Let’s make some guesses based on the Packers’ 2025 opponents.
We already know who the Packers will play in 2025. The NFL’s schedule rotation rules make it easy to project who the Packers will play years in advance, to say nothing of the fact that the league’s divisional structure means we’ll always know at least six games a year no matter what.
But the NFL is making us wait for the full schedule, as they always do, so we’re left to speculate when the Packers will play their already-determined 2025 opponents. And, more importantly, we’re left to wonder how many of the Packers’ 2025 games will be in prime time.
The Packers are a reliable draw, both in person and on TV, and always end up with what non-Packers fans would probably argue is a disproportionate number of primetime games. To them, I say merely “get good.” If your team were more interesting, they’d be on national television more. How many people came to your team’s town to stand in a parking lot and watch a man read names off a list?
But we’re losing the thread. Anyway. The Packers’ national popularity means they’re almost guaranteed to get three or four primetime games at minimum, and they could easily have more. If they’re going to get four games, what games will they be?
Starting with their NFC North games, I think it’s a pretty good bet that they’ll play at least two of their six divisional games in primetime. The North was competitive last year and figures to be again this year, making for pretty good TV fodder. I’d bet they’ll play at least one primetime game against an NFC North opponent in the first half of the season, then finish the season with another primetime divisional game in the final two weeks.
The Packers’ non-divisional games are also pretty promising. From the home slate, the Ravens or Eagles are the most intriguing opponents, but the Bengals are interesting as well. And on the road, the Steelers and Cowboys, while not the powers they once were, both have huge fan bases. The Steelers, in particular, could be an interesting opponent if a certain former Packers quarterback is in black and gold this year.
Of those non-divisional games, I’d bet on at least another two primetime matchups. Picking today, I’d say the Eagles and Cowboys are my favorite picks, with the Cowboys taking a back seat to the Steelers if that aforementioned roster move goes down.
And, obviously, there could be more. Four games is a relatively conservative estimate, and it wouldn’t at all be surprising to see the Packers end up with five primetime games like they did last year. Stranger things have happened, and we’ll find out for sure what the Packers will be up to this year when the NFL releases its full schedule on May 14.