NFL Schedule Release Unveils Challenging 2025 Road for These 3 Teams

The NFL unveiled the full 2025 regular season slate on Wednesday, revealing a challenging road ahead for several franchises. Because the league does not use a strictly balanced schedule, some teams will inevitably face a more daunting string of opponents, regardless of their own performance the previous year. Analyzing schedule strength is always a tricky proposition.

Rosters shift through free agency and the draft, coaching staffs turn over, and unexpected breakout seasons can upend preseason expectations. Nonetheless, based on last year’s records, three teams stand out for facing particularly difficult draws this fall.

The New York Giants lead the way with the toughest schedule in football. Despite their struggles last year—posting a 3-14 record that nearly led to major front office changes—the Giants are staring down a slate of opponents that combined for a .574 winning percentage in 2024. The NFC East faces both the NFC North and AFC West, divisions that together produced six playoff squads a season ago.

• Six of the Giants' opening eight games are against 2024 playoff teams.
• This stretch is expected to test the resolve of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, both of whom return amid heightened scrutiny.

The complete Giants’ schedule was released Wednesday evening, setting up an early gauntlet for the team as it tries to rebound from last year’s disappointment.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, entering his second NFL campaign, won’t have it easy either. The Bears’ schedule features opponents who went a combined .571 last season.

• Every other team in the NFC North reached the postseason in 2024, meaning Chicago faces a series of tough intra-division matchups.
• Outside the division, the Bears are set for contests with the always-competitive NFC East—which includes the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles—and the AFC North, boasting perennial playoff contenders like the Ravens and Steelers.

This setup is likely to be a major test for Williams and new head coach Ben Johnson, as the team seeks to close the gap with its division rivals.

The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, share the second-toughest projected schedule with the Bears, as both teams’ opponents finished with a .571 aggregate win percentage last year. Detroit’s impressive 15-2 campaign in 2024 has raised expectations, but replicating that success may prove difficult.

• The Lions must navigate the same slate as the Bears while also adjusting to significant coaching changes: offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has left to coach the Bears, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn now leads the New York Jets.
• That transition adds another layer of challenge for a team looking to cement itself as a consistent contender.
  

With these schedules in place, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how these teams respond to one of the most demanding slates of games in recent history. While the numbers suggest a tough road ahead, the ever-unpredictable nature of the NFL means nothing is set in stone until the teams take the field this fall.