Ranking Every Game on Challenging Packers Schedule From Easiest to Hardest

For the Green Bay Packers, a season of challenges will begin in one of the most challenging venues in the NFL, U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.

“Excited about it,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur told Larry McCarren. “Starting against an NFC North Division rival, it’s always a tough place to play. It’s going to have a playoff-type atmosphere, for sure.”

Here is a look at every game on the schedule, ranked from easiest to hardest.

No. 17 – Week 15: Miami Dolphins

A total of 61 quarterbacks threw at least 89 passes the last two seasons. As Green Bay’s backup, Malik Willis was No. 1 with a 134.6 passer rating. A distant second was Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson at 113.5.

Willis will help lead the Dolphins’ rebuild. While he’ll get to hand the ball to De’Von Achane, his receivers are veterans Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and Malik Washington and rookies Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman. Good luck to Jeff Hafley.

No. 16 – Week 2: at New York Jets

Following a 3-14 season, the Jets brought back coach Aaron Glenn but blew up almost everything else after losing their first seven games and their final five games.

The Jets signed quarterback Geno Smith, who threw more interceptions than any player in the league last year. Meanwhile, their defense incredibly did not intercept a single pass. Their roster might not be playoff-worthy but it has been greatly improved.

No. 15 – Week 3: Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons, who won their final four games last season to finish 8-9, have a new coach in Kevin Stefanski. First on the agenda will be picking a starting quarterback between Michael Penix, a first-round pick in 2024, and Tua Tagovailoa, who led the NFL in passer rating in 2022, passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024.

Whoever wins the job will be blessed with running back Bijan Robinson, receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.

No. 14 – Week 8: Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs for a first down during against the Packers last season. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Panthers upset the Packers at Lambeau last season. For Green Bay, Tucker Kraft suffered a torn ACL in that game and missed the rest of the season; he should be in the lineup. For Carolina, Rico Dowdle accounted for more than half of the Panthers’ yards and both touchdowns; he signed with the Steelers in free agency.

No. 13 – Week 13: at New Orleans Saints

The Saints haven’t reached the playoffs since 2020 but have finally gotten out of the post-Drew Brees abyss. There are high hopes for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. The Saints went 6-11 last year – 5-4 with Shough, including a four-game winning streak in December, and 1-7 with Spencer Rattler.

If the Saints are at least competitive, few venues are louder than the Superdome.

No. 12 – Week 6: Dallas Cowboys

The Packers survived for a 40-40 tie last year in Dallas. The Packers couldn’t stop Dak Prescott and the Cowboys couldn’t stop Jordan Love. The over/under of 51.5 points is Green Bay’s largest of the season.

The Cowboys are counting on Rashan Gary to help fix a defense that finished last in the NFL in points allowed and passing yards allowed per game and per attempt. The Packers are counting on Jonathan Gannon to have their defense take the next step.

No. 11 – Week 10: Minnesota Vikings

Jordan Love lost his first two home starts against the Vikings but won 23-6 last year.

It stands to reason that opposing teams would have more success against Brian Flores’ aggressive defense when playing at home, where it’s easier to communicate. Since taking over as coordinator in 2023, though, Minnesota is 14-11 at home but 16-10 on the road with a winning record all three seasons.

No. 10 – Week 18: Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is sacked during last year's game at the Green Bay Packers. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Lions’ three-game winning streak at Lambeau Field went up in flames last year when the Packers rolled 27-13 in Micah Parsons’ debut.

Parsons’ ability to rush the passer is especially important against a player like Goff. All quarterbacks struggle under pressure but Goff’s downturn is especially steep. Last year, his clean-pocket passer rating was 121.7, according to Pro Football Focus. Under pressure, it was 70.6.

No. 9 – Week 4: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were 6-2 at the bye last year. They looked like a Super Bowl contender and Baker Mayfield looked like a possible MVP. Instead, the Buccaneers dropped seven of their next eight games and crashed to an 8-9 record.

While Mayfield stumbled down the stretch, the Bucs’ defense finished 27th against the pass and 32nd in the red zone.

For Green Bay, which will be coming off a mini-bye following a Thursday game, the weather could be a big factor.

No. 8 – Week 5: Chicago Bears

The Packers will be looking to avenge last year’s fall-from-ahead losses in Week 16 and the playoffs and make an early statement. The return of Micah Parsons, perhaps for this game if not earlier, as well as Tucker Kraft should make a big difference.

The Bears will be looking to show those two rallies weren’t flukes and that the so-called Monsters of the Midway are back in a big way. Getting Caleb Williams to play with greater consistency will be key; of 24 qualifying quarterbacks, he was 18th in rating and last in completion percentage last year.

No. 7 – Week 17: Houston Texans

The Texans have a great defense. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are an elite edge-rushing tandem and Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter are an elite duo at cornerback. When Houston won its final nine games of the regular season as well as its wild-card game, it allowed 20 or fewer points in seven.

Now, can C.J. Stroud get back to his rookie-year form? Out of 30 quarterbacks to throw at least 500 passes the last two seasons, he ranks just 21st in passer rating, 24th in completion percentage and 24th in success rate.

No. 6 – Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) scores a touchdown at the Vikings in 2023. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Packers finished 9-7-1 last season and reached the playoffs. The Vikings finished 9-8 and fell just short. Having suffered through mostly inept quarterback play last season, they signed Kyler Murray after he was released by the Cardinals. If he’s only slightly better than J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings could return to the playoffs.

The Vikings were only 4-4 at home last year, including their irrelevant win over Green Bay in Week 18, but 8-1 in 2024.

No. 5 – Week 9: at New England Patriots

With Drake Maye leading the NFL in passer rating, the Patriots took advantage of a Charmin-soft schedule to reach the Super Bowl, where they were overwhelmed by the Seahawks.

To bolster their offense in hopes of taking the next step, the Patriots signed former Packers receiver Romeo Doubs and are rumored to be the landing spot for Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. Led by premier cornerback Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots were fourth in points allowed.

Green Bay will be coming off a mini-bye following a Thursday game, which might help.

No. 4 – Week 14: Buffalo Bills

The Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL with seven consecutive playoff berths. Like the Packers, they have nothing to show for it in terms of Super Bowls, though.

Josh Allen is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL and James Cook is on the short list of top running backs. Can the Packers stop their high-powered offense? Then again, can a Bills cornerback corps consisting of some combination of Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston, Davison Igbinosun and Dee Alford contain Jordan Love?

No. 3 – Week 7: at Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs against Green Bay Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Lions will be coming off their bye to host the Packers in a showdown at Ford Field, which will make a big challenge even bigger.

The Packers swept Detroit last season, with the Lions finishing 9-8 and in last place in the division.

The Lions are built for the fast track at Ford Field. Last season, Jared Goff’s passer rating was 10.3 points higher in home games, where he averaged 20.6 passing yards more per game. Jahmyr Gibbs averaged 5.86 yards per carry at home compared to 4.82 on the road.

No. 2 – Week 16: at Chicago Bears

The Packers, as you might have heard, lost at Chicago in Week 16 and in the playoffs. The Packers held a combined 34-9 lead after three quarters in those games, only to be outscored 44-9 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Can Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft turn that around, or is Caleb Williams on too great of a trajectory?

“Yeah, we’ve got to give them a good Christmas present,” LaFleur told McCarron. “That’ll be an electric atmosphere, as it always is. Certainly, there’s a lot of games prior to that date but I’m sure it’ll be a meaningful game.”

No. 1 – Week 12: at Los Angeles Rams

This will be one of the biggest games of the season and will kick off the biggest stretch of the season after the Rams almost reached the Super Bowl last year.

The Packers dropped a bomb on their cornerback corps, dumping Nate Hobbs, signing Benjamin St-Juste and drafting two rookies, including Brandon Cisse in the second round. After giving up 346 passing yards to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game, the Rams dropped a nuke by trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson.

With MVP Matthew Stafford throwing 22 touchdowns vs. only one interception, the Rams went 7-1 at home.

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