On Wednesday, the NFL officially released the Packers 2025 schedule. Over the past week, there were a couple of games that were leaked but now the full, official schedule is out. At first glance, the Packers were dealt a pretty challenging schedule. The Packers first two games are at home against two 2024 playoff teams. Their bye week is early. They host all three divisional opponents in the first matchup, and they have two home games in December and January.
On the bright side, for the first time in the Matt LaFleur era, the Packers will open the season in Lambeau Field. The NFL doubled down and gave the Packers two straight games in Green Bay to start the season. However, the Packers first two opponents are no jokes. The Packers will host the Detroit Lions in Week 1 and then, four day laters, welcome the Washington Commanders to Green Bay on Thursday Night Football in Week 2.
Green Bay’s room for error will be slim this season. Unlike 2024, where the Packers were able to beat two poor teams in the Colts and Titans early on, without their starting QB, Green Bay will need to start hot in 2025. It is not ideal to open the season with a divisional opponent because usually, the first few weeks are a crap shoot. On top of that, the Packers immediately turn around and play the Commanders, the 2024 NFC Runner-Up. These are two teams Green Bay will fight with for playoff spots so beating Detroit and Washington will be an advantage.
The Packers Week 5 Bye and Late Season Road Trips
The Packers are set to have their bye week in Week 5 which is awfully early. Normally, the team hopes for a middle to late season bye week. However, Green Bay will be forced to play 13 games in a row after their bye week. The Packers do have a mini bye week after they play the Lions on Thanksgiving but 13 straight games is a lot.
On top of the early bye, the Packers will play 4 games in 18 days from Week 10 to Week 13. Green Bay will play the Eagles in Lambeau on Monday Night Football, then two Sunday games against the Giants and Vikings, and then a short week against the Lions. A bye week either before or after this stretch would have been ideal for the Packers.
It is well known that Green Bay wants as many home games as possible in December and January. Anytime the Packers can host a team in a cold weather game, it tends to benefit them. Plus minimizing travel late in the season when everyone is banged up is always nice. Unfortunately, the Packers have two games in December and January both against cold weather teams, the Bears and the Ravens. In those final two months, the Packers will travel to Chicago, Denver, and Minnesota. On top of that four of the final six games for the Packers are away from Lambeau Field.
Green Bay Host the NFC North in the First Match Up
The Packers will play host to all three divisional opponents in the first match up. This means that Green Bay will travel to Detroit, Minnesota, and Chicago for the second match up. All three of these divisional games fall in the final six weeks. Since the Lions and Vikings play indoors, it is an advantage for the Packers to play those two in Lambeau late in the year. That will not be the case in 2025.
At the end of the day, the schedule is the schedule. There is nothing that can be done about it but it is nice to find some advantages in the schedule. Unfortunately, with an early bye week, two tough opponents in the first two weeks, and the lack of late home games, especially late home divisional games, Green Bay drew the short stick with their schedule this season.
The post The Packers Schedule is Out… And It is Not Ideal first appeared on PackersTalk.com Blog Posts and Podcasts.