How will the Green Bay Packers respond?
That is the big question around a franchise that finished 9-7-1 in 2025 under coach Matt LaFleur. The Packers had a 9-3-1 record before losing edge rusher Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 15. A five-game losing streak – including a pair of heartbreaking losses to the rival Chicago Bears in Week 16 and in the NFC Wild Card round – followed.
LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst signed extensions, and quarterback Jordan Love has led the Packers to the playoffs each of the last three seasons. Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft – who also suffered a torn ACL – should return this season.
That said, there is more pressure in the NFC North than ever before – especially with Chicago on top of the division. The Packers play a second-place schedule that includes the NFC South and AFC East. Here is a complete breakdown of the Packers' 2026 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
Green Bay Packers schedule 2026
Home opponents: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Falcons, Panthers, Bills, Dolphins, Cowboys, Texans
Away opponents: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Buccaneers, Saints, Patriots, Jets, Rams
Every NFL team's 2026 opponents are predetermined. The Bears' full 2025 NFL schedule with dates, times, and TV networks will be updated below when the NFL schedule is announced at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 14.
Week Date Opponent Kickoff time (ET) TV channel
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Green Bay Packers strength of schedule
The Packers have the 16th hardest regular-season schedule based on opponents' records from last season – and it is the second-easiest among NFC North teams.
Green Bay has seven games against teams that reached the NFL playoffs last season, including the home-and-home series with the Bears. The Packers play the Panthers, Bills and Texans at home, and they get the Patriots and Rams on the road. Green Bay has an extra home game this season, and they finished 2-3-1 in prime-time games last season.
Toughest tests: The Packers were 4-5-1 last season, and it is a high-mileage road schedule with road games against the Patriots and Rams. New England and Los Angeles had a combined 15-4 record at home last season. The Buccaneers and Saints had a combined home record of 7-12. Green Bay is 1-4 in its last five trips to the Caesars Superdome against the Saints – and that victory was during the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season.
The NFC North matchups on the road will be tough, too. Green Bay is 2-4 on the road against the Bears, Lions and Vikings the last two seasons.
Biggest breaks: The Falcons, Panthers and Dolphins were 9-16 in road games last season – though Carolina beat Green Bay 16-13 at Lambeau Field in Week 9 and the return of defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley – now the head coach in Miami – will be tough.
Buffalo, Houston and Dallas will be marquee home games, too. The Bills and Texans were both 6-4 on the road last season, and the Cowboys were 3-6. That is more favorable for the Packers, who were 5-3 at home last season.
Green Bay Packers record prediction
Over/under win total: 10.5 (per Caesars)
Bottom line: When will Parsons and Kraft be back? Green Bay was a full-throttle Super Bowl contender when healthy last season, and the defense will be on the spot under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who was the Cardinals' coach the last three seasons. Parsons had 12.5 sacks before the injury. Will he regain that form by midseason?
Love had a 104.4 passer rating on the road last season – but Green Bay was 4-3-1 in those games. Love has missed two games in each of the last two seasons.
LaFleur is, without question, under the most pressure. The Packers are 29-21-1 in the last three seasons, and they are 1-3 in the playoffs. The late-season losses to the Bears have amplified that rivalry, and Green Bay needs to deliver in those games. The Packers did sweep the Lions last season and split with the Vikings, but it is a thin margin for error outside of those division games.
Green Bay should be able to get back to double-digit victories, but the division likely will be decided by one game either way. Will that be enough to get into the NFC playoffs for a fourth straight season?
Record prediction: 10-7