Baltimore Ravens: Three Key Games on 2025 Schedule

The NFL schedule release wasn’t kind to the Baltimore Ravens. Not only does Baltimore have one of the league’s hardest schedules, but they open their season with their toughest stretch. They face five of last year’s eight divisional round teams in the first six weeks before heading into an abnormally early Week 7 bye.

That stretch includes facing both top conference seeds from a year ago, and MVP-winner Josh Allen. As Baltimore searches for a fourth straight postseason berth, here are games to mark on the calendar this coming year.

Baltimore Ravens: Three Key Games on the 2025 Schedule

Week 1 at Buffalo (Sunday Night Football)

Last year, Baltimore opened their season in Kansas City, the team who eliminated them in the previous postseason. Ironically, Baltimore heads back to Buffalo in Week 1, where they lost 27-25 in last year’s divisional round. And, they get to do it in the bright lights of Sunday Night Football.

After another AFC Championship appearance, Buffalo is looking just as strong as they’ve ever been. Meanwhile, Baltimore is also primed for another elite season. Not to mention, contract worries with running back Derrick Henry are now in the rear view mirror.

Both teams are physical, quick, and have two elite quarterbacks under center. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are the two most recent MVP-winners, and are the only two QB’s to receive first place votes over the past two seasons. In fact, the matchup marks the first time in history the top two MVP finishers from the previous season face off in Week 1. Jackson’s won two of his three regular season meetings with Allen, though Josh’s 2-0 edge in the postseason always adds extra flare when these two face off.

It’s must-see-TV from Highmark Stadium on the NFL’s first Sunday Night Football of 2025.

Week 3 vs. Detroit

After a Week 2 home meeting with the rival Cleveland Browns, the Ravens stay in Charm City to host the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. If recent meetings are supposed to be an indication of what’s to come in 2025, then Detroit fans are in for a miserable evening.

In 2021, Justin Tucker made an NFL-record 66-yard field goal to beat the Lions in the final seconds. Two years later, Baltimore welcomed them onto their field with a 38-6 beatdown. However, the Lions aren’t a team that’s just going to lay down.

Detroit hits hard. They’ll control the game at the line of scrimmage, and their offense makes them a dangerous threat.

Jared Goff was an MVP finalist a year ago, and Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown makes his job a whole lot easier. Defensively, Aidan Hutchinson is returning from injury with vengeance, and the defensive unit was seventh in points allowed in 2024.

This Monday Night Football matchup brings it all between two teams who are both looking to get over the mountain top.

Week 4 at Kansas City

Shockingly, this sixth edition of Jackson versus Patrick Mahomes is not on a primetime or standalone slot, the first time since 2019. However, its 4:25 positioning still suggests fans are ready for another dynamic battle between two of the NFL’s best.

Last year’s game between the two was one of the better games of the entire season, with the game ending on the final play. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely’s foot was just millimeters over the back of the end zone, ruling a possible game-tying touchdown incomplete. Add on a SNF contest in 2021 that saw Baltimore etch out a 36-35 win and then an AFC title win for KC in 2023, and these two teams entertain fans in head-to-head meetings like no other.

However, Jackson’s 1-5 showing against the Chiefs is still forefront among conversations when these him and Mahomes square up. Two contending teams and two multi-time MVP winners will battle in a game set to be one of the NFL’s best.

Honorable Mentions

Baltimore vs. Cincinnati on Thanksgiving (Week 13)

The Ravens and Bengals faced off in two of the NFL’s top five games last year according to CBS Sports, a top-10 list Baltimore appeared on four times.

Baltimore at Green Bay (Week 17)

The Ravens humiliated Green Bay in their last meeting at Lambeau Field in 2017 with Aaron Rodgers injured on the sideline. Though, Baltimore has only beaten the Packers in one of their other six all-time matchups.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh (Week 18)

The narrative through a good portion of last season came that Lamar Jackson couldn’t beat Pittsburgh. After beating them in the final weeks of the regular season and the postseason, however, this rivalry is once again as even as it gets.