-9
If the Bears played in any other division, we’d pencil them in as an NFL playoff team. But folks, they play in the NFC freaking North. There are only so many wins to go around between the four clubs, and the Lions and Packers figure to hog most of them.
Make no mistake—the Bears will be a lot better this year with Ben Johnson calling the shots for Caleb Williams. 2025 will be a big step forward, but they need a bit more time to close the gap with the Lions, Packers, and Vikings—oh my!
Cincinnati Bengals: 11-6
The 2024 Bengals went down as one of the greatest teams to miss the postseason…but the luck will balance out in their favor this time around.
They have a very difficult schedule with no easy stretch of games, but Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson are all they need to compete. Joe Cool turns in another MVP-caliber year as the Bengals return to the big dance in 2025.
Cleveland Browns: 4-13
Uncertainty at quarterback and playing in the brutal AFC North add up to another forgettable year in Cleveland.
On the bright side, Shedeur Sanders will generate plenty of media attention and headlines for Kevin Stefanski’s squad — whether he’s the starting QB or not. Consider Cleveland an early front-runner for the No. 1 pick in 2026, which may or may not mean getting Arch Manning.
Dallas Cowboys: 10-7
The Cowboys have the misfortune of playing the entire AFC West and the NFC North, along with the Eagles and Commanders twice apiece. Not easy, but they should be in wild card contention with a healthy Dak Prescott throwing to CeeDee Lamb and newcomer George Pickens.
Like the Bills, Dallas has the luxury of playing their toughest opponents at home. Don’t falter at Jerry World, and they should be back in the NFL postseason.
Denver Broncos: 10-7
The Broncos stunned everybody with a 10-7 finish and returned to the postseason last year. Now we see what the Sean Payton-Bo Nix tandem can do for an encore.
The AFC is as tough as ever, but Nix and a stacked defense that added Jahdae Barron and Talanoa Hufanga should keep Denver in the playoff mix yet again. The key is to survive the final four weeks with the Packers, improved Jaguars, Chiefs, and Chargers on the schedule.
Detroit Lions: 12-5
As great as the Lions were last season, any team needs a lot of luck to win 15 games in the regular season. As stacked as their roster is, expect fewer wins in the “W” column this year.
The Lions play in a much-improved NFC North, and it doesn’t help that most of their challenging games are on the road and away from Ford Field. Still, they’re the deepest team in the North and should snag a third straight division crown.
Green Bay Packers: 11-6
The Packers won 11 games last season and still only finished third in the NFC North. Playing in football’s toughest NFL division means it’ll be hard to improve last year’s win total, but a healthy Jordan Love and the arrival of prized rookie Matthew Golden keep the Packers in the tier of NFC Super Bowl contenders.
One thing that is sure to improve: Their in-division record after going 1-5 inside the NFC North last year.
Houston Texans: 10-7
The Texans remain far and away the most complete team in the AFC South and should have little issue cruising to a third straight division crown.
Beating up on their divisional foes will help the win count, but we’re worried about a schedule that features the AFC West, NFC West, plus the Ravens and Bills. Unless the protection in front of CJ Stroud improves drastically, it’s hard to see Houston improving last year’s win total and showing they can hang with the AFC’s top dogs.
Indianapolis Colts: 6-11
The Colts have the talent to be an NFL playoff contender, but it comes down to the performance of Anthony Richardson…or Daniel Jones if the latter can have a career-saving season, Sam Darnold-style.
We’re not buying the QB room this year, but playing in the AFC South means a few extra wins that will keep them out of bottom-five team territory. Indy’s best hope is that the Texans collapse and leave the division wide open for the taking.
Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-12
The arrival of Travis Hunter will make the Jaguars something they weren’t last year: Watchable and semi-entertaining.
But look at the Jags’ opponents from Weeks 2 to 7: At Cincinnati, vs. Houston, at San Francisco, vs. Kansas City, vs. Seattle, and vs. Rams. It’s not a stretch to think the Jags will be 1-6 or 2-5 heading into their Week 8 bye.
The schedule softens up after that, but will it be too little, too late by then? The Jags need the 2022 version of Trevor Lawrence from start to finish if they’re to make a surprise run at a playoff spot.
Kansas City Chiefs: 13-4
The Chiefs have finished 11-6 or better every year since Patrick Mahomes became the starter in 2018, and nothing should change here.
They won’t go 15-and-2 again, but it’s hard to see more than four losses given their schedule. They get most of their challenging games at Arrowhead. And the AFC West is much improved, but Mahomes still owns his three division rivals.
Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
The Raiders should be much better with Pete Carroll, Geno Smith, and Ashton Jeanty headlining the list of significant additions. But like the Bears, they’re stuck in a stacked NFL division with no margin for error.
Someone has to have the smallest piece of the pie in the AFC West. The Raiders are still a work in progress and not quite ready to leapfrog the Broncos or Chargers…but they will be a fun team to watch in year one of the Carroll era.
Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
The Chargers went 11-6 last season, marking their best finish since 2018. The improvement in the AFC West, though, will make it hard for them to repeat that mark.
But there’s no reason to think Jim Harbaugh’s squad can’t return to the postseason…as long as they survive the horrific five-game stretch to close out their season: vs. Philly, at KC, at Dallas, vs. Houston, and at Denver.
Los Angeles Rams: 11-6
The Rams won the NFC West last year after an ugly 1-and-4 start. Fortunately, their schedule is a lot more manageable this year, especially coming out of their Week 7 bye.
An elite young defense and the arrival of Davante Adams should push the Rams to their best finish since 2021, as well as another division crown.
Miami Dolphins: 8-9
If Tua Tagovailoa stays healthy, and if Tyreek Hill is indeed committed to Miami, then maybe the Dolphins will return to the postseason. Those are two big “ifs” though, and we don’t think GM Chris Grier did enough to improve a roster that lost a lot more talent than it gained this NFL offseason.
Minnesota Vikings: 10-7
The Vikings “should” be a playoff team in 2025, but coming anywhere close to last year’s stunning 14-win season under Sam Darnold is asking for too much.
Not sure how JJ McCarthy will fare as a rookie, and the Vikings won’t sweep the Bears and Packers again. The star power on both sides of the ball will keep Minny in the playoff picture, but regression is inevitable after insane luck in one-score games last year.
New England Patriots: 6-11
Few teams upgraded their roster as well as the Patriots this offseason…but remember, Rome wasn’t built in a single day. Mike Vrabel needs time to get this young and inexperienced roster to buy into his “bully ball” system, and the Pats are still well behind the Bills and Dolphins in the AFC East.
On the bright side, the Patriots will actually be fun to watch this year, not dull and stale like the 2022, 2023, and 2024 squads!
New Orleans Saints: 3-14
The Saints are our early guess to win the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. And truth be told, there’s no second thought.
This team was bad enough last year with veteran quarterback Derek Carr behind center.. His unexpected retirement leaves them with Spencer Rattler and little-known rookie Tyler Shough. Good luck with that.
Then again, maybe it’ll take a historically bad season for ownership and management to sign off on a rebuild instead of pushing for annual 9-win seasons?
New York Giants: 4-13
Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart make up a better QB room than anything the Giants have had since Eli Manning’s retirement…
But still. Look at their schedule. How many “winnable” games do you see? They could very well have no more than two wins by the time they hit their Week 14 bye. The talent level just isn’t there for Big Blue to surprise us the way they did in 2022.
New York Jets: 5-12
We think the Jets made the right move to pull the plug on the Aaron Rodgers experiment, but short-term pain is necessary before they contend again in the AFC.
This is about buying into the system and culture of rookie head coach Aaron Glenn. The time for him and first-year GM Darren Mougey to go “all-in” will come, but this is a year of growing pains for a new-look Jets team trying to move past the disastrous Rodgers era.
Philadelphia Eagles: 12-5
The defending champs will have a heckuva time repeating last year’s 14-win total. They have a daunting schedule to kick off the season, with five games against 2024 NFL playoff teams over their first seven weeks.
To us, it’s between Philly, Detroit, Green Bay, and the Rams for the NFC’s top seed. Not that the Eagles need it as badly as those clubs, though.
Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
This prediction is based on the assumption that Aaron Rodgers indeed signs with the Steelers. If not, they’ll win no more than five games with Mason Rudolph.
Pittsburgh plays the entire NFC North, plus four total games against the division rival Bengals and Ravens. Regardless of how Rodgers fares, if he does come to Pittsburgh, the defense is going to have to mostly carry the way if they’re to have a shot at the postseason.
San Francisco 49ers: 10-7
They lost an alarming amount of talent in the offseason, but Kyle Shanahan’s squad is due for much better luck on the health front. If Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and Nick Bosa are healthy, the 49ers will be back in the NFL postseason.
Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
If Sam Darnold proves that 2024 in Minnesota was no fluke, then consider the Seahawks a dark horse. But we need to see it to believe it, especially since he’s playing behind a leaky offensive line and in a complex division.
But there’s enough young talent here for the Seahawks to at least lock down a fourth straight winning season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
Gunning for their fifth straight division crown and sixth straight playoff appearance, the Bucs remain the team to beat in the lackluster NFC South. The Baker Mayfield-led offense will send Tampa back to the NFL playoffs, but their problems in the secondary will likely hold them back from making the jump to Super Bowl contender.
Tennessee Titans: 3-14
The Titans made the right choice to take Cam Ward with the first overall pick, but they didn’t make many notable splashes in free agency to upgrade the roster. They’re taking their time rebuilding a flawed roster around Ward, and a year of growing pains is necessary for Brian Callahan’s group.
An awful schedule with only a handful of weak opponents means a third straight 3-win season in Music City.
Washington Commanders: 11-6
No reason to think that 2024 was a fluke. Jayden Daniels is the real deal. A winning culture has been firmly established under Dan Quinn and Adam Peters, with Dan Snyder long gone.
Washington’s surprise run to the NFC Championship Game last season was only the start of something special. The Commanders will hit double-digit wins in consecutive years for the first time since 1990 and ‘91.