Game-by-Game Look at Packers’ Schedule
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Here’s a game-by-game look at the Green Bay Packers’ schedule.
Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Sept. 13, noon, Fox
Last season: 10-6, second place in NFC North. The Packers dominated the second half to win at Minnesota 23-10 in Week 16 to clinch the division title.
Of note: It’s been an eventful offseason, starting with the trade of premier receiver Stefon Diggs and the free-agent losses of cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander. It will be interesting to see if Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, a defensive guru, can put together a typically strong defense with a new-look cornerback corps. They did add Michael Pierce to replace Linval Joseph on the defensive line. Before last year, Green Bay had been 0-3 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Week 2: home vs. Detroit Lions
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Sept. 20, noon, Fox
Last season: 3-12-1, last place in NFC North. Behind a fourth-quarter comeback sparked by Allen Lazard, Green Bay won 23-22 in Week 6 at Lambeau Field. The Lions finished with a nine-game losing streak, with Matthew Stafford on injured reserve for the final six of those games.
Of note: It was an odd free agency for the Lions, who bid adieu to cornerback Darius Slay, defensive linemen Damon Harrison and A’Shawn Robinson, linebacker Devon Kennard, and offensive linemen Graham Glasgow and Rick Wagner. The Lions replaced Slay with veteran Desmond Trufant, the defensive linemen with Danny Shelton, Kennard with Jamie Collins, and Wagner with Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
Week 3: at New Orleans Saints
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Sept. 27, 7:20 p.m., NBC
Last season: 13-3, first place in NFC South. However, they were stunned in overtime for the second consecutive postseason, losing to the Vikings 26-20 in the wild-card round.
Of note: The Saints upgraded at safety with Malcolm Jenkins and receiver with Emmanuel Sanders in their quest to get Drew Brees back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2009. The Saints used their first three picks on center/guard Cesar Ruiz, linebacker/pass rusher Zach Baun and tight end Adam Trautman, then hit the golf course for Rounds 4, 5 and 6. In two previous Aaron Rodgers vs. Brees games – both in prime time – the Packers were smoked by a combined 95-52 in 2008 and 2014.
Week 4: home vs. Atlanta Falcons
Date, Time, TV: Monday, Oct. 5, 7:15 p.m., ESPN
Last season: 7-9, tied for second place in NFC South. The Falcons ended the season with a four-game winning streak, which included a win at San Francisco.
Of note: The Falcons lost three standouts, cornerback Desmond Trufant, tight end Austin Hooper and pass rusher Vic Beasley, but broke the bank for pass rusher Dante Fowler. To replace Trufant, they used their first pick on A.J. Terrell. They’re rolling the dice that former Rams running back Todd Gurley has something left in the tank because there is zero proven depth in the backfield. Green Bay has played at least one Monday night game for 28 consecutive seasons, and is 7-2 in its last nine at home.
Week 5: Bye
The bye should help. Right? The Packers are 0-3 the last three seasons, with a blowout loss at San Francisco last year, a two-point loss at the Rams in 2018 and a two-touchdown home loss to Detroit with Brett Hundley at quarterback in 2017.
Video: 2020 NFL Strength of Schedule
Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Oct. 18, 3:25 p.m., Fox
Last season: 7-9, tied for second place in NFC South. The Buccaneers won four straight late in the season but couldn’t overcome Jameis Winston’s 30 interceptions.
Of note: Winston’s mistake-prone ways are but a distant memory following the addition of Tom Brady, he of the six Super Bowl rings. No team has ever played in the Super Bowl it hosted. Could the Buccaneers make history? Plus, they coaxed tight end Rob Gronkowski out of retirement to give Brady perhaps the best pass-catching group in the NFL with Gronk, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate at tight end and receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. First-round pick Tristan Wirfs will provide protection at tackle. Amazingly, this will be just the third Rodgers vs. Brady clash.
Week 7: at Houston Texans
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Oct. 25, noon, Fox
Last season: 10-6, first place in AFC South. The Texans took a commanding 24-0 lead against Kansas City in the divisional playoffs but got routed 51-31.
Of note: Coach Bill O’Brien traded mega star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for running back David Johnson, who is a couple years removed from being a top performer. Adding receiver Randall Cobb was a half-measure after unloading Hopkins. Losing D.J. Reader in free agency was a big loss to the defensive line. Armed with only five draft picks, their top pick was defensive tackle Ross Blacklock in the second round. This will be Green Bay’s one and only two-game road trip. It had three sets of back-to-back road games the past two seasons.
Week 8: home vs. Minnesota Vikings
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Nov. 1, noon, Fox
Last season: 10-6, second place in NFC North. They lost to San Francisco in the NFC Divisional playoffs. The Vikings went 1-3 on grass last year, including a 21-16 loss at Lambeau Field in Week 2.
Of note: The Vikings owned the draft. They had a league-high 15 picks, including two first-rounders: receiver Justin Jefferson and cornerback Jeff Gladney. Jefferson will try to fill the void left by the trade of prolific Stefon Diggs. Gladney, Cameron Dantzler (third round) and Harrison Hand (fifth) were shots at rebuilding their cornerback corps. Ezra Cleveland could be the left tackle of the future.
Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers
Date, Time, TV: Thursday, Nov. 5, 7:20 p.m., Fox/NFL Network/Amazon
Last season: 13-3, first place in NFC West. The 49ers crushed the Packers twice, including in the NFC Championship Game, but couldn’t finish off the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Of note: The Niners’ biggest move is the one they didn’t make: deciding to stick with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback rather than trying to land Tom Brady. The 49ers traded defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis for a first-round pick and lost veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency. With the Buckner pick, the Niners replaced him with Javon Kinlaw. The Niners added receiver Brandon Aiyuk with the other first-round pick, giving them two potential YAC-monster receivers with Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
Week 10: home vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Nov. 15, noon, Fox
Last season: 6-10, last place in AFC South. They went 0-4 with Nick Foles but 6-6 with Gardner Minshew. The Jaguars were 4-4 at midseason but dropped five in a row – all by more than two touchdowns.
Of note: There’s no quarterback controversy, with Foles being traded to the Bears. The Jaguars made one big move in free agency with the addition of linebacker Joe Schobert. With three of the first 42 picks in the draft, they landed cornerback C.J. Henderson, pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and do-it-all receiver Laviska Shenault. Since going 10-6 and reaching the AFC Championship Game in 2017, Jacksonville is 11-21 with two last-place finishes.
Week 11: at Indianapolis Colts
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Nov. 22, noon, Fox
Last season: 7-9, third place in AFC South. The Colts were thrown for a major loss when Andrew Luck retired before the season.
Of note: He’s not as good as Luck but the Colts have a competent starter after signing longtime Chargers star Philip Rivers in free agency. Rivers got two potential stars in the second round with receiver Michael Pittman and running back Jonathan Taylor. Tight end Eric Ebron, who had a monster 2018, and receiver Devin Funchess, who spent last year on IR, left in free agency. Green Bay is winless in four trips to Indianapolis.
Week 12: home vs. Chicago Bears
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Nov. 29, 7:20 p.m., NBC
Last season: 8-8, second place in NFC North. Green Bay won 21-13 at Lambeau in Week 15. A four-game losing streak at midseason doomed the defending division champions.
Of note: The Bears acquired quarterback Nick Foles in a trade to challenge disappointing Mitchell Trubisky, then broke the bank with pass rusher Robert Quinn, who had a bounce-back season with Dallas. They also gave $16 million over two years to tight end Jimmy Graham. The Packers are 10-2 in their last 12 at home against the Bears. Amazingly, this will mark the ninth time in 10 years these teams will play a prime-time game at Lambeau Field.
Week 13: home vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Dec. 6, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Last season: 9-7, first place in NFC East. The Eagles held off the Packers 34-27 at Lambeau in Week 4. They won their final four regular-season games to win the division.
Of note: The Eagles lost right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai and safety Malcolm Jenkins in free agency but bolstered their defensive line with veteran Javon Hargrave. The draft was all about speed, with receivers Jalen Reagor, John Hightower and Quez Watkins and linebacker Davion Taylor. How will Philly use second-round QB Jalen Hurts?
Week 14: at Detroit Lions
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Dec. 13, noon, Fox
Last season: 3-12-1, last place in NFC North. Even with Matthew Stafford on injured reserve, the Packers needed a late rally to edge the Lions 23-20 in Week 17.
Of note: To the losers go the spoils, meaning using the No. 3 pick on cornerback Jeff Okudah. Second-round running back D’Andre Swift is a big play waiting to happen, and Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg will fortify the line. Green Bay swept last year’s games, giving it a 100-72-7 record in the series. That’s the most wins for the Packers against any opponent.
Week 15: home vs. Carolina Panthers
Date, Time, TV: Saturday or Sunday, Dec. 19 or 20, TBA time, TBA TV
Last season: 5-11, last place in NFC North. The Packers needed a goal-line tackle of Christian McCaffrey to edge the Panthers 24-16 in Week 10 at Lambeau Field.
Of note: The Panthers have a new coach in Matt Rhule. They also have a new pitch-and-catch combo with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and speed receiver Robby Anderson, but lost standout cornerback James Bradberry along with defensive linemen Gerald McCoy and Vernon Butler. Following those free-agent losses, the Panthers invested all seven draft picks on defenders, including defensive linemen Derrick Brown and Yetor Gross-Matos with the first two picks.
Week 16: home vs. Tennessee Titans
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Dec. 27, 7:20 p.m., NBC
Last season: 9-7, second place in AFC South. The Titans advanced to the AFC Championship Game behind Ryan Tannehill, who came off the bench to lead the NFL in passer rating, and Derrick Henry, who led the NFL in rushing.
Of note: The Titans lost standout offensive tackle Jack Conklin in free agency but improved the pass rush by adding Vic Beasley. They replaced Conklin with Georgia’s mountainous Isaiah Wilson in the first round. Cornerback Kristian Fulton (second round) will help the secondary and running back Darrynton Evans (third) will provide some lightning to Henry’s thunder in the backfield.
Week 17: at Chicago Bears
Date, Time, TV: Sunday, Jan. 3, noon, Fox
Last season: 8-8, third place in NFC North. Green Bay held off the Bears 10-3 in last year’s season-opener at Chicago. Adrian Amos’ end-zone interception in his Chicago homecoming helped clinch the win in Matt LaFleur’s debut.
Of note: With no first-round pick due to the Khalil Mack trade, the Bears used second-round selections on tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Including Kmet and free-agent additions Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris, the Bears have approximately 44 tight ends. Including the 2010 NFC Championship Game, Green Bay has won 21 of the last 26 meetings between the rivals at Soldier Field.
