ExtremeRavens Posted yesterday at 01:20 AM Posted yesterday at 01:20 AM The 2024 NFL regular season is almost over, which means most of the 2025 matchups are set. For the Ravens, who defeated the Cleveland Browns on Saturday to win their second straight AFC North title, that means playing a first-place schedule for the second year in a row. In addition to their six games against the AFC North — three at home and three away against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals — the Ravens will face the AFC East, NFC North and the champions of the AFC South, AFC West and NFC West. Under the NFL’s scheduling rotation, the Ravens will host the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams. They’ll play road games against the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs. AFC teams will have the extra home game in 2025. In overcoming an 0-2 start to finish 12-5, Baltimore went 7-2 against teams currently projected to make the playoffs this season, with the only losses coming against the AFC West champion Chiefs and NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles. If the Bengals defeat the Steelers on Saturday night, just four of the Ravens’ 2024 opponents will finish below .500. Next season could be just as difficult, with the NFC North loaded with three of the best teams in the conference and the AFC East expected to improve after disastrous campaigns from the Jets, Patriots and Dolphins. The 2025 slate includes some juicy quarterback matchups opposite Ravens star Lamar Jackson. The Bills’ Josh Allen is neck-and-neck with Jackson in the NFL Most Valuable Player race this season, while Joe Burrow has been on the fringe of that discussion after leading the Bengals to a late-season surge behind eye-popping numbers. Chiefs star and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes has been one of Jackson’s biggest rivals since the two became full-time starters in 2018 and is seeking a record third straight Super Bowl title. And the last time the Rams visited Baltimore was an instant classic, with Jackson outdueling Matthew Stafford before Tylan Wallace returned a punt for the game-winning touchdown in overtime in 2023. The Packers’ Jordan Love, Texans’ C.J. Stroud and Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa are among the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league, while the Patriots’ Drake Maye and Bears’ Caleb Williams are looking to bounce back from up-and-down rookie seasons – potentially with a new coach and offensive coordinator in place. Mike Vrabel – who led the Tennessee Titans to a stunning win over the top-seeded Ravens in January 2020 – is rumored to be a candidate to replace Jerod Mayo in New England, while Chicago could attract anyone from 38-year-old Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to 73-year-old former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. There is also plenty of quarterback uncertainty. The Browns will likely replace Deshaun Watson after securing one of the top picks in the draft – perhaps Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders – while the Steelers could decide to move on from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Aaron Rodgers might retire after two disastrous seasons with the Jets, while Sam Darnold might not return to Minnesota if the Vikings want to get 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy on the field sooner than later. There has also been speculation that the Rams could trade Stafford if coach Sean McVay decides to retire, although that appears unlikely. After playing in five prime-time games in 2024 – as well as three standalone games outside of the normal Sunday afternoon window – the Ravens are likely to command the spotlight once again next season when the full schedule is announced in May. And if they get their way, they could be hosting the Thursday night season opener in Baltimore after winning their third Super Bowl title. Ravens 2025 opponents Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Patriots, Jets, Bears, Lions, Texans, Rams Away: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Bills, Dolphins, Packers, Vikings, Chiefs Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article Quote
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