2019 NFL schedule: Record predictions, analysis for all 32 teams
Louis Riddick predicts that the Patriots will have a 12-4 record, losing to the Dolphins, Jets, Chiefs and Ravens. (1:50)
The 2019 NFL schedule is out, so you can finally plan your fall accordingly.
The regular season kicks off with the Chicago Bears hosting the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Sept. 5 (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC). The opening doubleheader for Monday Night Football will feature the Houston Texans at the New Orleans Saints (7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN) and the Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (10:20 p.m. ET) on Monday, Sept. 9. Check out the full week-by-week schedule here.
NFL Nation reporters break down the 2019 regular-season schedules for all 32 teams, with predicted records from each of our reporters. Each record prediction was made independent of the predictions of their colleagues. Let’s start in the NFC East:
Full schedule | Predicted record: 10-6
The Cowboys face a daunting schedule, playing six games against playoff teams from last season, including the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, NFC champ Los Angeles Rams and NFC runner-up New Orleans Saints. Read the analysis from Todd Archer.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 6-10
The low expectations for this season also limited the Giants to three prime-time matchups — two Monday nights and a Thursday nighter against the New England Patriots. Read the analysis from Jordan Raanan.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The Eagles play five games against teams that made the playoffs in 2018 (Seahawks, Patriots, Bears and Cowboys twice), with four of those matchups coming at home. Read the analysis from Tim McManus.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 7-9
The Redskins play three division games in the first four weeks, which will provide a great clue for how their season will play out. They also close with three consecutive division games. Read the analysis from John Keim.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 10-6
Following a surprise playoff berth (12-4) last season, the Bears face a much tougher schedule in head coach Matt Nagy’s second season. Read the analysis from Jeff Dickerson.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
It’s going to be another tough start for the Lions, with two of the league’s most explosive 2018 offenses coming to Ford Field in the first month of the season, bracketing a game at Philadelphia. Read the analysis from Michael Rothstein.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 9-7
Despite two consecutive non-playoff seasons, the league still considers the Packers a draw, with five prime-time games, including two Thursday night games (at Bears, vs. Eagles), two MNF appearances (vs. Lions, at Vikings) and a Sunday night game (at Chiefs). Read the analysis from Rob Demovsky.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 10-6
The Vikings play three NFC North games on the road in the first seven weeks. Then things get really difficult. A handful of stretches could decide the season for Minnesota, including back-to-back road games at Kansas City and Dallas in Weeks 9 and 10. Read the analysis from Courtney Cronin.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 10-6
The Falcons don’t exactly have it easy to start, with six of the first nine games against 2018 playoff teams and four of the first six games on the road, starting with a season-opening trip to Minnesota to face the Vikings. Read the analysis from Vaughn McClure.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 9-7
The schedule-makers liked the drama of Carolina facing New Orleans twice in the final three weeks last season so much that they almost pulled a repeat. The NFC South rivals play each other twice in the final six weeks, including the finale in Charlotte, North Carolina. Read the analysis from David Newton.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The Saints don’t have to wait long for the most grueling part of their schedule. After kicking off at home on a Monday night against the Texans, they’ll have to travel across the country for their much-anticipated rematch against the Rams. Read the analysis from Mike Triplett.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
The Bucs’ most challenging stretch includes three consecutive road games, with trips to Los Angeles and London, and facing the top two teams in the NFC in 2018 in back-to-back weeks. During that three-week span, the Bucs will travel 28,144 miles. Read the analysis from Jenna Laine.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 5-11
Five of the Cardinals’ six division games come in the final nine weeks — with the last two coming on the road, at Seattle on Dec. 22 and at the Rams on Dec. 29. Read the analysis from Josh Weinfuss.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 12-4
The Rams start with a tough five-game stretch that includes opening on the East Coast for the first time since 2012 as they take on the Panthers. Read the analysis from Lindsey Thiry.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
If the Niners manage to survive the road-heavy first part of the season, they will find themselves in what looks like a much more manageable stretch in the middle, with three consecutive home games against the Seahawks, Cardinals and Packers. Read the analysis from Nick Wagoner.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The Seahawks, who have five prime-time games, are a whopping 26-5-1 in prime time under coach Pete Carroll. Read the analysis from Brady Henderson.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 7-9
Weeks 3-9 could be the key to the Bills’ playoff hopes. They will travel only once in that stretch, making a trip to Tennessee in Week 5. Read the analysis from Mike Rodak.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 4-12
October looks like a potential get-right month, as Miami faces no 2018 playoff teams, but both the Bills and Steelers will be coming off of bye weeks before playing the Dolphins. Read the analysis from Cameron Wolfe.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
This marks the fourth consecutive season in which the bye week is in a great spot for the Patriots. Getting a break after the ninth game almost splits the season into two even halves, which gives players and coaches a nice midseason break. Read the analysis from Mike Reiss.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
After signing marquee names such as running back Le’Veon Bell in free agency, the Jets once again have mass appeal. They have three prime-time games, two more than last season. Read the analysis from Rich Cimini.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 9-7
The Ravens become the fourth team since the NFL switched to a 16-game schedule in 1978 to receive a perfectly balanced schedule, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Read the analysis from Jamison Hensley.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
There’s no doubt this is a tough schedule. The Bengals have to play the two Super Bowl teams — the Patriots and Rams — in addition to a 49ers team with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and an improved Browns team. Read the analysis from Katherine Terrell.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The NFL gave the Browns a December made for a playoff run. They close versus Cincinnati, at Arizona, versus Baltimore and at Cincinnati. Read the analysis from Pat McManamon.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 9-7
The NFL gave the Steelers quite the midseason break with a Week 7 bye, followed by three consecutive home games, against the Dolphins, Colts and Rams. The Steelers will go 32 days between road games with that setup. Read the analysis from Jeremy Fowler.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 9-7
Starting in Week 6, the Texans will play four of five games — including a trip to London — on the road. That stretch will include trips to Kansas City, Indianapolis, London and Baltimore and one home game (Week 8) against the Raiders. Read the analysis from Sarah Barshop.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The Colts play only five games against 2018 playoff teams and two of those games are against Houston, a team the Colts beat in the wild-card round last season. Read the analysis from Mike Wells.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
We’ll see pretty quickly how much difference quarterback Nick Foles will make because the beginning of the season will be pretty tough, with three of the first five games on the road. Read the analysis from Michael DiRocco.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The Titans open the season with three of their first four games on the road, including a Week 1 trip to an improved Cleveland Browns team. Read the analysis from Turron Davenport.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 8-8
The Broncos are going to have to do some heavy lifting in coach Vic Fangio’s first season. They have seven games against 2018 playoff teams along with meetings with the revamped Browns and Raiders. Read the analysis from Jeff Legwold.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
The Chiefs need to get off to a strong start. Just one of their first four games is against a 2018 playoff team and that one opponent is Baltimore, which is in transition. Read the analysis from Adam Teicher.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 11-5
After reaching the playoffs last season for the first time since 2013, the Chargers were rewarded by the league with four prime-time contests, the most the Bolts have had since 2014. Read the analysis from Eric D. Williams.
Full schedule | Predicted record: 7-9
The Raiders have seven 1 p.m. ET start times in 2019, the most for any West Coast team since 2002, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Read the analysis from Paul Gutierrez.