Packers’ Schedule Filled With Quarterback Showdowns; Who Has Advantage?

Money talks.

In terms of average salary, the 10 highest-paid players in the NFL are quarterbacks. They are paid enormous contracts because of the enormous impact they make on games.

With the NFL schedule set to be released on Thursday, here is a look at the quarterback matchups for the Green Bay Packers. Of note, Jordan Love is ninth in the MVP odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. The Packers will play four of the quarterbacks with shorter odds, led by the favorite, Josh Allen of the Bills.

(Note: This story has some statistical comparisons. Since Love became Green Bay’s starter in 2023, 37 quarterbacks have thrown at least 500 passes.)

NFC North: Minnesota – Kyler Murray

The Vikings went 9-8 last season despite some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL. This offseason, they pounced on Kyler Murray when he was released by the Cardinals.

Murray spent his first seven seasons with Arizona. Its record during that span was 43-73-1. With Murray in the starting lineup, the Cardinals went 38-48-1. Without him, they went 5-25. So, yes, he could make a difference for a team with one of the best defenses in the league.

Nonetheless, Murray has failed to break into the top half of the league in passer rating for four consecutive seasons while Love rose to fifth last season. The Vikings will count on coach Kevin O’Connell to be the difference.

Advantage: Packers.

NFC North: Detroit – Jared Goff

Goff is one of the most accurate and productive quarterbacks in the league. When given time, he is deadly.

During the Love era, Goff is second in the NFL with a 104.8 passer rating – including third with 69.1 percent accuracy and first with 13,768 passing yards and 101 touchdowns. Love is coming off his best season with a 101.2 rating – not quite as good as Goff’s average day.

Love swept Goff and the Lions last season, including a virtuoso performance at Detroit. His ability to move is the difference.

Advantage: Packers.

NFC North: Chicago – Caleb Williams

Williams finished last in the NFL with a 58.1 percent completion rate. No matter how good he is at turning nothing into something, he must get better at making the mundane plays.

That being said, Williams, who is tied for 10th in the MVP odds, led the Bears to dramatic comebacks over the Packers in Week 16 and the playoffs. Great quarterbacks must be great in big moments. The “winner” is based on some projection in Year 2 with coach Ben Johnson.

Advantage: Bears.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) against the Green Bay Packers during their wild-card playoff football game. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Home: Atlanta – TBA

It will be either Michael Penix, who has an 85.8 passer rating in 12 career starts over two seasons, or Tua Tagovailoa, who led the NFL in passer rating in 2022, passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024 but fell off precipitously in 2025. Injuries and interceptions have been major problems.

Advantage: Packers.

Home: Carolina – Bryce Young

Love took over as Green Bay’s starter in 2023 and Young was the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. So, with essentially the same sample size, Love ranks 11th in passer rating and eighth in yards per attempt while Young is 35th in passer rating and 36th in yards per attempt.

Advantage: Packers.

Home: Buffalo – Josh Allen

Bills quarterback Josh Allen finds a throwing lane against the Packers in 2022. | JAMIE GERMANO / USA TODAY NETWORK

Over the last three seasons, Allen is 10th in passer rating and Love is 11th. Allen, though, is an elite dual-threat quarterback because of his arm strength and experience as a passer and his combination of athleticism and size as a runner. The last three seasons, he’s thrown or rushed for 123 touchdowns. Love has accounted for only 85 touchdowns.

As a runner, Love has gained 529 yards as a starter. Allen has run past that number in four of the last five seasons. It’s Allen by a mile in terms of runs that produce a first down. Over the last three seasons, it’s 173 for Allen and 39 for Love.

Advantage: Bills.

Home: Miami – Malik Willis

Willis completely changed his career during his two seasons with the Packers. In 2024 and 2025, there were 115 individual seasons of quarterback throwing at least 35 passes and starting at least one game.

That’s a small and precise sample size, to be sure, but Willis in 2025 ranked first in passer rating (145.5), first in completion percentage (85.7) and first in yards per attempt (12.1), and Willis in 2024 ranked second in passer rating (124.8), second in yards per attempt (10.2) and third in completion percentage (74.1).

Statistically, he is the superior quarterback to Love. It will be fascinating to see how Willis does now that he has to run the show. Of course, Willis might be playing this season with one arm tied behind his back due to the lack of a supporting cast.

Advantage: Packers.

Home: Dallas – Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws against Green Bay Packers defensive end Karl Brooks. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Prescott, who led the NFL in completions in 2023 and 2025, has been sidetracked by injuries three of the last seven seasons. During those four healthy seasons, he topped 4,400 passing yards each time.

The sheer numbers would suggest the Cowboys have a relatively significant edge. But, over the last three seasons, Prescott is seventh with a 99.4 passer rating and Love is 11th with a 97.8 – so pretty close to even.

In last year’s 40-40 tie, Prescott was 31-of-40 (77.5 percent) for 319 yards with three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 124.9 rating. Love was 31-of-43 (72.1 percent) for 337 yards with three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 118.1 rating.

He is seventh in the MVP odds.

Advantage: None.

Home: Houston – C.J. Stroud

Stroud was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft. Love has outplayed him by a considerable margin, with Stroud’s 93.5 passer rating during his three seasons ranking 18th and just ahead of Aaron Rodgers.

At this point, he’s still living off his blockbuster rookie season in which he led the league with 273.9 yards per game, had a 4.6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and posted a 100.8 passer rating. The last two years, it’s been 1.95 touchdowns for every interception with an 87.0 passer rating in 2024 and 92.9 in 2025.

Stroud led the Texans to six consecutive wins to end last year’s regular season. In two playoff games, though, he had seven turnovers.

Advantage: Packers.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud faces pressure against Eric Wilson during the game at Lambeau Field in 2024. | Tork Mason/Green Bay Press-Gazette via the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin-Imagn Images

Road: New Orleans – Tyler Shough

A second-round pick last year, Shough completed 67.6 percent of his passes and had a 91.3 rating. He finished strong with 293 passing yards per game during the final four weeks. Importantly, the Saints went 5-4 when he started and 1-7 otherwise.

Advantage: Packers.

Road: Tampa Bay – Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) passes the ball against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in 2023. | Tork Mason-Imagn Images

Mayfield’s level of play dropped off a cliff last season. During his first nine games, when he looked like an MVP candidate, he had six games with a passer rating of at least 98.0. He didn’t hit that mark the rest of the season, though. During the Bucs’ 2-6 finish, he threw 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Over the last three seasons, only one player has thrown more touchdown passes than Mayfield (95). Also, only one player has thrown more interceptions than Mayfield (37). During that span, Love is 11th in passer rating and Mayfield is 13th.

Advantage: Packers.

Road: New England – Drake Maye

Maye had a sensational second season. Playing without a true No. 1 receiver, the third pick of the 2024 draft led the NFL in passer rating (113.5), yards per attempt (8.93) and completion percentage (72.0) and was third with 31 touchdowns. The Patriots went 8-0 on the road behind Maye’s lights-out 120.2 rating.

He looked overwhelmed by the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Having answers to pressure will be the key.

Maye, who could be throwing to A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs this year, is third in the MVP odds.

Advantage: Patriots.

Road: New York Jets – Geno Smith

A second-round pick by the Jets in 2013, the 35-year-old is back with them after resurrecting his career with the Seahawks but falling on his face during his lone season with the Raiders.

Smith threw a league-worst 17 interceptions last season and has tossed a league-high 41 over the last three seasons. The Jets are rebuilding, and Smith will be asked to make do with what he’s got. It’s not a lot, and Smith isn’t good enough to keep the flight in the air.

Advantage: Packers.

Road: Los Angeles Rams – Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws against the Green Bay Packers in 2024. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Stafford is the reigning MVP after leading the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns last season. His 5.75 touchdown-to-interception ratio crushed his career mark 2.16. He’s practically a statue in the pocket but it doesn’t matter because he’s so good and so tough. It helps, obviously, to have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at receiver.

Stafford is eighth in the MVP odds.

Advantage: Rams.

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