Football season isn't a marathon. It's more like a series of high-stakes sprints where everyone is breathing down your neck. By the time we hit the NFL week 2 schedule, the initial "happy to be back" vibes of the opening weekend have officially evaporated. Teams that lost in Week 1 are already smelling the panic; teams that won are trying to prove they aren't just one-hit wonders. Honestly, it’s where the real season begins.
The 2025 slate is a monster. We’ve got divisional grudge matches, a Super Bowl rematch that feels way too early for the nerves it's causing, and a Monday night doubleheader that is going to ruin a lot of Tuesday morning productivity. If you're looking for where to park your soul this weekend, you've come to the right place.
Thursday Night: Lambeau’s New Era
Things kicked off on Thursday, September 11, with a game that probably would have looked very different a few years ago. The Washington Commanders traveled to the frozen—okay, maybe just chilly—tundra of Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers.
The narrative here was basically the "Battle of the Young Guns." You had Jayden Daniels, the Commanders' dual-threat rookie sensation, trying to handle a hostile Green Bay crowd while Jordan Love looked to defend his home turf. It wasn't just a game; it was a statement about the NFC's future. The Packers ended up taking this one 27–18, proving that while Daniels has the juice, Green Bay’s system is currently a well-oiled machine.
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The Sunday Early Window: Division Chaos
Sunday, September 14, is when the wheels usually fall off for at least five fanbases. The 1:00 p.m. ET window is stuffed with games that have massive regional implications.
- New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills (CBS): This is the AFC East’s equivalent of a bar fight. The Bills are still trying to maintain their grip on the division while the Jets are... well, the Jets are trying to keep their quarterbacks healthy and their defense elite.
- Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions (FOX): This one had a weird layer of drama. New Bears head coach Ben Johnson returned to Detroit, the place where he basically built the offense that made the Lions relevant again. Talk about an awkward homecoming.
- Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (FOX): It ended up being a classic. A 40–37 overtime thriller where Dak Prescott had to pull a rabbit out of a hat just to avoid an embarrassing home loss to the G-Men.
If you were watching the NFL week 2 schedule across the rest of the league, you saw the Ravens demolish the Browns 41–17 and the Bengals narrowly escape a Jacksonville Jaguars upset bid with a 31–27 victory.
The Full Sunday Early List
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals – 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
- New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens – 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
- New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins – 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
- San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints – 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Buffalo Bills at New York Jets – 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers – 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Los Angeles Rams at Tennessee Titans – 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
The Afternoon Main Event: A Super Bowl Encore
At 4:25 p.m. ET, the world essentially stopped to watch the Philadelphia Eagles head to Arrowhead to face the Kansas City Chiefs. This was the Super Bowl LIX rematch. For the Chiefs, it was about redemption. They’d already dropped their opener in Brazil to the Chargers, and starting 0–2 is basically the "Red Alert" button for a Patrick Mahomes-led team.
The Eagles, meanwhile, were riding high after beating Dallas in Week 1. This game lived up to the hype. It wasn't just about the score; it was about the chess match between the Eagles' secondary and Travis Kelce. When people search for the NFL week 2 schedule, this is usually the game they’re actually looking for.
Primetime: Double the Monday Night Drama
Monday, September 15, gave us something the league has been leaning into lately: the doubleheader. Instead of one long game, we got two overlapping battles that required a two-screen setup if you wanted to keep your sanity.
The early game saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visiting the Houston Texans at 7:00 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN. C.J. Stroud vs. Baker Mayfield? Yes, please. Then, just as that game was hitting the fourth quarter, the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders kicked off at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. It’s a lot of football. It’s probably too much football. But we’re going to watch every second of it anyway.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Week 2 Viewing
If you want to actually enjoy the NFL week 2 schedule without feeling like you missed the important stuff, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the 0-1 Teams: Historically, starting 0–2 gives a team roughly an 11% chance of making the playoffs. If your team lost in Week 1, Week 2 is officially their Super Bowl.
- The Overreaction Trap: Don't assume a Week 1 blowout means a team is "back." The NFL is a week-to-week league. A team that looked like world-beaters last Sunday might look like a JV squad this Sunday.
- Set Your Fantasy Lineups Early: With the Monday doubleheader, you have more players than usual going late. Don't get "Monday Nighted" by a late-breaking injury in the Raiders/Chargers game.
- Check Your Local Listings: Because of the way CBS and FOX split the games, the "Game of the Week" might not be the one airing in your specific market. Use the NFL's official broadcast maps to see if you need to head to a sports bar or fire up a streaming service.
The schedule is set. The rivalries are simmering. All that's left is for the ball to kick off and the chaos to begin.