Packers’ 2023 Schedule Starting to Crystallize

Fourteen of the Green Bay Packers’ 17 opponents are set in stone, including a home game against the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Dec 14, 2022 2:55 PM EST
Original:
Dec 14, 2022

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Looking ahead to the 2023 NFL schedule, the Green Bay Packers will host Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and, perhaps, Tom Brady.

While the 2022 season isn’t complete, the 2023 schedule is taking shape. Due to the NFL’s predetermined schedule rotation, the NFC North next season will play all four teams from the NFC South, all four teams from the AFC West and the corresponding finishers from the NFC East, NFC West and AFC North.

On paper, the schedule doesn’t appear to be challenging, though that’s obviously subject to change.

As it stands, Green Bay is set to play five games against teams that will make this year’s playoffs: the Minnesota Vikings (home and away), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs at home, and the to-be-determined NFC East opponent on the road. None of the NFC South teams are over .500 but all four have uncertainty at quarterback.

Only five games will be against teams that have winning records: the Vikings (home and away), Chiefs, Chargers and the NFC East foe.

Of course, 2022 results might not mean anything for 2023 matchups. The perfect example is this year’s eight games against the NFC East and AFC East. In 2021, five of the eight teams finished better than .500. In 2022, all eight teams are over .500. In 2021, the NFC East teams went 32-36; in 2022, they’re 36-14-2.

Meanwhile, the AFC West was supposed to be a four-team juggernaut but only the Chiefs are playoff-bound at the moment.

Here’s a closer look at the Packers’ 2023 opponents.

NFC North (home and away): Minnesota Vikings

With a 10-3 record, the Vikings hold a commanding four-game lead in the NFC North and could clinch the division title this week. Their strength of victory is second-highest in the NFC, so it’s not as if they’ve feasted on cupcakes. A juggernaut, right? Well, they’ve been outscored by one point and are 29th in yardage differential. The defense is terrible; it is 24th in points allowed and 32nd in total defense.

NFC North (home and away): Detroit Lions

The Lions haven’t won a playoff game since reaching the NFC Championship Game in 1991 and have lost at least 10 games the last four seasons. But, after years of being doormats, they look like a rising force. While only 6-7, Detroit has won five of its last six games to surge into playoff contention. Plus, thanks to the trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Rams, they’re slated to get the fourth pick in next year’s draft.

NFC North (home and away): Chicago Bears

Chicago (3-10) is in rebuilding mode. The Bears traded arguably their best defensive players, linebacker Roquan Smith and pass rusher Robert Quinn, before this year’s deadline. How will they get better? Well, they’re slated to pick third in next year’s draft and they have more cap space than the next two teams combined.

NFC South (home): Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers lead the NFC South with their woeful 6-7 record. Incredibly for a team quarterbacked by Tom Brady and with a quality set of skill-position weapons, the Bucs have scored more than 22 points in only one game this season. Brady will be a free agent at season’s end and will turn 46 in August, and only one team has a worse salary-cap outlook, according to OverTheCap.com.

NFC South (home): New Orleans Saints

How valuable is a good quarterback? With Drew Brees, the Saints won 11-plus games from 2017 through 2020. Without Brees, the Saints went 9-8 in 2021 and are 4-9 in 2022. After finishing in the top 10 in turnovers each of the last five seasons, they’re a 31st-ranked minus-12. Making matters worse: The Saints are a projected $65 million over the salary cap, the worst outlook in the league, according to OverTheCap.com.

NFC South (away): Carolina Panthers

The Panthers (5-8) started the season 2-7 but have won three of their last four to inch their way to within one game of first place in the dreadful NFC South. Since allowing 79 points in back-to-back losses to Atlanta and Cincinnati, the Panthers have yielded 62 points during their four-game revival.

NFC South (away): Atlanta Falcons

On pace for a fifth consecutive losing season, the Falcons (5-8) are turning to the future with rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder replacing veteran Marcus Mariota. Atlanta is projected to pick 10th and has the second-most cap space.

AFC West (home): Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs (10-3) are the NFL’s dominant franchise. They’ve advanced to the AFC Championship Game each of the last four years, including a Super Bowl victory in 2019. While Green Bay struggled following the trade of Davante Adams, the Chiefs had no such issues following the trade of Tyreek Hill. Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns

AFC West (home): Los Angeles Chargers

Same as it was for years with Philip Rivers, the Chargers (7-6) have a big-time quarterback but just can’t win with regularity. Justin Herbert is having another monster season but is only 22-23 as a starter. The quartet of Herbert, receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler is as good as it gets. The problem is the Chargers rank 28th in points allowed and 32nd in yards per rushing attempt.

AFC West (away): Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders (5-8) beat the Broncos, Seahawks and Chargers in succession to get back in the playoff race, only to cough up a 16-3 lead during the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to the Rams. The Packers, not surprisingly, aren’t better without Davante Adams. The Raiders, surprisingly, aren’t better with Adams, either. He ranks fifth with 82 receptions, third with 1,247 yards and first with 12 touchdowns but the Raiders have lost more games than all of last year.

AFC West (away): Denver Broncos

Former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is having a miserable first season as head coach in Denver. The Broncos made a huge trade to get quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seahawks, only to go from 7-10 and last place in the AFC West in 2021 to 3-10 and last place in 2022. The defense is great, ranking fourth in points, but Wilson-led offense is averaging a league-worst 14.9 points per game.

NFC West (home): Corresponding finisher

The Packers are in third place in the NFC North. If that’s how they wind up, they’d face the third-place finisher in the NFC West. The Cardinals and Rams are 4-9 and split the season series. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a torn ACL on Monday night. So, chances are, it will be the Cardinals in last place in the NFC West and the Rams traveling to Green Bay for a third consecutive season.

NFC East (away): Corresponding finisher

The Commanders and Giants are 7-5-1 and will play each other on Sunday. The winner not only will take a big step toward qualifying for the playoffs but in earning a third-place finish in the suddenly strong NFC East. The Commanders beat Green Bay in Washington earlier this season, part of their 6-1-1 stretch.

AFC North (away): Corresponding finisher

This would be the 17th opponent. The Browns and Steelers are 5-8 and will play each other in Pittsburgh in Week 18. Pittsburgh is 27th in points scored and Cleveland is 27th in points allowed. With the return of controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson to pair with dominant running back Nick Chubb, perhaps the Browns will break away for that third-place finish. Green Bay has won four in a row over the Browns.