The Green Bay Packers released their full, 17-game schedule for the 2023 season on Thursday night. Matt LaFleur’s team will play six games against the NFC North, four games against the NFC South, four games against the AFC West, one game each against the third-place finisher from the NFC West and NFC East and one game against the third-place finisher from the AFC North.
What’s important about a schedule? Players and fans generally care about different things. Most players want to know about Week 1, the bye week and trips to warmer climates. Fans want to know about the big games, important road trips and tough stretches.
Here’s what to know about the schedule:
Who is the Week 1 opponent?
The Chicago Bears. The Packers will open the 2023 season by going on the road to play the rival Bears (3-14 last season) at Soldier Field. The showdown will mark the second straight season in which the Packers opened on the road against an NFC North rival (at Minnesota in 2022). This should be Jordan Love’s first start as the No. 1 quarterback in Green Bay. The Packers opened the Matt LaFleur era with a Week 1 win over the Bears in Chicago in 2019, the last time these two teams played in the season opener.
When is the bye week?
Week 6. After having a bye in Week 13 in 2021 and Week 14 in 2022, the Packers get an early bye in 2023. The off week comes after two primetime games (vs. Lions on Thursday night in Week 5 and at Raiders on Monday night in Week 6). Having an October bye means the Packers will play games in 12 straight weeks to end the 2023 season.
When are the primetime games?
The Packers once again have five scheduled primetime games: Week 4 vs. the Lions on “Thursday Night Football,” Week 5 at the Raiders on “Monday Night Football,” Week 13 vs. the Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football,” Week 14 at the Giants on “Monday Night Football” and Week 17 at the Vikings on “Sunday Night Football.” Even without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers remain a big draw. More on the primetime games here. Note: With flex scheduling, the Packers could still play fewer than five primetime games or even more.
Any long road trips?
Not really. The Packers have two two-game road trips, including back-to-back road games (at Chicago, at Atlanta) to open the season. But there are no marathon three-game road trips or long, back-to-back travel weeks. Late in the season, the Packers go to Carolina and then to Minnesota. But overall, travel is limited for Matt LaFleur’s team in 2023. A central location, no international games and no long trips out west help the Packers.
Any particularly difficult stretches?
Shrug emoji. The Packers don’t play a 2022 playoff team until Week 8 (vs. Vikings) and don’t go on the road to play a 2022 playoff team until Week 14 (at Giants). Facing the Lions, Chiefs and Giants over the course of three weeks (Weeks 12-14) could be tricky. Of course, it’s difficult to evaluate a schedule in May. Oftentimes, it’s not who you play, it’s when you play them. As a result of finishing in third place last season, the Packers appear to have a favorable scheduling draw.
Who comes to Lambeau Field late in the year?
The Packers will host three teams at Lambeau Field in December or later: Chiefs (Dec. 3), Buccaneers (Dec. 17) and Bears (TBD). The matchups include facing Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs in primetime, plus a pair of old NFC Central showdowns. The Dec. 11 game in New York could also be affected by weather, but the Packers will go indoors to face the Lions (Nov. 23) and Vikings (Dec. 31) and go south to play the Panthers (Dec. 24) late in the year. Matt LaFleur’s team will avoid the bitter cold of Soldier Field by playing the Bears in Chicago in the season opener in September.
Any trips to warmth late in the year?
Yes! As was the case last year, the Packers are heading south around Christmas. After playing in Miami on Christmas Day in 2022, the Packers will play in Charlotte against the Panthers on Christmas Eve in 2023.
Who is the Week 18 opponent?
The Bears. The time and date are TBD, but the Packers will finish the season at home against the Bears in Week 18. Green Bay beat the Bears in the season finale in 2020, but the game was played in Chicago. The last time the Packers and Bears finished the season at Lambeau Field? 2010.
What else is there to know?
— Jordan Love’s Lambeau Field debut as QB1 will come against the Saints in Week 3.
— The Packers will face Davante Adams for the first time since he was traded to the Raiders in Week 5. Primetime in Las Vegas.
— The Packers have eight games in the 3:25 timeslot or a nationally televised timeslot, and eight noon kickoffs.
— In a weird scheduling quirk, the Packers will play the Raiders on the road, have a bye week and then play the Broncos on the road over a stretch of three weeks.
— The Packers will likely have rest advantages in primetime games against the Raiders and Chiefs due to playing the Thursday night game the week before.
Schedule graphic
