The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 regular-season schedule is peculiar for several reasons. Matt LaFleur will open the season with a game at Lambeau Field for the first time since becoming Green Bay’s head coach in 2019.
The last time the Packers opened the season at Lambeau was in 2018, when Aaron Rodgers suffered a knee injury in the first half. He went to the locker room, likely got a few pain-killing injections, and returned to lead a 24-23 comeback win over the Chicago Bears. After the game, he gave an interview in which he looked like the injections were still doing a lot of the talking.
Another intriguing detail on Green Bay’s 2025 schedule is that they will open the season with back-to-back home games, facing the Washington Commanders on Thursday night in Week 2. The second half of the year features an NFC North gauntlet that could determine the division race. However, one underrated aspect of the schedule quietly benefits what became the team’s offensive identity last year.
Seven of Green Bay’s last nine games will be played in open-roof stadiums, as the weather starts turning in much of the country. That stretch could play right into the Packers’ hands. Cold, late-season games tend to favor teams that can run the ball and control the clock – two things Green Bay leaned on heavily down the stretch last year.
Josh Jacobs finished last season as a top-six running back in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, PFF rushing grade, yards after contact, missed tackles forced, and runs of 10-plus yards. It’s hard to imagine him being much better than that, but Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans believes the best version of Jacobs is yet to be seen.
“His quickness right now, his cutting ability, going through drills, exploding … I mean, he looks better this year than he did last year at this time,” Sirmans said during a media availability last week. “The way that he practices is the same way that he plays. He’s looking to set the tone every opportunity he gets and to try to get people to follow and match that type of mentality.”
The Packers had a top-10 rushing unit last season in EPA per rush. Their offseason moves, signing Aaron Banks and drafting Anthony Belton, signal an intent to get more physical up front. This move perfectly fits their identity of running the ball well, especially when the weather turns and the elements start interfering.
“Aaron’s played at a high level for four years, five years,” Packers offensive line coach Luke Butkus said last week.
He brings a little bit of veteran leadership, he played for a good offensive line, a really good football coach in San Francisco. So little things like that he can help with the details of the game, things that he’s seen when he’s played compared to some guys that have only played a few snaps here and there. He’s been great. He’s learning our system right now and our language, but you can see him getting it pretty fast and also bringing guys along.
Green Bay is in for a tough stretch late in the season, facing four of last year’s top-seven run defenses in EPA per rush between Week 10 and Week 17. That run includes the top-ranked Minnesota Vikings in Week 10, the second-ranked Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12, the fifth-ranked Denver Broncos in Week 15, and the seventh-ranked Baltimore Ravens in Week 17. They will wrap up the regular season in Week 18 with a trip to Minnesota. However, since the Vikings and Packers will play that game indoors, it immediately detracts from the NFC North’s aesthetic aura.
Green Bay’s ground game will face a tough test in 2025, but they have built their trenches to go toe to toe and hopefully succeed against those tough, hard-hitting fronts. Playing in the elements should give them an advantage.
They had a potent rushing attack last year. If they can build on that success while getting their big guys up to speed in the playbook, the ground game should remain a key weapon, especially in games where the weather becomes a factor.
