Packers at Bears in Week 1: Who’s Favored?

Opening lines are out for the first few games of the season, with the Green Bay Packers visiting the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons before hosting the New Orleans Saints.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
May 11, 2023 9:19 PM EDT
Original:
May 11, 2023

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Matt LaFleur’s fifth season as Green Bay Packers coach will begin on the road for a fifth consecutive season.

When the Packers open the 2023 NFL season at the Chicago Bears on Sept. 10, it will mark the first time in franchise history that it’s started on the road five consecutive seasons.

“That’s something I thought was going to change,” LaFleur told Packers.com’s Larry McCarren. “There’s nothing like having an opening-day game at your home stadium with your crowd behind you but, again, the schedule-makers said that’s not the case and we’ll be prepared to play against a Chicago Bears team that certainly looks on paper much improved. So, it’ll be a great challenge for us.”

The Bears, indeed, are improved. Last year, with Aaron Rodgers dealing with injured ribs and a broken thumb and the Packers saddled with a 4-8 record, they were 3 1/2-point favorites at Chicago. Following the offseason trade of Rodgers, the early line at DraftKings Sportsbook is Chicago by 2 for Game 1 of the Jordan Love era.

With Rodgers, the Packers returned victorious following 12 of their last 13 trips to Soldier Field.

Green Bay is opening the season with back-to-back road games for just the third time. The Week 2 matchup is at the Atlanta Falcons, with the Packers opening as 1-point favorites.

Love will make his first home start the following week against the New Orleans Saints. The Packers are 1-point favorites in that game, as well.

Green Bay will open the season against three teams that are coming off losing seasons, with the Bears finishing 3-14 and the Falcons and Saints winding up 7-10. The first opponent with a winning record will be the Thursday night game in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions, who swept the Packers last season en route to a 9-8 record.

“I think each year is a new year and you’ve got to reinvent yourself each and every year,” LaFleur said, “whether you’re a great team the year before or you weren’t as great as you wanted to be. That’s the case every year in the National Football League. Nothing’s more evident of that than looking at the teams that make the playoffs that didn’t make it the previous season.”

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