Breaking Down the Packers' 2026 Schedule
By Carter Semb
The 2026 Green Bay Packers schedule is here, and it's hard not to be excited.
Every team has its pros and cons when the schedule drops, and the Packers are no different. They're facing one of the tougher strength of schedules in the league based on how their opponents performed in 2025 — a combined .538 winning percentage. They don't gain much of a rest advantage either, finishing at minus-two days on the season. The good news: the Packers will travel among the fewest miles of any team in the league at 12,619, and they land six primetime games.
On balance, though, the draw is a favorable one. Their easiest stretch comes at exactly the right time. They close the season at home. And they face back-to-back road games just twice all year. No schedule is perfect, but it's hard to complain about what the Packers got. Follow along as we break down the schedule — the advantages, the disadvantages, and all the quirks along the way.
Heard you guys were asking for this@Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/bCQvidTui8
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) May 14, 2026
First Quarter
Week 1: @ Minnesota Vikings
Week 2: @ New York Jets
Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 4: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The first four weeks of the season present a mixed bag. On paper, the schedule is favorable — the Packers' first four opponents combined for a .441 winning percentage last season, putting them among the easier early draws in the league. The catch is that the Packers are expected to be without Micah Parsons for that entire stretch, and three of those four games are on the road. Zoom out a little further and it’s even trickier: including the preseason, Green Bay will be away from home for five of their first seven games.
After back-to-back Sunday games, the Packers turn around for a Thursday Night Football matchup against Atlanta. They'll get ten days off before heading to Tampa Bay, though that trip comes with its own baggage. The Packers have lost eight of their last 11 games at Raymond James Stadium, making it one of the toughest trips on the schedule.
If Green Bay can navigate this first quarter of the season with three wins — maybe four — they'll be in a strong position heading into the meat of the schedule.
Second Quarter
Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 6: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week 7: @ Detroit Lions
Week 8: vs. Carolina Panthers
The second quarter of the season could be a challenging stretch — but if everything goes according to plan, it's also when Micah Parsons makes his return. The Packers open this run with back-to-back home games against Chicago and Dallas, which offers some welcome relief travel-wise after all that early road travel, but against two quality opponents. A couple of things worth noting: the Chicago game is the first of two gold package games, and the Dallas matchup is on Sunday Night Football.
Things get trickier in Weeks 7 and 8. The Packers head to Detroit to face a Lions team coming off their bye week — an extra-rested divisional matchup is never a fun draw. There's little time to recover from that one, either, as Green Bay turns right around for a Thursday Night Football game against Carolina. On paper, Carolina might not look intimidating, but the back-to-back divisional games, a well-rested opponent, and a short week make this a stretch that could sneak up on a team.
From toughest to easiest: every team’s strength of schedule 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ft2y0sS29S
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) May 15, 2026
Third Quarter
Week 9: @ New England Patriots
Week 10: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 11: BYE
Week 12: @ Los Angeles Rams
Week 13: @ New Orleans Saints
The second half of the season opens with some extra rest after the Thursday night game the week prior, but the Packers waste no time facing a tough test — last season's AFC champions, the New England Patriots. They follow that up with a rematch against Minnesota, the second gold package game of the year and one of only two home noon kickoffs on the schedule, before heading into their bye week.
Unfortunately for the players, it's not quite a traditional bye. Rather than a full two weeks off, the Packers have a Wednesday night game — Thanksgiving Eve — against the Los Angeles Rams to kick off Week 12. It's a west coast trip against a strong opponent on an unconventional night. The silver lining is that the unusual scheduling actually works in Green Bay's favor: with the game falling on a Wednesday, the Packers get 11 days off before their next game. Instead of one true bye week, they'll essentially get two mini-byes. Who knows, maybe this weird quirk will pay dividends down the stretch.
From November 9 through December 5 — a span of 26 days — the Packers play just two games. The tradeoff is a demanding travel slate: a trip out east, a trip out west, and a trip down south in three of those four games, against quality opponents. It'll be a grind, but once they're through it, the schedule starts to open up.
Fourth Quarter
Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 15: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 16: @ Chicago Beras
Week 17: vs. Houston Texans
Week 18: vs. Detroit Lions
Once the Packers get home from New Orleans, they'll be at Lambeau Field for four of their final five games — a welcomed final stretch of games. It opens with a Sunday Night Football showdown against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, one of the marquee matchups of the second half. The following week brings a different kind of intrigue: Jeff Hafley's return to Green Bay, along with all the familiar faces he brought with him to Miami. The Dolphins aren't expected to be a tough out this season, but it'll still be a fun reunion.
The one road trip in this stretch is a quick hop to Chicago on Christmas Day. With the holiday falling on a Friday, both teams will be working off a short week. The noon kickoff means the Packers can still make it home in time for the holiday, which is a small but appreciated detail. After dropping their 2025 game in Chicago, the Packers will have plenty of motivation to make it a Merry Christmas.
The short week in Week 16 comes with a silver lining — the Packers get three extra days of rest heading into their final two games, both at Lambeau. First up is a Monday Night Football date with the Texans, which allows for one more day of recovery. Then comes the Lions rematch to close the regular season, scheduled for either Saturday or Sunday. Either way, it's a short week for a divisional finale that could have serious playoff implications.
Air miles each team will travel this season, via @billsperos: pic.twitter.com/oxd4dja4tD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 13, 2026
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Carter Semb is a lifelong Packer fan, shareholder, and season ticket holder. He is a contributor for Cheesehead TV and Packers Talk. For commentary surrounding Wisconsin sports, he can be found on X at @cmsemb.
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Comments (14)
Tater
May 18, 2026 at 04:27 pm
Call me an optimist, but I don’t think Parson’s will go on the PUP at the beginning of the season. Looking at the schedule, he will not play in the first 2 games that are on turf (including the notoriously bad Meadowlands turf). Then he will have a month (4 games) to ramp up his snaps playing on grass. Until week 7, when he’ll have to play on Detroit’s turf.
Leatherhead
May 18, 2026 at 08:12 pm
I'd rather have him for the last four games of the season than the first four.
We're going to carry 4 DEs on the active roster, or 5 DEs on the 53. Probably 5. VanNess, Oliver, Mosby, Sorrell, Cox. If everybody is still healthy after four games, then when Parsons returns we might have to cut someone.
DoubleJ
May 18, 2026 at 10:42 pm
You're thinking Mosby makes the team over DDS?
Cheezehead72
May 19, 2026 at 06:36 am
Parsons will miss the first four games. He will probably miss half the season.
LambeauPlain
May 19, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Correction...you said HE WILL miss half the season.
heyjoe4
May 22, 2026 at 07:43 am
Hi Tater. Parsons was injured in, I think mid-December against Denver. If he returns after 10 months (doable), he would return mid October, probably missing the first six games. Your thoughts on when he'll return?
Tater
June 01, 2026 at 10:52 am
Sorry for the late response, I didn’t see your comment. My post was before LaFleur said he expects Parsons to start the season on the PUP list. The point of the comment was to look at Parson’s return relative to the schedule that had just come out. Weeks 1 & 2 on turf, the next 4 weeks on grass. I don’t think we are far off with “doable” return dates. You said mid-October. With the late start of the season, game #4 at TB is Oct 4th, 9 months, 3 weeks of recovery. That’s the same recovery time as Christian Watson. Even if he goes on PUP, and returns for game 5, that would be about 10 month recovery. That will give him 2 games on grass before the Lions game. Then 3 more games on grass after that.
I’m not advocating for an ASAP return, I’d rather be conservative with a franchise player’s recovery. I’m just saying the schedule worked out favorable for a Parson’s return with 2 of the 5 turf games happening the first 2 weeks.
ricky
May 18, 2026 at 05:42 pm
A couple of things. There is always that game where you go "HUH!?!" or words to that effect, as the team lays an egg against an opponent that will not have as good a game the rest of the year.
Then there are the unexpected injuries. They always happen.
The last one is the number of games that are being played behind pay walls. If you already subscribe, you're good. But for the vast numbers of fans who will be locked out, or forced to pay at least three pay-per-view services, this stinks. Want to have access to every game? Be ready to shell out $700-$1500 for what were free games.
But just be thankful that you, too, can give money to a big money venture that is on track to meet their goal of producing $25 billion in revenue per year.
Leatherhead
May 18, 2026 at 08:18 pm
I like revenue. Revenue is good.
I'm not really very happy about having to have so many services in order to watch all the games. Youtube TV and Prime have done a pretty good job, but now I'm going to need Netflix and Peacock, too?
DoubleJ
May 18, 2026 at 10:44 pm
If you live in WI you should push you state government representative to make all of WI the local market for Packers games.
Cheezehead72
May 19, 2026 at 06:38 am
I have mentioned this before but I pay UZZU 130 for the year and get every NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA game and more. Yes I do not watch NHL or NBA.
heyjoe4
May 22, 2026 at 07:46 am
Hey Ricky. More and more games are going behind a paywall, and it will only get worse.
I think all local games have to be broadcast on free TV (local channel). Check me on that, but for someone living in WI, all games should be available to watch. Umm, I think…...
Since'61
May 18, 2026 at 09:31 pm
If the Packers can hopefully win or at worst split their first 2 games of the season (both on the road) they have their 9 home games remaining versus 5 road games. Plus 2 games in 26 days should give the Packers an opportunity to get healthy, if necessary, for a strong season ending run to the playoffs, especially with 4 home games in their last 5.
I think the schedule falls very well for the Packers. I am expecting/hoping that they will make the best of it. Roster wise there is plenty that can still happen between now and Week 1. GPG! Thanks, Since '61
heyjoe4
May 22, 2026 at 07:50 am
Thanks Since '61. Yeah I like the schedule, especially that four of the last five games are at Lambeau. I don't remember the last time that happened.
I don't like the Wednesday night game. The NFL will do everything it can to make more $$$. Thanksgiving day is fine, but the NFL should not be scheduling games on Wednesdays. Just my take on this.
Anyway it is a good schedule. Now the biggest question is when will Kraft and Parsons return? I think Kraft will be able to play week 1. Parsons will probably miss the first six games, meaning a mid/late October return.
Well the healthy Edge guys, including rookie Dennis-Sutton, will have plenty of opportunity to show what they can do. Great players step up in these situations. I'd be very happy if DS wins DROTY!