The Ravens lamented how they stumbled out of the gate with an 0-2 start last season, and they insisted they must start faster this season. That won’t be easy.
According to their 2025 schedule released May 14, the Ravens in the first month of the season will face the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs — all playoff teams that compiled a combined record of 43-8 in 2024. After that opening month, which includes a pair of prime-time games, the Ravens should have a good idea of where they stand in the AFC pecking order.
The AFC North picture, though, might not clear up until the season’s final month. The Ravens’ schedule is backfilled with divisional games; beginning with a home game against Cincinnati on Thanksgiving night, the Ravens will play four of their final six games against AFC North teams, including both games against the Bengals in a span of three weeks.
The Ravens, coming off back-to-back AFC North titles, will begin the season with a Sunday Night Football matchup on Sept. 7 at Buffalo, where their 2024 season ended in a 27-25 Divisional Round loss to the Bills. The game will pit the top two vote-getters in last year’s Most Valuable Player balloting, winner Josh Allen of the Bills and runner-up Lamar Jackson of the Ravens.
The Ravens are 1-4 in their history at Buffalo, including a pair of playoff losses.
These teams met in the season opener in 2018 — the rookie year for both Jackson and Allen — with the Ravens rolling to a 47-3 win at M&T Bank Stadium before either All-Pro became his team’s starting quarterback.
The Ravens host the Cleveland Browns in the home opener at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 2 on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. Time will tell whether Joe Flacco, rookie Shedeur Sanders or someone else is the starting quarterback for the Browns that day.
The Ravens then face a brutal six-day stretch against the Lions and Chiefs, hosting Detroit on “Monday Night Football” in Week 3 before heading to Kansas City to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on a short week.
The Ravens then host the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams — two conference champions in 2024 — before a Week 7 bye, which is probably earlier than the Ravens would prefer. They come out of the bye with a home game against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears in Week 8 on Oct. 26.
From there, the Ravens head out for three straight road games, visiting Miami for a “Thursday Night Football” clash on Oct. 30, then playing at Minnesota and Cleveland.
The Ravens’ fourth scheduled prime-time game comes two weeks later, when they host the Bengals on Thanksgiving night, and that begins a three-week stretch that could bring some clarity to the AFC North. After hosting the Bengals in Week 13, the Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14 and travel to Cincinnati in Week 15.
After a home game against the New England Patriots in Week 16 on Dec. 21, the Ravens are back on the road to close out the regular season at Green Bay and Pittsburgh.
The opponents have been known since the end of last season, so there are no surprises there. But the order of those opponents is daunting, with a rugged opening month, a final six-week stretch that figures to be physical and cold (all six games will be outdoors) with major playoff ramifications, and little in the way of a soft underbelly. If the Ravens can capture their third straight divisional crown for the first time in franchise history, they will have earned it.
2025 RAVENS SCHEDULE
(Home games in CAPS)
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 7, at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, CLEVELAND, 1 p.m.
Week 3: Monday, Sept. 22, DETROIT, 8:15 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 28, at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 5, HOUSTON, 1 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, L.A. RAMS, 1 p.m.
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, CHICAGO, 1 p.m.
Week 9: Thursday, Oct. 30, at Miami, 8:15 p.m.
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9, at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16, at Cleveland, 4:25 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23, N.Y. JETS, 1 p.m.
Week 13: Thursday, Nov. 27, CINCINNATI, 8:20 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 7, PITTSBURGH, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14, at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21, NEW ENGLAND, 1 p.m.
Week 17: TBD, at Green Bay
Week 18: TBD, at Pittsburgh
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