NFL Screws Packers in Terms of Bye Weeks, Scheduling Differences

The Green Bay Packers got a Week 11 bye week. That’s great, especially compared to Week 5 last year.

Overall, though, the Packers will have a negative rest differential in three of six NFC North games, including both games against a chief contender for the NFC North.

Here’s the breakdown of how a game is scheduled one week impacts the next week.

Week 1: Packers at Vikings (Sunday).

It’s Week 1, so there is no advantage.

Advantage: None.

Week 2: Packers at Jets (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday afternoon game at Minnesota while the Jets will be coming off a Sunday game at the Titans.

Advantage: None.

Week 3: Falcons at Packers (Thursday night)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday game at the Jets while the Falcons will be coming off a Sunday home game against the Panthers.

Advantage: None, though you’d rather be home on a short week.

Week 4: Packers at Buccaneers (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Thursday night home game against the Falcons while the Buccaneers will be coming off a Sunday afternoon home game against the Vikings.

Advantage: Packers (by three days).

Week 5: Bears at Packers (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday game at the Buccaneers while the Bears will be coming off a Sunday home game against the Jets.

Advantage: None.

Week 6: Packers at Cowboys (Sunday night)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday afternoon home game against the Bears while the Cowboys will be coming off a Thursday night home game against the Buccaneers.

Advantage: Cowboys (by three days).

Week 7: Packers at Lions (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday night home game against the Cowboys while the Lions will be coming off their bye. If the NFL truly cared about putting teams on a level playing field, a huge division game wouldn’t come with one giant scheduling disadvantage.

Advantage: Lions (by one week).

Week 8: Panthers at Packers (Thursday night)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday afternoon rivalry showdown against the Lions while the Panthers will be coming off a Sunday home game against the Buccaneers.

Advantage: None.

Week 9: Packers at Patriots (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Thursday night game against the Panthers, meaning they’ll have a mini-bye. The Patriots will be coming off a Sunday afternoon game at the Dolphins.

Advantage: Packers (by three days).

Week 10: Vikings at Packers (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday afternoon game at the Patriots while the Vikings will be coming off a Monday night home game against the Bills.

Advantage: Packers (by one day).

Week 11: Bye

This should be an advantage for the Packers. Instead …

Week 12: Packers at Rams (Wednesday night)

To shoehorn a game into Thanksgiving Eve, the Packers and Rams will both be coming off their bye.

Advantage: None.

Week 13: Packers at Saints (Sunday)

The Packers essentially will be coming off another mini-bye while the Saints will be coming off a Sunday game at the Bengals.

Advantage: Packers (by four days).

Week 14: Bills at Packers (Sunday night)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday game at the Saints and the Bills will be coming off a Sunday game at the Patriots.

Advantage: None, though Buffalo will be in the middle of this brutal five-game stretch: home vs. the Chiefs, at the Patriots and Packers, home vs. the Bears and at the Broncos.

Week 15: Dolphins at Packers (Sunday)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday night home game against the Bills while the Dolphins will be coming off a Sunday home game against the Bears.

Advantage: None.

Week 16: Packers at Bears (Friday)

The Packers will be coming off a Sunday home game against the Dolphins while the Bears will be coming off a Saturday game at the Bills.

Advantage: Bears (by one day).

Week 17: Texans at Packers (Monday night)

The Packers will be coming off a Friday home game against Chicago, meaning an additional three days of rest. But the Texans will be coming off a Thursday night home game against the Texans.

Advantage: Texans (by one day).

Week 18: Lions at Packers (Date TBA)

The Packers will be coming off a Monday night home game against Houston while Detroit will be coming off a Sunday afternoon game at Chicago.

Advantage: Detroit (one day).

The Bottom Line

Overall, the difference is rather minimal. Green Bay is minus-2 in rest differential. It got the advantage with the equivalent of three mini-bye, but the Lions got the full bye before Round 1 against the Packers, and Green Bay will be a day short for Week 16 against the Bears, Week 17 against the Texans and Week 18 against the Lions.

More NFL Schedule News

Here's the Packers' schedule complete with dates, times, TV, quarterbacks and more. ⬇️https://t.co/1XXpemddeI
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) May 14, 2026

Memo to Packers President and CEO Ed Policy.

Pay the electric bill.

Here is a look at all six primetime games, five of which will be played at Lambeau. ⬇️https://t.co/ZNgUP6xvnr
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) May 15, 2026

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