MY TOP 5 NFL GAMES in the 1st Half of the 2025'-2026' Season
- Danny Piscopio
- Aug 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 17
We're one month away from NFL games every week that matter going into February 2026. Here's the criteria I used to craft my list of the NFL games I need/can't wait to watch this season. Let me start off by saying, yeah these game mostly have the top 6 or 7 playoff teams from last year. I want to watch the good and well run teams, sue me. I'm an Eagles fan so I didn't have my whole top 5 be Eagles games, but I'll admit when I want to watch my team. Surprisingly, I do not have the Bills or Ravens games against the Chiefs. My reasoning is they are great games that I will watch, but for these teams, it's all about beating Mahomes and company in January. I also did not have many interconference games only because most of the good or interesting teams don't have a ton of history or even recent enough history that is at least Top 5 worthy for me. Trust me I'm going to watch as many football games as possible because who knows how many we all have left. Can't take anything for granted.
Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders - Week 6 MNF 8:15p on ABC
The top two overall picks from the 2024 draft will face off for already their second matchup in as many seasons. The first game was Week 8 in which Jayden Daniels threw the most famous hail mary touchdown since one of Aaron Rodgers' back in Green Bay. Daniels wasn't great but good enough to keep them in the game until that wild game winning throw to win 18-15. Caleb Williams struggled only completing 10 passes of 24. Caleb has had his coaching staff and offense upgraded, so us fans are hoping it will be an even better game. It all depends on how much Caleb will have improved. A potential rivalry from the jump is what us die-hard NFL fans want.
Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills - Week 1 MNF 8:20p on NBC
The battle for who will dethrone the Chiefs in the AFC for the first time since the Bengals did back in 2022 and only the Bengals and Patriots with Tom Brady have taken out the Chiefs in the playoffs since Patrick Mahomes' first season. Also a rematch of last year's Divisional round matchup in which Mark Andrews dropped the potential 2-point conversion attempt at the end of the Ravens 27-25 loss to Buffalo for a spot in the AFC Championship Game. This game will really matter if both teams are in contention for the 1-seed late into the season. Even if not for the 1-seed, they will most likely meet in the playoffs again, so home-field is always important. In fact, the Bills won 13 games and the Ravens won 12. Bills hosted the game and the rest is history. And they'll have chance at history once again this year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions - Week 7 MNF 7p on ESPN
A sneaky important late-October game between two teams I personally expect to make the playoffs in the NFC, and I think I will probably pick them to win their divisions. Baker Mayfield, who has revitalized his career with the Bucs and Todd Bowles, will take on Jared Goff and the Dan Campbell-led Lions with some definite early playoff implications at stake on Monday Night Football. First game of a Monday Night Doubleheader when the Houston Texans play in Seattle to take on the Seahawks. The last two matchups between the Bucs and Lions were one score games. Last year they faced off in Week 2 and Tampa got the win 20-16. The time before that was 8 months prior when the Lions won 31-23 in a great battle in the Divisional round. The Lions lost both coordinators and look to bounce back from their injury-plagued defense and their wild upset-loss in last years Divisional game vs Washington. The Buccaneers, funny enough, also had their season ended by the Commanders in the Wild Card round 23-20. The Bucs look to make the leap to serious contender status again for the first time since Brady was in their uniform.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City Chiefs - Week 2 Sunday 4:25p on FOX
Yes, there are not many implications from any outcome from the Super Bowl rematch from 6 months ago, where the Eagles dominated 40-22 with the Chiefs scoring 16 points against the backups with 8 minutes left down 40-6. Did I ramble a bit, oops. When these teams met in the Super Bowl two years prior, the Chiefs won that matchup by 3 points. Building a bit of a rivalry potentially? Are they becoming the NFL version of the Warriors/Cavs battles? Possibly, only time will tell. The next chapter will be after the Eagles host the NFL Season Opener, dropping the Championship Banner in front of the Dallas Cowboys. The Chiefs will have to travel back from a Friday night game vs their divisional rival the Los Angeles Chargers from Brazil. But yeah, this could become a bigger rivalry than many fans realize.
Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles - Week 3 Sunday 1p on FOX
I know what the public is thinking reading this, where is an Eagles/Commanders game, are there any Bengals games? Why did you pick this game that is a Week 3 Sunday 1pm game? This was the Eagles hardest matchup of last season at least since their Week 16 loss to Washington. Feels like I've mentioned Washington a lot this post, they popped last year what can I say? Stafford, McVay and the Rams had Philly on the ropes towards the end of their Divisional matchup last season. Eagles ultimately held on 28-22 in the snow and went on to win their 2nd Super Bowl title in franchise history.The Rams defense is young and hungry, Matt Stafford if he is healthy, which may be a concern, is still a top 5 quarterback in the whole league. The Reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts is not out to prove he is the greatest QB ever, he just wants to win championships, however he and his team can. An early playoff rematch may give either team the spark they need to get through December into possibly February. Along with NFC home-field advantage possibly on the line early. I think the Rams are the Eagles biggest challenge to going back to back. With respect to the Bucs and Commanders, I think the Rams have everything it takes to win from culture, to offensive-scheming to young and veteran talent on both sides of the ball, to leadership who won the championship four seasons ago. The Eagles look to build on hopefully their repeat title quest early in the season.
TOP 5 NFL GAMES ACCORDING to DAN
Rams @ Eagles - Week 3
Eagles @ Chiefs - Week 2
Bucs @ Lions - Week 7 MNF
Ravens @ Bills - Week 1 MNF
Bears @ Commanders - Week 6 MNF
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