GREEN BAY – If the Green Bay Packers had one wish before seeing their 2026 schedule, it was for their toughest games this season to be pushed toward the end. After the reinforcements not only arrive but get settled back in.
They know what life is like playing without Micah Parsons, Tucker Kraft, Devonte Wyatt and Zach Tom. The Packers surely wanted no part in seeing Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, Drake Maye and Caleb Williams without them. Which, ultimately, is why the Packers gladly will take this schedule.
By the time the teeth of it comes, they have a better chance of being at full strength.
That doesn’t mean what you think will happen in May actually happens in the fall. Teams rise and fall every year. But that’s never stopped us from making bold spring predictions before. Here’s our annual way-too-early, game-by-game predictions for the Packers in 2026.
Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings, 3:25 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 (CBS)
The Packers got spanked when they ended their 2025 regular-season in Minnesota, but that was because almost none of their starters played. The Vikings won’t get that lucky Week 1. This should be the easiest trip in the division this fall, and it’s ideal to come in the opener, when the Packers know they’ll be without Parsons. Prediction: Packers win (1-0)
Week 2: at New York Jets, noon, Sunday, Sept. 20 (Fox)
Without a quarterback entering a 2027 draft considered to have potentially elite prospects, there isn’t a team in the league tanking harder than the New York Jets. This should be a win for every opponent on the Jets schedule. It won’t be (probably), given the Jets are the Jets, and they’ll screw up and win at least a couple of times this season. But if the Packers lose in New York, it’d be significantly worse than their loss at the Cleveland Browns early last season. Prediction: Packers win (2-0)
Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 7:15 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24 (Amazon Prime)
This is kind of a gift, too. Even if Michael Penix Jr. returns from his torn ACL by Week 3, he might not be the best quarterback on the Falcons roster. And that’s not a good thing for Atlanta. Its other option is Tua Tagovailoa. The Packers home opener could have been against the Buffalo Bills, which would’ve meant no Parsons against Allen. They’ll gladly take this. Prediction: Packers win (3-0).
Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, noon, Sunday, Oct. 4 (Fox)
Can Jordan Love have better luck in Tampa than Aaron Rodgers? The gulf side of Florida was infamously unkind to the legend, who threw seven touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 72.9 passer rating in five games at Tampa Bay as the Packers quarterback. The Packers were 2-3 in those games. Included in those interceptions were a pair of pick-6s. Rodgers exceeded 300 passing yards just once. What does that have to do with the 2026 season? Absolutely nothing. Nor does the fact Love has lost his only matchup against the Buccaneers, not that it was his fault. You remember that game as the day Joe Barry’s defense made Baker Mayfield perfect. But it turns out Mayfield actually is a pretty good quarterback, it’s much hotter in Tampa Bay than Green Bay this time of year, and I think the Buccaneers could have a resurgence in the NFC South this season anyway. I don’t like the Packers vibes anywhere I look here. Prediction: Packers lose (3-1)
Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears, 3:25 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 11 (Fox)
No chance Fox was giving up this game. And that’s before you consider that by the time these rivals kick off, Parsons will be three days shy of 10 months after he tore his ACL. After the season, without knowing the 2026 schedule, Parsons indicated he might miss the first four games. This is Game 5. There’s no way the Packers give him a full snap count if this is his first game back, but could this be his first game back? Could that give the Packers a massive boost? Did the Packers have significant leads in all three games against the Bears last season? I’ll take the home team. Prediction: Packers win (4-1)
Week 6: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 7:20 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 18 (NBC)
Here’s the thing, though: If Parsons needs an extra week, could he actually return against … his former team? Do you think Roger Goodell made sure whichever minion was responsible for the Packers schedule looked very closely at a target return date for Parsons, and stuffed that window with as many juicy matchups as possible? This can’t be coincidence. Neither can what the Packers offense did to the Cowboys defense last year in Dallas. The Packers defense didn’t get any stops either, ending that game in a tie, but here’s thinking the defense will be better this year inside Lambeau Field. Prediction: Packers win (5-1)
Week 7: at Detroit Lions, 3:25 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25 (Fox)
The Packers flipped the script against the Lions last season, winning both games against their NFC North foe, maybe the clearest example of Parsons’ impact. He wrecked the game last season in Detroit with 2.5 sacks on Thanksgiving. But the Lions had owned the Packers before 2025, winning six of the previous seven games, including three of four in Detroit. And they’re still plenty formidable. Because this game isn’t on Thanksgiving – the Packers won both turkey day games in Detroit since 2023 – I’ll take the Lions at home in another close one. Prediction: Packers lose (5-2)
Week 8: vs. Carolina Panthers, 7:15 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29 (Amazon Prime)
No way the Panthers are walking out of Lambeau Field with a win, right? I mean, wait, no way the Panthers are walking out of Lambeau Field for a second straight year with a win, right? The thing is, Matt LaFleur called it on the nose last season. The Panthers had one way they could beat this Packers team on the road, and they executed it flawlessly, taking the air out of the ball in a slow-played 16-13 win. On a short week, I have a hard time seeing the Panthers pulling off that recipe for a second straight year, but I’ve been wrong on this matchup before. Prediction: Packers win (6-2)
Week 9: at New England Patriots, 3:25 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8 (Fox)
I thought the Patriots were due for regression this season, and that’s before their head coach found himself in TMZ hell. As if the Super Bowl hangover distraction wasn’t enough. This isn’t any easy matchup, going on the road to New England in early November, but the Packers pass rush should be clicking on all cylinders by the season’s midway point. And we’ve seen what a pass rush clicking on all cylinders can do to Drake Maye and that Patriots offensive line. The Patriots likely will be favored, but I’ll take the Packers pulling off a mild upset. Prediction: Packers win (7-2)
Week 10: vs. Minnesota Vikings, noon, Sunday, Nov. 15 (Fox)
This should be the easiest division win. The Packers took the life out of the Vikings offense at Lambeau Field last season, and whether it’s J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray at quarterback this fall, neither has happy memories in Green Bay. Not sure this game will be particularly close. Prediction: Packers win (8-2)
Week 11: Bye
If the season gets off to this start, and there’s no reason on paper it shouldn’t, the Packers might want to postpone their midseason bye and keep it rolling. But a bye week scheduled for late November is always ideal, allowing players to rest for the stretch run. In this case, getting extra time to prepare for Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams in one of the season’s biggest matchups is ideal. How LaFleur approaches the bye week going into an ultra-short game week will be something to juggle.
Week 12: at Los Angeles Rams, 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 25 (Netflix)
The NFL’s first-ever Thanksgiving eve game, and it’s conceivable this will be a top 10 matchup on the league’s entire schedule, if not top five. LaFleur versus good buddy Sean McVay. Love versus Stafford. Two teams with their eyes on winning the NFC. The potential implications down the road are significant. If I had to pick today – and it’s only the middle of May, so I don’t – the Rams would be my Super Bowl pick. They’re as balanced and explosive as any team in the league. And they have the advantage of playing this wonky-scheduled game at home. Prediction: Packers lose (8-3)
Week 13: at New Orleans Saints, noon p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6 (Fox)
If you’re looking for a trap game on the schedule, this could be it. Very similar to how the Packers’ trip to Denver looked much more daunting by the time it arrived last December than when it was announced in the spring. Not that I think the Saints are a sleeper pick for the NFC, but they could be a resurgent upset to win the NFC South. They closed last season with a 6-11 record, but won four of their last five games behind stingy defense and improving quarterback Tyler Shough, coming up 2 points shy on the road against rival Atlanta from winning all five. This isn’t a gimme, but I’ll take the Packers to sneak out of the Big Easy with a hard-fought win. Prediction: Packers win (9-3)
Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills, 7:20 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 13 (NBC)
You know this much: Josh Allen isn’t going to be rattled by some December cold at Lambeau Field. What a treat it’ll be to watch these two quarterbacks square off in prime time, and this game could be very significant for both sides. I have a hard time picking against Allen in a quarterback matchup, and the Packers haven’t gone undefeated at home since 2011. This late-season matchup seems destined to continue that streak. Prediction: Packers lose (9-4)
Week 15: vs. Miami Dolphins, noon, Sunday, Dec. 20 (Fox)
Jeff Hafley didn’t get his wish. The former Packers defensive coordinator-turned Dolphins head coach really wanted this game early in the season, safely before Parsons’ return date. Instead, he’ll get Parsons at full force. Poor Malik Willis. While the former Packers backup quarterback might turn the corner on Parsons a time or two, I just don’t see how the Dolphins are scoring enough points on the Sunday afternoon before Christmas to leave with a win. It’s a multi-year rebuilding project ahead of Hafley in South Florida. Prediction: Packers win (10-4)
Week 16: at Chicago Bears, noon, Friday, Dec. 25 (Netflix)
Oh, NFL schedule makers, you troll so hard. On a day made for holiday cheer, there’s nothing better than watching two grinches shake hands afterward. Not that LaFleur or Ben Johnson are anything but pleasant on their own, but get these two involved with each other, and watch the claws come out. By that, we don’t mean the one wearing a big, red overcoat. I think the Packers are better than the Bears. I watched them hold commanding leads in all three games last season, but I also saw the Bears come back in borderline miraculous fashion twice in Chicago. And I can’t unsee that. Here’s predicting another Christmas miracle in Chicago, or a nightmare on Christmas, depending on your perspective. Prediction: Packers lose (10-5)
Week 17: vs. Houston Texans, 7:15 p.m., Monday, Jan. 4 (ESPN)
Who’s going to save C.J. Stroud? I mean, who’s protecting him from the January cold, the leaky Texans offensive line, that deer-in the-headlights look as Parsons and company come barreling at him? There was a time Love versus Stroud looked like it could be the quarterback matchup of the future. Now, these two are in very different places. The Texans defense is elite, so when I say this one could get ugly, I don’t mean the score. But things could go downhill quickly for Stroud on this night. Prediction: Packers win: (11-5)
Week 18: vs. Detroit Lions, TBD
Four years ago, the Packers hosted the Lions for their regular-season finale at Lambeau Field, a game that essentially was a play-in to the postseason. Aaron Rodgers was behind center. The home crowd was rocking. And the Lions were eliminated before kickoff. The idea Detroit could win a game like that seemed fanciful, but it happened. Could similar stakes be on the line when the Lions come to Lambeau Field again to close the 2026 season? If that happens, it’s now very plausible the Lions could win, but I have these teams splitting home and home this season. Prediction: Packers win (12-5)
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Very early game-by-game predictions for the Green Bay Packers 2026 season
Reporting by Ryan Wood, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Packers News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
