The Ravens will enter the 2025 season with one of the NFL‘s best teams. By mid-October, it should be clear just how good it is.

The Ravens will face four of the NFL‘s biggest Super Bowl favorites over the season’s first six weeks, headlined by road games against their biggest competition in the AFC. In Week 1, they’ll take on the Buffalo Bills in a rematch of last season’s playoff heartbreaker. In Week 4, they’ll face the defending conference champion Kansas City Chiefs. And, just for good measure, they’ll host the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions in Week 3 and the defending NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams in Week 6.

And that’s just the first third of the season. With less than four months until the 2025 season opener, here’s how the team’s schedule stacks up, with opponents ranked from least to most difficult.

17. Week 2 vs. Cleveland Browns

Even with linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah sidelined for the 2025 season, the Browns’ defense still has a couple of blue-chip pieces. The offense is another story. Maybe Cleveland’s talented, injury-prone line will be healthy enough in September to win the line of scrimmage, but what then? The Browns’ skill position players are underwhelming, and their quarterback will be either a caretaker (Joe Flacco? Kenny Pickett?) or a rookie (Shedeur Sanders? Dillon Gabriel?).

16. Week 11 at Browns

Cleveland won three games last season, and one of them was against the Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. Road games in the AFC North are never gimmes.

15. Week 16 vs. New England Patriots

An early-season game against a rebuilding New England team would probably be preferable to a late-season game, but the Ravens should feel good at home either way. Drake Maye will be a good test for the defense ahead of a potential playoff run littered with other elusive, strong-armed quarterbacks. On defense, the Patriots’ two biggest offseason signings, lineman Milton Williams and cornerback Carlton Davis III, should let coach Mike Vrabel play the physical brand of football he wants.

14. Week 12 vs. New York Jets

Justin Fields’ first and only start against the Ravens was forgettable: In a 2021 loss with the Chicago Bears, he went 4-for-11 for 79 yards before leaving with injured ribs. He should have a little more help as the Jets’ quarterback, but not much. Their strength is on defense, where they bring back All-Pro-level talents in lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner. Former Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens will also make his return to Baltimore, but if Jets rookie Azareye’h Thomas lives up to his billing, Stephens could watch from the bench as a well-paid reserve.

13. Week 14 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Ravens ran wild in their two home wins over Pittsburgh last year, first in Week 16 and then in their playoff opener. The Steelers should again have one of the NFL‘s best defensive fronts this season, led by linemen Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton and rookie Derrick Harmon and linebackers T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Patrick Queen. But the Ravens will be coming off an extended break after a Thanksgiving Day game against the Cincinnati Bengals the previous week.

12. Week 9 at Miami Dolphins

Last year’s NFL trade deadline fell a couple of days after Week 9. If Miami’s season spirals into misery, the Dolphins could be sellers. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey probably won’t be on the season-opening roster — the team is already exploring trade options — and how long will wide receiver Tyreek Hill stick around? Quarterback Lamar Jackson struggled four years ago in the Ravens’ last trip to South Florida, another “Thursday Night Football” game, but he should have the upper hand on former Ravens assistant and second-year Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver this time.

11. Week 8 vs. Chicago Bears

The Ravens get Chicago after a Week 7 respite. Under coach John Harbaugh, they’re 14-3 in games immediately following their bye, one of the NFL‘s best marks. The Bears have their most talented roster and most impressive coaching staff in years, and they stunned the Ravens in their last trip to Baltimore, a 2017 win led by then-rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Caleb Williams should be an even bigger threat under first-year coach Ben Johnson, with plenty of weapons in the receiving corps. If first-year defensive coordinator Dennis Allen can turn around the defense, Chicago could spring another upset.

10. Week 5 vs. Houston Texans

Houston finished last season with the NFL‘s No. 3 defense, according to FTN, and no one’s expecting a drop-off in 2025. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are one of the NFL‘s best edge rusher duos, Derek Stingley Jr. is one of the best cornerbacks, and coach DeMeco Ryans is one of the best defensive minds. The Texans’ big questions are on offense, where quarterback C.J. Stroud will have to bounce back from a disappointing 2024. A shaky offensive line and thin receiving corps led by Nico Collins could limit his star potential. The Ravens have dominated Houston over the past two years, winning their three matchups by a combined 90-21 score and not allowing a single offensive touchdown.

9. Week 18 at Steelers

Quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Fields both left Pittsburgh this offseason. If Aaron Rodgers indeed signs with the Steelers and can withstand the rigors of another year under center, the Ravens will see him inside Acrisure Stadium for their regular-season finale. Occasional Ravens tormentor George Pickens is no longer in Pittsburgh, but fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf, rookie running back Kaleb Johnson and a talented, young offensive line could provide enough firepower to stem the Ravens’ momentum in the series.

8. Week 6 vs. Los Angeles Rams

The last time these teams met, late in the 2023 season, they delivered one of the best NFL games in recent memory. But the allure of a rematch between two Super Bowl contenders was not enough to get this game into prime time. That should work against the Rams, who will have to travel across the country for an early-afternoon kickoff. Sean McVay is one of NFL‘s best coaches, and he has a talented mix of proven veterans (quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Davante Adams) and young playmakers (wide receiver Puka Nacua, outside linebacker Jared Verse).

7. Week 13 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati doesn’t get many breaks in prime time. From 2019 to 2024, the Bengals played seven AFC North road games in prime time, the most in the division, and won just once. (The Ravens played one such game in that same span.) Now Cincinnati will have to come to Baltimore again, this time on a short week for a Thanksgiving Day showdown. The Bengals will get another crack at the Ravens two weeks later, but Jackson has owned his matchup with quarterback Joe Burrow over their career.

6. Week 10 at Minnesota Vikings

There might not be a more intriguing coordinator matchup on the Ravens’ schedule than Todd Monken vs. Brian Flores. Monken oversaw the NFL‘s most explosive offense last season, and another strong year in Baltimore could put him in the mix for head coaching jobs. Flores transformed the Vikings’ defense last season, flummoxing quarterbacks with some of the same blitz trickery that baffled Jackson in his 2021 matchup against Flores’ Dolphins defense. If that’s not enough, the Ravens will also have to contend with wide receivers Jordan Jefferson and Jordan Addison, tight end T.J. Hockenson and a fortified Minnesota offensive line. A long layoff following the “Thursday Night Football” game against Miami should help, though.

5. Week 17 at Green Bay Packers

A late-December game at Lambeau Field? How romantic. And how challenging. Despite a couple of crucial injuries last season, the Packers finished fourth in the NFL in offensive efficiency, according to FTN. With the addition of first-round pick Matthew Golden, as well as the potential late-season return of the injured Christian Watson, quarterback Jordan Love could have one of the NFL‘s deepest and most dynamic receiver rooms at his disposal ahead of the playoffs. Cornerback Jaire Alexander’s future in Green Bay remains uncertain, but even with his injury problems last season, the Packers finished with a top-10 defense.

4. Week 15 at Bengals

The Bengals’ AFC North title hopes could hinge on this mid-December clash. The Ravens have won their past two games at Paycor Stadium by a combined six points, including their dramatic double-digit rally in an overtime win last year. With star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins back in Cincinnati alongside Burrow, the Bengals could again be poised for a late-season tear. But their Super Bowl hopes will depend on the defense’s growth under first-year coordinator Al Golden. Keeping star defensive end Trey Hendrickson will be crucial as well.

3. Week 3 vs. Detroit Lions

The Ravens’ only “Monday Night Football” matchup is a doozy. Detroit finished No. 3 in offense, No. 5 in defense and No. 1 in special teams last season, according to FTN, and should enter 2025 as a consensus top-five team. Quarterback Jared Goff could face growing pains in Baltimore as the Lions adjust to life without Ben Johnson, but he has an elite supporting cast. Detroit won’t make it easy for the Ravens’ run game, either, especially with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson returning from injury and tackles DJ Reader and Tyleik Williams arriving. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are one of the NFL‘s top safety duos.

2. Week 4 at Kansas City Chiefs

The Ravens haven’t won in Kansas City since 2012, but they have been competitive. There was an overtime defeat in 2018, a five-point loss in 2019 and a seven-point game last season that tight end Isaiah Likely almost sent to overtime. A win at Arrowhead Stadium wouldn’t change the Ravens’ playoff fate, but it certainly could make their road easier, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes is almost unbeatable at home in the postseason. An early-season game against Kansas City could favor the Ravens, especially if medical or legal issues sideline wide receiver Rashee Rice. The Chiefs’ rebuilt offensive line will need time to come together, too. Will the Ravens’ offense, coming off a short week because of their “Monday Night Football” game against Buffalo, have better answers for Steve Spagnuolo’s ever-changing defense?

1. Week 1 at Buffalo Bills

What a treat. What a test. Jackson and Josh Allen are two of the NFL‘s best quarterbacks. Derrick Henry and James Cook are two of the best running backs. The defenses could be two of the best as well. Mix it all together, and you have a “Sunday Night Football” season opener fraught with tension: Will the Ravens kick off a hellish September with a signature victory at Highmark Stadium? Will tight end Mark Andrews and the run defense redeem themselves after forgettable performances in last season’s playoff loss? Will Jackson play like he has anything to prove to the voters who picked Allen for league Most Valuable Player honors? The Ravens and Buffalo have equal Super Bowl odds, according to DraftKings. A win would make the Ravens the way-too-early favorites to come out of the AFC.