NFL Week 1 schedule rankings: The 5 best Sunday games to watch on the opening slate

After 30 Sundays without it, the NFL returns to our lives at last. No, preseason doesn’t count — we’ve been waiting for the real stuff.

The product itself might be better than ever before. The league says that 2025 tied a record for most finishes decided by three points or fewer. Last season, 72 contests ended with a game-winning score in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, which is the second-most in NFL history. We’re very much here for whatever comes next.

With the opener in Seattle and the marquee in Melbourne both settled, we now turn to Sunday’s crowded schedule. Like last year, I’ll be ranking the offerings for all 18 Sunday slates of the regular season. There is going to be a different theme for each week, but I’m keeping it simple for the Week 1 drop. Here’s what I see as the five best games coming our way.

All times listed are ET.

Week 1 Sunday viewing guide

In-market CBS and Fox games are free over the air. “Sunday Night Football” is a national broadcast; NBC is free over the air and also streams with Peacock’s premium plan.

5. Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers

Both teams won division titles last year after they finished either last or tied for last the year before. Both roll with a No. 1 draft pick under center: the Panthers’ Bryce Young from 2023 and the Bears’ Caleb Williams from 2024. Most saliently, both gave us hair-raising efforts in January’s playoffs.

Carolina took the Los Angeles Rams to the cliff’s edge in their 34-31 wild-card marathon. Young made some of the best throws of his pro career and scrambled for a heroic house call, while receiver Jalen Coker had his long-awaited breakthrough. Meanwhile, Williams went superhuman for two all-time Chicago sports moments — his “Jumpman” pass against the Green Bay Packers and his celestial heave to tie the Rams.

The Panthers return with reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan out wide, and added big-ticket linebackers Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips in free agency. The Bears are ready for Colston Loveland to take the next step at tight end, as Ben Johnson wants to design the “highest-scoring offense ever.”

Chicago native Adam Amin joins Drew Brees on the call for Fox.

4. Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

John Harbaugh makes his Big Blue debut in one of the league’s oldest rivalries. Cowboys-Giants on “Sunday Night Football” has been a place for catches on the event horizon and ink dips into the lore.

Harbaugh’s Giants get Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo on the field again. Nabers went off for 167 receiving yards and two touchdowns in last September’s 40-37 overtime banger. Their menacing second level includes Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and No. 5 pick Arvell Reese. Odell Beckham Jr. is back in the New York groove.

Dallas can be an exceptionally fun watch with its electric offense. Dak Prescott is free to air it out with Brian Schottenheimer on the headset. CeeDee Lamb, a five-time Pro Bowler, comes off the highest yards per reception mark of his career. George Pickens is a twirling, toe-tapping highlight reel.

The much-maligned defense has completely remade itself. Christian Parker is the new defensive coordinator. Rashan Gary and future Hall of Famer Von Miller are now coming off the edge, and potential Defensive Rookie of the Year Caleb Downs is making his NFL introduction.

Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth are in the SNF booth.

3. Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

Cheeseheads and “Skol” chanters link up for another platinum rivalry, and hope springs anew in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

The visitors seek redemption after their playoff collapse against Chicago. It begins with Jordan Love, who appears to have embraced his role as franchise quarterback. Love finally has healthy receivers in 6-foot-4 Christian Watson and fleet-footed Jayden Reed. Tucker Kraft was looking like a breakout tight end before his ACL tear in November. He’s nowhere to be found on the Week 1 injury report. It’s all systems go for Matt LaFleur and the Pack.

Redemption is on the line for Kyler Murray, too. Minnesota has been the place for QB revivals, as Sam Darnold and Case Keenum can attest. Murray tries to be the next successful project in purple, joining the Vikes after seven up-and-down years with the Arizona Cardinals. He has creative strategist Kevin O’Connell as his coach and supreme safety valve Justin Jefferson at receiver.

Jefferson can become the third-fastest in league history to hit 8,500 receiving yards. With 20 or more yards Sunday, he’d trail only Lance Alworth and Julio Jones, two of the position’s true dignitaries.

JJ Watt partners with Jim Nantz for the first time on this CBS broadcast.

2. Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

The other half of the NFC East gets “America’s Game of the Week” treatment on Fox.

The Commanders add Stefon Diggs to line up with “Scary” Terry McLaurin. After his shimmering rookie-year magic, Jayden Daniels gets a chance to wipe away his injury-plagued sophomore season. He’s cunning and fearless at full strength, lest Philly forget. Sonny Styles, the seventh pick in April’s draft, can make an instant impact for Dan Quinn’s defense.

Few defenses are sharper than the Eagles’, which is brimming with game-wreckers like Jalen Carter, Zack Baun and Cooper DeJean. Bolder changes come from the other side of scrimmage.

A.J. Brown is no longer an Eagle, which means DeVonta Smith is unleashed as WR1. First-rounder Makai Lemon can give the offense a new dimension, too. Saquon Barkley has reinvented human movement when given the space. And Jalen Hurts is a flat-out winner. Per TruMedia, Hurts has won five straight Week 1 starts, and he can tie Aaron Rodgers for the second-longest streak this century.

Tom Brady has the longest streak at 10. He’s on the mic with Kevin Burkhardt for Sunday’s game.

1. Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans

Stampeding bison meet raging bulls for Week 1’s coolest style clash. Buffalo ranked fourth in total offense last year, while Houston was No. 1 in total defense. Josh Allen, top MVP pick in The Athletic’s decision-makers’ survey, is a torpedo with the ball in his hands. Will Anderson Jr. ranks second to only Myles Garrett on the survey’s list of defensive closers. This should be a lot of fun.

No one does late-game theatrics quite like the Bills. Their playoff run last season began with a live-wire 27-24 win that had four fourth-quarter touchdowns. It ended with a 33-30 OT stunner that cost Sean McDermott his job. McDermott’s successor, Joe Brady, takes on an immediate Super Bowl mandate for a franchise that’s been so close so often.

Allen has a new top target in DJ Moore, and 2025 rushing champ James Cook is here to compress defenses once again. The front office also signed Bradley Chubb, who has put up four seasons with at least eight sacks.

DeMeco Ryans has led Houston to three playoff berths in his first three years as the head coach. A fourth is well within reach given the Texans’ turbo-engine defense. Anderson and Danielle Hunter form a nightmare duo on passing downs. As if the secondary weren’t already good enough with shutdown corner Derek Stingley Jr. and safety Calen Bullock, Houston brings in former Eagles captain Reed Blankenship for extra coverage this season.

If C.J. Stroud can get the offense back on track with first-read receiver Nico Collins and new running back David Montgomery, Houston could emerge as the AFC’s final boss.

Ian Eagle and Ross Tucker are tapped for this potential playoff preview.

Updated Week 1 odds

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