TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals' 2025 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Wednesday.

A season after being in the playoff hunt into mid-November, the Cardinals have a slate that could be conducive to them making the playoffs for the first time since 2021. However, a late stretch against the Bucs, Rams, Texans, Falcons, Bengals and Rams again to finish the season could be the stretch that tests the Cardinals the most.

Arizona returns to prime time this season with a Monday night game against Dallas in Week 9. It'll also be on Thursday Night Football for the first time since 2022, when it plays Seattle in Week 4. The Cardinals' revamped defense will be tested throughout the season, as it will face seven former No. 1 picks and four Heisman Trophy winners.

Here's what's in store for the Cardinals:

Cardinals 2025 regular-season schedule

Week 1: Sept. 7 at New Orleans Saints

Week 2: Sept. 14 vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 3: Sept. 21 at San Francisco 49ers

Week 4: Sept. 28 vs. Seattle Seahawks (TNF)

Week 5: Oct. 5 vs. Tennessee Titans

Week 6: Oct. 12 at Indianapolis Colts

Week 7: Oct. 19 vs. Green Bay Packers

Week 8: BYE

Week 9: Nov. 3 at Dallas Cowboys (MNF)

Week 10: Nov. 9 at Seattle Seahawks

Week 11: Nov. 16 vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week 12: Nov. 23 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 13: Nov. 30 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 14: Dec. 7 vs. Los Angeles Rams

Week 15: Dec.14 at Houston Texans

Week 16: Dec. 21 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 17: TBD at Cincinnati Bengals

Week 18: TBD at Los Angeles Rams

*Date for Weeks 17 and 18 are to be determined

Strength of schedule: .457 (fifth easiest)

Over/Under: 8.5 wins

Biggest takeaway

The schedule makers at the NFL's league office weren't necessarily kind to the Cardinals, but they also weren't espeically mean to them, either. There are stretches of winnable games sprinkled throughout the schedule, along with some season-defining stretches. Overall, Arizona has a schedule that could lead it to the playoffs.

Circle this date: Nov. 3 at Cowboys

It'll be a Kyler Murray homecoming on Monday night and he'll be ready to show his friends, family and home state how far he's come since his days of going undefeated at Allen High School in suburban Dallas. This could end up being a critical game in the Cardinals' playoff quest, as Arizona and Dallas could both be in the NFC postseason hunt. Arizona will be coming off a bye, which will give the Cardinals fresh legs to play in a showcase spot.

Key stretches

Weeks 1-4 and 9-11. These two stretches will define the season and decide whether Arizona makes the playoffs. The first comes in September, an alternating home-and-away stretch against NFC teams starting with a game at the Saints and the home opener against the Panthers. Back-to-back division games against the 49ers and Seahawks will follow and set an early tone. The next stretch will be the three games after the bye: at Dallas in Week 9, at Seattle in Week 10 and home against the 49ers in Week 11. Those games could help the Cardinals create separation or doom their postseason chances.

Bold prediction

The Cardinals will start the season 4-2, if not 5-1, and take early control of their playoff destiny. The new-look defense will click early and live up to the hype created by a deep draft and busy free agency.

How long until the Cardinals really unleash first-round pick Walter Nolen?

He'll see the field the first two weeks of his rookie season, but that will serve as a build up to Week 3, when the Cardinals open division play in San Francisco. By then, they'll want Nolen to be firing on all cylinders so he can carry that over to Week 4, when Arizona hosts Seattle on Thursday Night Football.