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What does it all mean? Winners and losers, quite naturally \u2013 and a wide range of them:<\/p>\n
WINNERSNFC East<\/p>\n
It\u2019s back in a big way, baby. The Dallas Cowboys<\/a>, Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> \u2013 those longtime rivals ring in the season with the Thursday night kickoff opener<\/a> on September 4 \u2013 and Washington Commanders<\/a> are scheduled for six prime-time appearances apiece, tied for the second-most league-wide following the Kansas City Chiefs.<\/p>\n PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 29: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball against DaRon Bland #26 of the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on December 29, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n No team that made the playoffs in 2024 has an easier schedule based on its opponents\u2019 collective winning percentage (.467) from last season. The perennial AFC East champions will also enjoy three prime-time home games during their final season at Highmark Stadium.<\/p>\n Colts\u2019 \u2018Indiana Nights\u2019 uniforms<\/p>\n It\u2019s been two years since Indianapolis unveiled its alternate uniform, which features a black helmet and “heathered” uniform design \u2013 the team claims the locals clamored for these. Unfortunately, the Colts<\/a> have been relegated to wearing the \u201cIndiana Nights\u201d kit for 1 p.m. ET kickoffs because they haven\u2019t been relevant enough to play in prime time. But fear not, the Colts will host the San Francisco 49ers<\/a> on \u201cMonday Night Football\u201d in Week 16. Open the Lucas Oil Stadium roof and drink in the Indiana night, you Hoosiers!<\/p>\n Streaming services<\/p>\n They continue to make inroads into what used to purely be the domain of network broadcasts. This year, Prime Video, YouTube, ESPN+ and Netflix will all be in the mix in some way, shape or form as the league continues to broaden its content distribution model.<\/p>\n Aaron Rodgers?<\/p>\n The Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 would-be QB1<\/a> \u2013 right? \u2013 won\u2019t be inordinately saddled with marquee games after North loaded him and the New York Jets<\/a> up with a mulligan 2024 schedule that didn\u2019t work out for anyone \u2026 though you can bet Rodgers will be raring to go in Week 1, when his apparent Black-and-Gold debut will come on the road against those same J-E-T-S who summarily dumped him after changing regimes. Four prime-time games \u2013 not to mention being the designated home team in the league\u2019s Ireland debut \u2013 feels like a pretty standard Steelers<\/a> schedule, regardless of quarterback \u2026 though you know Rodgers will be licking his chops when the Green Bay Packers<\/a> come to Pittsburgh for a \u201cSunday Night Football\u201d date in Week 8.<\/p>\n Cincinnati Bengals\u2019 travel schedule<\/p>\n The centrally located Stripes are the only team in the league set to have fewer than 10,000 travel miles in 2025. They\u2019ll doubtless reinvest the savings into rewarding DE Trey Hendrickson with the contract he’s more than earned \u2026<\/p>\n NFL social media teams (mostly)<\/p>\n The schedule release is tantamount to the Super Bowl for social departments throughout the league as they brew up a mixture of creativity, shade and anticipation while rolling out their respective teams\u2019 fall lineup. USA TODAY Sports’ Jordan Mendoza has ranked this year’s efforts<\/a>, and the Los Angeles Chargers once again distinguished themselves. The Colts did not<\/a> … hardly the first time the franchise has been embarrassed in the Super Bowl, regardless of version.<\/p>\n LOSERSFamilies of Dallas, Detroit and Kansas City players<\/p>\n For the third straight year, the Chiefs will be playing on Christmas \u2013 though at least they\u2019ll be at Arrowhead this season. Yet the twist for 2025 is that the reigning AFC champions will also play on Thanksgiving at Dallas. Speaking of the Cowboys (and Lions), perennial home fixtures on Turkey Day, both of those clubs also draw Christmas assignments in 2025 \u2013 on the road in each case. Do it up on Labor Day, y’all!<\/p>\n Chargers\u2019 travel schedule<\/p>\n The Bolts are scheduled to log a league-high 37,000 miles getting from Point A \u2013 LA \u2013 to Points east and far south, including that trip to Brazil in Week 1. Frequent flyer points would be nice but, hey, nobody\u2019s got it better than you guys.<\/p>\n 10 p.m. ET kickoffs<\/p>\n The league had moved away from the late-night games it often used to roll out in Week 1 \u201cMNF\u201d doubleheaders, that second matchup often featuring a West Coast team or two \u2013 football diehards east of the Mississippi paying a heavy price while trying to post for work on Tuesday morning. This year, the Monday night lineup on ESPN will merely kick off with the Chicago Bears<\/a> and Minnesota Vikings to cap the opening weekend. But Week 2 and Week 7 will feature twin bills without overlapping games, Las Vegas and Seattle, respectively earning after-hours spotlights with 10 p.m. ET start times. Keep the Red Bull handy, Right Coasters.<\/p>\n Football fans with Chiefs fatigue<\/p>\n Tired of watching Patrick Mahomes and Co., who have reached five of the past six Super Bowls and have some folks pining for the \u201cPatriot Way\u201d? Welp. Not only does Kansas City have those league-leading seven prime-time appearances, factor in Thanksgiving, and you\u2019ve got eight exclusive broadcast windows.<\/p>\n College Football Playoff<\/p>\n It\u2019s set to enter its second year with the expanded, 12-team format \u2026 one that didn\u2019t fare well, from a TV ratings perspective, while attempting to intrude on the late-season Saturday time slots the NFL had claimed years ago when the college game had entered its pre-Bowl season hiatus. Moving forward, sure doesn\u2019t seem like the pros are willing to concede any viewership eyeballs, slotting a pair of compelling division rivalry games on the Saturday (Dec. 20) of Week 16, when the Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers in the league\u2019s longest-running series while the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles will meet in a rematch of last season\u2019s NFC championship game. Good luck with that, Penn State. And be careful, NCAA decision-makers … the NFL has already rendered the NBA irrelevant from the Christmas showcase the Association once owned.<\/p>\n Germany<\/p>\n Decades removed from World War II, they\u2019ve been valued American allies for the past 80 years. Yet we keep sending them Daniel Jones as an NFL ambassador? Maybe Volkswagen is still being penalized for that emissions scandal \u2026<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n All NFL news on and off the field.\u00a0Sign up<\/a>\u00a0for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.<\/p>\n![\"PHILADELPHIA,](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/9cdbaa6d616b8082b5d8436fb52aec77.jpeg\"\/)
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