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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) throws a pass against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Highlighting NFC South blockbuster games of 2025 season

By Eric Smithling | Last updated May 14, 2025 8:50 PM ET

The NFL released its complete schedule for the 2025 season on Wednesday. Here is the blockbuster game (and another intriguing matchup) for every team in the NFC South.

Atlanta Falcons | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER GAME: at Minnesota Vikings, Sept. 14 (Week 2): One of two Sunday prime-time games on Atlanta's schedule, this one should pit the two most unproven quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft in a class that also included standouts Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Drake Maye and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., last year's No. 8 overall pick, is Atlanta's QB1 ahead of the 2025 season after starting in Weeks 16-18. J.J. McCarthy is atop the Vikings quarterback depth chart after the No. 10 selection of the 2024 NFL Draft missed all of last season following a torn meniscus during training camp.

ALSO INTRIGUING: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Dec. 29 (Week 17) | If the Falcons want to make noise this season after being irrelevant for the most of the past decade, they'll need to notch some signature wins along the way. The Rams should be among the NFC's best teams, making this late-season game potentially insightful in determining whether Atlanta is a contender or still a pretender.

Carolina Panthers | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER GAME: at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sept. 7 (Week 1): Two former No. 1 overall picks, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, are set to meet in a game that will set the tone for each's pivotal 2025.

Lawrence is on his third coach, Liam Coen, in five seasons, while Young must make another leap in 2025 under second-year coach Dave Canales for Carolina to feel comfortable picking up his fifth-year option before the May 2026 deadline.

This game has the added weight of being the Panthers' first since New Year's Eve 2023, when owner David Tepper infamously threw a drink on a Jaguars fan after a humiliating 26-0 loss. Will he throw nachos if Carolina loses this time? Stay tuned!

ALSO INTRIGUING: vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sept. 21 (Week 3): The Panthers have split the season series with their division foe the past five seasons, including a 44-38 Week 18 overtime win last season. Facing Falcons running back Bijan Robinson will be a valuable litmus test for Carolina's defense, which added defensive tackles Bobby Brown and Tershawn Wharton in free agency, after ranking last against the run in 2024.

New Orleans Saints | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER GAME: vs Arizona Cardinals, Sept. 7 (Week 1): The Saints are arguably the league's least attractive team. NFL schedule makers agree, as for the first time since 2000, the organization was omitted from the prime-time schedule.

Saints schedule at 7pm CST.

Seeing leaks it doesn’t look like NOLA will get a Thursday night game.
I can’t imagine they get a Sunday night game (haven’t had one since 2021).
If Saints get shut out of Monday night…
It’ll be first time since 2000 Saints have no prime time games.
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) May 14, 2025

With the Saints at their lowest in decades, there are few games that jump off the page. So, we're highlighting head coach Kellen Moore's first game, which could also be the start of the Tyler Shough era at quarterback. If New Orleans is as bad as the experts predict this season, it might not last long.

ALSO INTRIGUING: at Chicago Bears, Oct. 19 (Week 7): Two first-year head coaches meet as Moore matches wits with Bears head coach Ben Johnson. This also marks the Saints' first game against former head coach Dennis Allen, who was hired as the Bears defensive coordinator this offseason. He should be motivated to stick it to his former employer, while the Saints will want to prove they made the right decision.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Complete schedule

BLOCKBUSTER GAME: at Detroit Lions, Oct. 20 (Week 7) | The Buccaneers travel to the Motor City for the second of their two scheduled Monday night games. If it's anything like the teams' two most recent meetings, we're in for a treat.

During the 2023 wild-card round, Detroit and Tampa Bay entered the fourth quarter tied, and the Bucs had the ball at the two-minute warning in a one-score game in an eventual 31-23 loss.

Last regular season, the Bucs stunned the Lions as a 7.5-point pre-game underdog in a 20-16 win, holding Detroit to one touchdown in seven red-zone opportunities.

ALSO INTRIGUING: vs. Eagles, Sept. 28 (Week 4) | Is Tampa Bay the Eagles' kryptonite? Recent history suggests so.

The Bucs are 6-1 in their past seven games against the reigning Super Bowl champs, including winning the past two by a combined score of 65-25. (h/t Stathead)

Tampa Bay handily won last regular season at home, also in Week 4, while sacking Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts six times.

Earlier this week, 2020 Lombardi Trophy-winning head coach and team advisor Bruce Arians shared his optimism about the franchise having the pieces to return to the Super Bowl. Another win over the league's best team could prove him right.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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