The Baltimore Ravens will enter the 2025 NFL season as one of the favorites in the AFC – as they typically are.
However, recent playoff performances have put the Ravens under the spotlight as one of the teams under the most pressure to finally get over the hump.
They enter the new season with the ninth-hardest schedule in the league, and most of those tough matchups will come right at the beginning of the season.
Here is an analysis of Baltimore’s three must-watch matchups. Lucky for Ravens fans, they all come within the team’s first five weeks of games.
Week 1: @ Buffalo Bills – 8:20 p.m. E.T. – Sunday Night Football
One of the most anticipated quarterback matchups of the entire season is how we kick off the first Sunday of the season.
Buffalo, led by league MVP Josh Allen, will face the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens in a rematch of last season’s memorable AFC Divisional round. It was a 27-25 finish that put the Bills into the conference championship game and ended Baltimore’s season the last time the two faced off in 2024.
Jackson had narrowly lost to Allen in the MVP race at the end of the season, but the playoff loss brings a bit more sting. If it wasn’t for a Mark Andrews drop in the waning moments of that game, the Ravens could have continued their quest for their first Super Bowl appearance since 2012.
Now their first shot at revenge is Game 1 of the new season. Grab your popcorn.
Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions – 8:20 p.m. E.T. – Monday Night Football
Following a likely blow-over in the home opener against the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore will face another serious contender in the Detroit Lions. The matchup is also the Ravens’ second primetime game in the first three weeks.
Last season saw another one-possession loss that will lead to a motivated 2025 rematch. The Lions escaped with a 27-20 win over the Ravens in Week 1 last season.
Detroit has grown into one of the primetime darlings of the NFL, and feature an exciting offense, yet minimal postseason success. Kinda sounds like the Ravens.
This will be a crucial game for the Ravens that could be a huge momentum driver into the final marquee matchup of this grueling early season slate.
Week 4: @ Kansas City Chiefs – 4:05 / 4:25 p.m. E.T.
The following week serves as another rematch for the Ravens. The last time Baltimore made the AFC championship game, the Chiefs finished off a 17-10 win to eliminate the MVP Jackson and go on to win the Super Bowl in 2023
The Chiefs could be highly motivated in this upcoming meeting as well. They will be two weeks removed from a 2024 Super Bowl rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles … so depending on that performance, this matchup with the Ravens could be a bounce-back statement win.
A Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson headliner will always be an exciting and impactful matchup. But surprisingly enough, it won’t be a national showcase game.
Baltimore’s five-game stretch to start the season may be one of the toughest in the league. How they perform in each of these marquee matchups will be a clear indication of the Ravens’ competition level moving forward.
Most importantly, a strong start to the season will propel John Harbaugh’s team into a less difficult second half schedule … which the Ravens hope builds them the chemistry and rhythm they need to finally climb the AFC mountain.
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