NFL Watchability Index Week 1: Ranking All 16 Games by SBR Excitement Score

We have a Game of the Year candidate in Week 1 as we rank every contest by our proprietary NFL Watchability Index.

Last Updated: September 5, 2025 3:47 PM EDT • 8 minute read

NFL Watchability Index Week 1: Game-by-Game Rankings by Excitement Score — Pictured: Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen hops into the end zone for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Photo by Tina MacIntyre-Yee / Democrat and Chronicle via Imagn Images.

We have a Game of the Year candidate right away in Week 1 - at least according to our new proprietary metric measuring the excitement of NFL games.

When I created the NFL Watchability Index back in May after the NFL schedule release, the Week 1 clash between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills was so exciting that it (sort of) broke the scale. Thus, it's no surprise to see the Sunday Night Football matchup headline the Week 1 schedule.

But how should you plan your weekend around the rest of this 16-game slate in Week 1? We have you covered with our NFL watchability rankings for Week 1 based on a mix of advanced metrics, NFL odds, and a dash of narrative spice.

🔥 Best NFL games in Week 1

Want to bet on any of these matchups? Check out our NFL predictions for Week 1 to see all of our best bets and NFL picks for this week.

⭐ Game of the Week: Ravens @ Bills

🎉 Excitement score: 104.02
🏈 Kickoff: Sunday, Sept. 7 @ 8:20 PM ET

As we wrote about before the season, this was the only game in the entire 272-game schedule to "break the scale" and register an SES (SBR Excitement Score) above 100. Even without any narrative adjustments, this game would have scored a 93, which would have been near the top of the list on its own.

Of course, this game is about more than just the on-field product, which is already popcorn-worthy with these teams featuring the highest NFL projected win totals in the league. With last year's top two MVP finalists facing off in a rematch of one of the most hyped playoff games in recent memory ... you might want to schedule your Sunday night around this one.

2️⃣ Lions @ Packers

🎉 Excitement score: 78.18
🏈 Kickoff: Sunday, Sept. 7 @ 4:25 PM ET

This game featured a score a few ticks lower when our NFL Watchability Index debuted this summer. Then the Packers pulled off one of the biggest shockers in league history when they traded for Micah Parsons to shake up the NFL futures market.

It also added some narrative intrigue to this matchup, which doubles as Parsons' debut for Green Bay, along with all of the existing bad blood between these NFC North rivals. One of these two teams will have the inside track to win the division after Week 1, which makes this an easy call for the big screen in the afternoon slate.

3️⃣ Chiefs @ Chargers

🎉 Excitement score: 76.65
🏈 Kickoff: Friday, Sept. 5 @ 8 PM ET

While some may already be tired of the Chiefs' prime-time parade that will set TV records this season, these division rivals have produced some compelling matchups over the years - even if it's usually at the Chargers' expense.

Kansas City has won seven straight in this series, though only one of those games was decided by more than seven points, with the last three featuring a combined differential of 10 points. Jim Harbaugh and Co. will look to reverse that trend Friday night in Sao Paulo in what should be another close contest. And let's be real: It's always must-see TV when the game involves Patrick Mahomes, who ranks No. 1 in Gary Pearson's NFL clutch ratings.

4️⃣ 49ers @ Seahawks

🎉 Excitement score: 63.79
🏈 Kickoff: Sunday, Sept. 7 @ 4:05 PM ET

This game may not seem like a thriller on paper, but the 49ers still feature as much offensive star power as most Super Bowl odds contenders - even as they look to erase the stink of their 6-11 record last year.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks are coming off a 10-7 campaign but ditched QB Geno Smith in favor of free-agent signing Sam Darnold, who will make his Seattle debut against his new team's biggest rival. It also serves as Cooper Kupp's first home game in his home state. Don't sleep on this one ... even if your primary screen is focused on Lambeau Field in the afternoon window.

5️⃣ Texans @ Rams

🎉 Excitement score: 60.41
🏈 Kickoff: Sunday, Sept. 7 @ 4:25 PM ET

With Matthew Stafford off the injury report and set to start on Sunday, we can safely slot this game into the top five for Week 1 ... though his health could be the X-factor that determines who wins this game.

With a healthy No. 9 under center, the Rams feature one of the sneakiest elite units in football with Kyren Williams punishing defenders and Puka Nacua pairing with Davante Adams outside. The Texans have their own arsenal of aerial threats for C.J. Stroud to deliver the ball to, as well, and a defense that will test Stafford's toughness early and often.

📺 NFL Watchability Index: Ranking every game in Week 1

Here are our full NFL Watchability Index rankings for Week 1 based on our proprietary formula. These rankings are based on a combination of advanced data, betting odds, and other narrative factors to determine which games are worth your attention this week. (All times are listed in Eastern Time.)

⚖️ Tier 0 - The Scale Breakers (100+)

1. Ravens at Bills (Sunday @ 8:20 PM) - 104.02

📵 Tier 1 - Cancel Other Plans (80-100)

NONE

▶️ Tier 2 - Quad Box Locks (60-80)

2. Lions at Packers (Sunday @ 4:25 PM) - 78.18
3. Chiefs at Chargers (Friday @ 8 PM) - 76.95
4. 49ers at Seahawks (Sunday @ 4:05 PM) - 63.79
5. Texans at Rams (Sunday @ 4:25 PM) - 60.41

✨ Tier 3 - The Fantasy Zone (40-60)

6. Vikings at Bears (Monday @ 8:15 PM) - 52.95
7. Buccaneers at Falcons (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 52.70
8. Cowboys at Eagles (Thursday @ 8:20 PM) - 52.49
9. Dolphins at Colts (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 50.40
10. Steelers at Jets (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 40.69

💸 Tier 4 - Only a Bettor Could Love (20-40)

11. Bengals at Browns (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 39.00
12. Panthers at Jaguars (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 35.20
13. Giants at Commanders (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 28.41
14. Raiders at Patriots (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 23.65

🌼 Tier 5 - Touch Some Grass (0-20)

15. Cardinals at Saints (Sunday @ 1 PM) - 19.69
16. Titans at Broncos (Sunday @ 4:05 PM) - 17.54

Disagree with our rankings? Let us know @SBRReview or reach out to me directly @CJacksonCowart.

📅 NFL Week 1 schedule

Track all the latest NFL scores for line history and matchup info.

Matchup	Date	Kickoff (ET)	TV
Cowboys vs. Eagles	Thurs, Sept. 4	8:20 PM	NBC
Chiefs vs. Chargers	Fri, Sept. 5	8:00 PM	YouTube
Buccaneers vs. Falcons	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	FOX
Bengals vs. Browns	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	FOX
Dolphins vs. Colts	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	CBS
Panthers vs. Jaguars	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	FOX
Raiders vs. Patriots	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	CBS
Cardinals vs. Saints	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	CBS
Steelers vs. Jets	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	CBS
Giants vs. Commanders	Sun, Sept. 7	1 PM	FOX
Titans vs. Broncos	Sun, Sept. 7	4:05 PM	FOX
49ers vs. Seahawks	Sun, Sept. 7	4:05 PM	FOX
Lions vs. Packers	Sun, Sept. 7	4:25 PM	CBS
Texans vs. Rams	Sun, Sept. 7	4:25 PM	CBS
Ravens vs. Bills	Sun, Sept. 7	8:20 PM	NBC
Vikings vs. Bears	Mon, Sept. 8	8:15 PM	ABC/ESPN

📊 How we calculated our NFL Watchability Index

Most NFL watchability rankings focus entirely on narratives or off-field drama to drive excitement. But once that ball is kicked off, the only thing that matters is what happens between the white lines.

That's what separates the SBR Watchability Index from other NFL game rankings: our proprietary formula relies on a combination of advanced metrics and the latest odds from our best NFL betting sites to generate a single number - the SBR Excitement Score (SES) - based on the following factors:

Absolute and relative team strength
Big-play potential on offense + defense
Star power (particularly at QB)
Playoff implications and history
"Bad blood bonus" between familiar foes
Relevant narrative factors (small bonus)

The result is a score that, while not fixed to a 1-100 scale, tends to fall within that range with an average score hovering around 50. Only four games featured a score above 90 entering the year, while 16 fell below a score of 20.

We'll be dropping weekly rankings during the regular season and postseason, and we'll be making regular adjustments to our SBR Watchability Index scores and formula based on new data throughout the season. Check back every week of the NFL season to help set your viewing plans.

💡 NFL expert picks for Week 1

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

Written by:
C Jackson Cowart

C Jackson Cowart is the Senior Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. An award-winning writer, reporter, and editor with a decade of sports media and NFL experience, "C-Jax" has worked with ESPN, Forbes, theScore, and various daily newspapers before joining the Sportsbook Review team. He's a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina, where he served as a beat writer for the Tar Heels' championship run through the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 2017. Jackson has spent the last five years covering sports betting as a predictive analyst, features writer, and industry reporter. Since joining the team in 2023, he's played a key role in Sportsbook Review's coverage of the Super Bowl, March Madness, and NBA playoffs while serving as the lead writer for the growing WNBA and NASCAR betting scenes. Though he's cashed some big bets over the years -- including Lamar Jackson to win MVP (twice) -- he's still haunted by enough second-place bet slips to wallpaper his home office. While Jackson is a committed "process over results" bettor with a keen eye for advanced stats and subtle bias in futures markets, he also embraces sports betting as a vehicle for entertainment and personal investment. He's written about everything from hot dogs to groundhogs and still hasn't forgiven his "inside source" for a sabotaged bet on the Gatorade color in Super Bowl LV.