Tag: nfl schedule

49ers won’t get chance at NFL history with game in Ireland

No Ireland game for the 49ers.

The NFL will expand its international footprint during the 2025 season by playing its first ever regular-season game in Ireland.

While there are opportunities for the San Francisco 49ers to play overseas next season, they won’t be one of the teams participating in the league’s first jaunt to Ireland. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been designated as the home team for that contest.

Thanks to their last-place finish in the NFC West, the 49ers don’t face the Steelers next season. Instead they’ll visit the Cleveland Browns – the last place finisher in the AFC North.

That Cleveland game doe have the potential to take place overseas, it would just happen in London where the 49ers last played against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012.

While getting to be part of NFL history by playing in a country’s debut game would be cool, head coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers would surely be okay with staying stateside for the entire season. The logistics and travel schedule that come with an international game are tough, and the last thing the 49ers need as they try and get back to Super Bowl form is the atypical travel and schedule that come with playing across the Atlantic.

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NFL announces a 2025 regular season game in Ireland

NFL announces a 2025 regular season game in Ireland, but the Detroit Lions will not be involved in the game

The NFL continues to expand its international footprint. After announcing a 2026 regular-season game in Australia recently, the league has revealed that there will be a game in Ireland in 2025.

Alas, the Detroit Lions will not be involved in the trip to Croke Park Stadium in Dublin for the game. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been designated the host team for the NFL’s first-ever game in Ireland. Detroit and Pittsburgh will indeed play in 2025, but the game will be at Ford Field in Ireland.

There is early speculation that the Green Bay Packers will be Pittsburgh’s foe in their Irish trip. The official announcement of the schedule comes later this offseason.

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Roger Goodell continues teasing 18-game regular season

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues teasing an 18-game regular season schedule

2024 was only the fourth season with a 17-game regular season. If the NFL seemingly has their way, 17 will soon become 18.

The latest tease came Friday when commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about expanding the regular season. Goodell said the league has been happy thus far with the results in terms of not seeing an increase in injuries after changing from 16 regular-season and four preseason games to 17 and three. He then said the next “logical step” would be 18 and two.

“We would keep within that 20-game framework,” Goodell said on Bloomberg TV (via Pro Football Talk). “We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step.”

The current CBA runs through the 2030 season, but there is a non-zero chance the schedule could expand before then. The current schedule formula calls for 17 games with six divisional games, six additional games within a team’s conference and five games from the opposite conference. While it remains to be seen what an 18-game schedule would look like, it would increase the possibility of more international games.

Currently, the league can schedule up to eight international games. An 18-game season could bring as many as 16 international games. The Lions have not played outside the United States since playing in London in 2015, a 45-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Their last win outside the States came in 2014, a 22-21 win in London over the Atlanta Falcons.

Are Bengals headed for an international game in 2025?

Will the Bengals head to Spain in 2025?

Last March, the Cincinnati Bengals admitted they were bracing for an international game as soon as 2025.

Turns out that thinking might just be correct.

The NFL just announced the Miami Dolphins will play a “home” game in Madrid, Spain next season

Cincinnati is scheduled to visit the Dolphins on the 2025 schedule and would seem to have a pretty good chance of being selected. They have the sixth-longest drought in the NFL without an international game (2019) and the annual overseas games tend to favor conference showdowns.

That, and the Bengals are just an attractive team to get in any sort of spotlight right now, be it national or even international.

Last year, the Bengals were candidates to play in Munich, Germany, against the Carolina Panthers and were also prepared for a possible overseas game in 2025 and 2027.

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Who will Eagles play next in NFL playoffs bracket?

It’s #Eagles vs. #Rams in the NFL playoffs divisional round. Bracket update, what to know

After knocking out the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round on Sunday, the Philadephia Eagles are headed to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Which team are the Eagles set to play against next?

Eagles NFL playoff bracket update

The No. 2 seed Philadephia Eagles will face off against the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams in this week’s divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

Eagles vs. Rams predictions

The Rams hosted Philadelphia in Week 12, and while Los Angeles held Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to only 179 passing yards, running back Saquon Barkley ran for 255 yards against Los Angeles. The Eagles emerged as victors in the midseason matchup, and while Los Angeles may be able to get the score closer this time, Philadelphia should ultimately win this showdown.

Final score: Eagles 36, Rams 27

What time is kickoff for Eagles vs. Rams?

The NFL announced that the kickoff for this divisional round matchup will occur on Sunday, January 19, at 3:00 p.m. ET, and the game will air on NBC.

Who will Lions play next in NFL playoffs bracket?

It’s #Lions vs. #Commanders in the NFL playoffs divisional round. Bracket update, what to know

The Detroit Lions enjoyed a bye week during the wild-card round of the postseason playoffs after clinching the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed in the regular season.

Now that the conference’s wild-card round is complete, the Lions’ next playoff opponent has been announced.

Lions NFL playoff bracket update

The No. 1 seed Lions will face off against the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs next week.

Lions vs. Commanders predictions

The Lions and Commanders have not met this season and will be relying heavily on the tape in preparation for their showdown. While Washington has had an incredible season with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels under center, it seems unlikely that Detroit will slip up and let them progress to the conference championship, especially after the Lions took a much-needed bye week.

Final score: Lions 42, Commanders 33

What time is kickoff for Lions vs. Commanders?

The NFL announced on Monday that the matchup between Detroit and Washington will be played on Saturday, January 18. The action from Ford Field in Detroit will air on FOX at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Denver Broncos schedule: When is the team’s playoff game?

The Broncos will face the Bills in a Wild Card playoff game today at 11:00 a.m. MT on CBS.

After going 10-7 in the regular season, the Denver Broncos‘ are set to face the Buffalo Bills in a playoff game on Sunday, Jan. 12.

The Wild Card game will begin at 11:00 a.m. MT (1 p.m. ET) on CBS. Fans can stream the game on FuboTV.

The Bills are the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs this year and the Broncos are the No. 7 seed. Because the No. 1 seed (the Kansas City Chiefs) get a first-round bye, the No. 2 seed faces the No. 7 seed in the first round.

NFL Playoff picks: Unlock exclusive data-driven predictions 

Denver will now aim to get an upset win in Buffalo against Von Miller, who won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos following the 2015 season.

View the team’s complete 2024 schedule below.

Denver Broncos 2024 Schedule

Week Date TV Opponent Time (MT) Broncos Tickets
1 9/8 CBS @ Seattle Seahawks 26-20 L
2 9/15 CBS  vs. Pittsburgh Steelers 13-6 L
3 9/22 FOX @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7 W
4 9/29 CBS @ New York Jets 10-9 W
5 10/6 FOX vs. Las Vegas Raiders 34-18 W
6 10/13 CBS vs. Los Angeles Chargers 23-16 L
7 10/17 Amazon Prime Video @ New Orleans Saints 33-10 W
8 10/27 CBS vs. Carolina Panthers 28-14 W
9 11/3 CBS @ Baltimore Ravens 41-10 L
10 11/10 CBS @ Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 L
11 11/17 FOX vs. Atlanta Falcons 38-6 W
12 11/24 CBS @ Las Vegas Raiders 29-19 W
13 12/2 ESPN vs. Cleveland Browns 41-32 W
14 12/8 BYE
15 12/15 CBS vs. Indianapolis Colts 31-13 W
16 12/19 Prime @ Los Angeles Chargers 34-27 L
17 12/28 NFL Network @ Cincinnati Bengals 30-24 L
18  1/5 CBS vs. Kansas City Chiefs 38-0 W
19 1/12 CBS @ Buffalo Bills 11:00 a.m. Tickets

The Broncos clinched their first winning season since 2016 in 2024. Now they will seek their first playoff win since the 2015 season.

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Analyzing the Seahawks’ 2025 road opponents

Analyzing the Seahawks’ 2025 road opponents

The Seattle Seahawks were oddly effective away from Lumen Field throughout the 2024 campaign. Mike Macdonald’s club were road warriors, compiling an elite record of 7-1 away from home. The Seahawks’ actual 2025 schedule won’t be released for several more months, but their opponents have already been revealed. Let’s analyze each adversary they’ll play on the road.

The Seahawks are scheduled to play nine road games in 2025 after having the extra home game in 2024.

Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks dominated the Arizona Cardinals on the road in 2014, winning 30-18. The Cardinals are a rebuilding squad that showed improvement this campaign, however. Kyler Murray and Co. could make for a more difficult opponent in 2025.

Los Angeles Rams

The Seahawks defeated the Rams 30-25 at SoFi Stadium in Week 18’s regular-season finale. It was a meaningless contest, because the Rams had already captured the NFC West division title. The Rams could possess more incentive in next year’s rematch.

San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks captured a last-minute win over the San Francisco 49ers on the road. Geno Smith scored what was essentially a walk-off rushing touchdown. Defeating the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium was big for Seattle’s confidence.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons barely missed the postseason in 2024. The Seahawks can relate. Seattle defeated Atlanta 34-14 at Merecdes=-Benz Stadium, and will be making their second consecutive trip there next season. Michael Penix Jr. will be the Falcons’ starting quarterback this time around.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers showed legitimate late-season improvement. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Young finally began meeting expectations. The Panthers could be a trickier road opponent in 2025 than most realize.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going through the process of appointing a new head coach after Doug Pederson failed to meet expectations. A healthier Trevor Lawrence under quarterback would increase their competitiveness next season. Jacksonville should be an improved team.

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans own the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Will Seattle play against a rookie quarterback like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in this game?

Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are in the playoffs. Drafting Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Jayden Daniels totally altered the projection of their franchise. A healthy Daniels would give Seattle difficulties in this matchup.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are always competitive under Mike Tomlin. Will Russell Wilson return at quarterback? He’s currently slated for unrestricted free agency.

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PFF chart shows Rams faced toughest schedule of any playoff team

No playoff team faced a harder regular-season schedule than the Rams, according to this chart from PFF

The Los Angeles Rams may not have the best record of the 14 teams that made the playoffs, but they’re as battle-tested as anyone in the dance. Their path to the postseason was littered with difficult opponents, from the Lions and Packers to the Vikings and Bills.

Despite facing a challenging schedule, the Rams emerged from the regular season with an impressive 10-7 record – which could’ve been even better if they didn’t rest their starters in Week 18.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Rams’ schedule was the hardest of any playoff team based on the chart below. It shows that the offensive and defensive strength of their opponents was the highest of every team that made the postseason.

During the regular season, the Rams faced five of the 13 other teams in the playoffs. They went 2-3 in those games, beating the Bills and Vikings, and losing to the Lions, Packers and Eagles.

By no means does the Rams’ strength of schedule mean they’re the best team in the playoffs or that they have an advantage over the rest of the field, but it does suggest they might be better prepared for a challenge than other teams.

Chargers’ 2025 opponents are finalized: Who will LA play next season?

The Chargers now know who they will face next season, both at home and on the road.

The Chargers’ 2024 season is not over yet, as they’re set to face the Texans in the Wild Card round this Saturday.

However, they do know who they will be facing next season.

The actual schedule that dictates the order of the games won’t be revealed until March.

Here’s a look at the 14 teams on next year’s list of opponents.

Home Opponents:

Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

Pittsburgh Steelers

Minnesota Vikings

Road Opponents:

Denver Broncos

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

Dallas Cowboys

New York Giants

Miami Dolphins