So, you’re looking at the Arizona Cardinals schedule 2025 NFL cycle and wondering if this is finally the year Kyler Murray stops being a "what if" and starts being a "holy cow." Honestly, the vibes around State Farm Stadium are weirdly high right now. For a team that spent the last couple of seasons basically living in the basement of the NFC West, there’s a sneaky feeling that the 2025 slate might actually be their trampoline.
But let’s get real. Most people look at a schedule and just count wins and losses based on last year’s records. That’s a mistake. The NFL moves too fast for that.
The Cardinals entered this cycle as a third-place team, which is actually a massive tactical advantage. Because they didn't win the division, they dodged the true "gauntlet" opponents that the 49ers and Rams have to deal with. Instead of the brutal first-place schedule, Arizona gets a draw that feels... winnable? Sorta.
The Brutal Opening Stretch
If you're a Cards fan, you might want to buckle up for September. It’s not pretty.
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Starting on the road at the Caesars Superdome against the New Orleans Saints on September 7th is a tough way to wake up. Dealing with that crowd noise while Kyler is still trying to get into a rhythm with Marvin Harrison Jr. is a big ask. Then they come home for the Carolina Panthers—a game they absolutely have to win if they want to be taken seriously—before hitting a wall.
Week 3 and Week 4 are the real tests. They go to San Francisco to play the 49ers, and then four days later, they’re back in Glendale for a Thursday Night Football clash with the Seattle Seahawks on September 25th. That’s a nightmare. Short weeks are hard enough, but playing two divisional rivals back-to-back with only three days of rest in between? That’s where seasons usually break.
If the Cardinals come out of the first month at 2-2, you should be ecstatic.
Wait, Why No International Games?
You probably noticed the lack of a London or Munich trip. A lot of people were convinced the Cardinals would be sent to Germany this year, especially with the Indianapolis Colts on the road schedule.
The NFL announced the 2025 international slate back in May, and Arizona was nowhere to be found. They’re staying home. Well, staying in the States, at least.
This is actually a huge win for head coach Jonathan Gannon. While other teams are dealing with jet lag and "body clock" issues in places like Madrid or Sao Paulo, the Cardinals are staying in their own time zones. Their longest flights are to Tampa Bay and Charlotte. That’s it. In a league where marginal gains matter, avoiding a 10-hour flight to Europe is like getting a free bye week.
The Home Slate at State Farm Stadium
- Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr. era?)
- Carolina Panthers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
- Green Bay Packers (The Jordan Love test)
- Los Angeles Rams
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
The "Trap" Games You Aren't Watching
Everyone is circling the Green Bay Packers game on October 19th. It makes sense. It's a high-profile matchup against one of the league's most historic franchises. But the game that actually scares me? Week 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It’s right after the San Francisco rematch. Historically, teams have a massive emotional letdown after playing the 49ers because that game is basically a physical car crash. If Arizona spends all their energy trying to keep up with Christian McCaffrey in Week 11, they might walk into Week 12 and get punched in the mouth by Trevor Lawrence while they’re still sore.
Also, keep an eye on that Monday Night Football trip to Dallas on November 3rd. The Cardinals usually play well in AT&T Stadium for some reason—Kyler Murray has never lost a game there going back to high school—but it’s still a primetime spotlight that has a tendency to make or break young teams.
Can the Defense Actually Stop Anyone?
The schedule looks "easy" on paper because the AFC South (Titans, Jags, Colts, Texans) and NFC South (Saints, Panthers, Falcons, Bucs) aren't exactly the 1985 Bears. But Arizona’s defense has been... well, let’s be polite and say "under construction."
General Manager Monti Ossenfort went heavy on the defensive line this offseason. They brought in Josh Sweat from Philly and signed Calais Campbell for a homecoming tour. They also drafted Walter Nolen out of Ole Miss in the first round.
The logic is simple: if you can't stop the run in the NFC West, you're dead. The 2025 schedule is loaded with heavy-run offenses. If the new-look front seven can’t hold up against James Cook or Saquon Barkley (who they'll see in certain cross-conference matchups), the dates on the calendar won't matter.
The Final Push and the "Bengals Problem"
Look at the end of December. It’s gross.
- Week 15: at Houston Texans (C.J. Stroud is a problem)
- Week 16: vs Atlanta Falcons
- Week 17: at Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow in the cold?)
- Week 18: at Los Angeles Rams
Ending the season with three out of four games on the road is a death sentence for most fringe playoff teams. The Bengals game on December 28th is particularly nasty. Arizona is a dome team. Going to Cincinnati in late December to face a healthy Burrow is probably the hardest game on the entire Cardinals schedule 2025 NFL list.
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Why This Schedule is a "Dark Horse" Opportunity
The reason experts like Alex Clancy and others are calling Arizona a "dark horse" isn't because the roster is perfect. It's because the travel is light and the non-divisional opponents are beatable.
They face the AFC South and the NFC South. If you’re trying to rebuild a franchise, those are the two divisions you want to draw. You get the Tennessee Titans at home. You get the Carolina Panthers at home. You avoid the "meat grinder" of the AFC North or the NFC East (outside of the one-off Dallas game).
Basically, if the Cardinals don't win at least 8 or 9 games with this specific lineup of opponents, it’s not the schedule’s fault. It’s a talent issue.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're planning to attend a game or follow the season closely, here is how you should handle this schedule:
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- Target the "Soft" Spots: If you're looking for tickets, the Week 2 home opener against Carolina or the Week 5 matchup against Tennessee are your best bets for a win.
- Monitor the Bye Week: The Week 8 bye is perfectly placed. It’s right in the middle of the season. If the team is banged up after the Green Bay game, they get 14 days to get healthy before the Dallas primetime game. This is a huge advantage.
- Watch the Secondary: Keep a close eye on rookie Will Johnson. He’s going to be tested early and often by the Saints' and 49ers' wideouts. How he holds up in the first three weeks will tell you everything you need to know about the Cardinals' ceiling.
- Plan for the Weather: If you're traveling for the Cincinnati game in Week 17, buy a heavy coat now. It’s the only "true" cold-weather game on the schedule, and dome teams historically struggle when the temperature drops below 40 degrees.
The 2025 season isn't about winning a Super Bowl for Arizona. It's about proving that the Kyler Murray and Jonathan Gannon era is actually going somewhere. With this schedule, they have no more excuses. The path to a winning record is right there; they just have to actually walk it.