Packers’ Easiest, Toughest Stretches of 2022 NFL Schedule
GREEN BAY, Wis. – With a handful of exceptions on each end of the talent spectrum, teams tend to yo-yo up and down the NFL standings. It doesn’t take much misfortune for a team that was pretty good one year to be pretty bad the next. And it only takes a couple of draft picks or key veteran additions to flip a team from pretender to contender.
Looking at the projected win totals for each opponent at FanDuel Sportsbook, perhaps Green Bay’s schedule isn’t quite as challenging as it appears at first glance. Of the 17 opponents, five are predicted to finish over .500, five are predicted to finish .500 and seven are projected to finish below .500.
“The season is hopefully going to be one of those seasons where our guys kind of bond together as we go through it,” general manager Brian Gutekunst told Packers.com. “Because obviously the ultimate goal is getting to that second season of the playoffs.”
Before digging into the toughest and easiest stretches of four-plus games on the schedule, here are the projected win totals of the opponents.
NFL Projected Win Totals
Week 1 (away): Minnesota Vikings. Win total: 8.5.
Week 2 (home): Chicago Bears. Win total: 6.5.
Week 3 (away): Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Win total: 11.5.
Week 4 (home): New England Patriots. Win total: 8.5.
Week 5 (London): New York Giants. Win total: 7.5.
Week 6 (home): New York Jets. Win total: 5.5.
Week 7 (away): Washington Commanders. Win total: 8.5.
Week 8 (away): Buffalo Bills. Win total: 11.5.
Week 9 (away): Detroit Lions. Win total: 6.5.
Week 10 (home): Dallas Cowboys. Win total: 10.5.
Week 11 (home): Tennessee Titans. Win total: 9.5.
Week 12 (away): Philadelphia Eagles. Win total: 9.5.
Week 13 (away): Chicago Bears. Win total: 6.5.
Week 14: Bye.
Week 15 (home): Los Angeles Rams. Win total: 10.5.
Week 16 (away) Miami Dolphins. Win total: 8.5.
Week 17 (home): Minnesota Vikings. Win total: 8.5.
Week 18 (home): Detroit Lions. Win total: 6.5.
Averages: 8.50 wins, or a .500 winning percentage.
Easiest Stretch for Packers
The NFL is and probably always will be a quarterback-driven league. Starting in Week 4, it will be Aaron Rodgers at home vs. Mac Jones and the Patriots, in London against Daniel Jones and the Giants, at home against Zach Wilson and the Jets, and at Washington against Carson Wentz and the Commanders. Last season, Mac Jones finished 15th in passer rating, Daniel Jones finished 26th, Wilson finished 31st and Wentz finished 13th.
None of those games will be cakewalks, though. Bill Belichick is Bill Belichick. The game against the Giants will be in London and the game against the Jets will come after a long flight back from London, so jet lag could trip up the Packers in both cases. And Washington’s defense includes an entire front four of first-round picks.
Toughest Stretch for Packers
The easiest stretch bleeds into the toughest stretch.
After a road trip to Washington, it’s another East Coast trek to face the Bills. Buffalo is the Super Bowl favorite and quarterback Josh Allen is the MVP favorite at SI Sportsbook. Moreover, they’ll be coming off their bye.
Next, it’s a trip to Detroit to cap a three-game road trip against the Lions. The Lions haven’t qualified for the playoffs since the Wright Brothers were messing around at Kitty Hawk (yes, that is an exaggeration) but they’re a team on the rise with a potentially elite receiver trio of D.J. Chark, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Third, it’s a home game against Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys, who were No. 1 in points scored and No. 7 in points allowed last season.
Fourth, it’s a home game on a short week against Derrick Henry and the Titans, who posted the best record in the AFC last season.
Finally, it’s a Sunday night game at Eagles, who were No. 1 in rushing last season and added premier receiver A.J. Brown. The home team wins about 62 percent of the time on SNF.