One thing was very evident in the Green Bay Packers’ official schedule, announced on Thursday: In more ways than one, the NFL did the Packers a big favor for the stretch run of the season.
Let’s start with the final five-game stretch. The opponents may be tough, with games against the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans. (The Miami Dolphins not as much). However, look at the overall layout.
First, the Packers have four of their final games of the season at Lambeau Field. After playing in New Orleans on December 6, the Packers will leave Green Bay just once from December 7 to the end of the regular season on January 11. That one trip away from the Frozen Tundra? A hop, skip, and a jump to Chicago to take on the Bears on Christmas Day. So, the one road game sandwiched between the four home games isn’t even a cross-country trip; it’s a commuter flight to Chicago.
Having four of the last five at home, and two against warmer-weather teams in Miami and Houston, bodes well for Green Bay’s chances to make some noise down the stretch.
Secondly, and maybe just as importantly, consider when the games are being played in the second half of the schedule. Green Bay’s bye week comes in Week 11, far more appealing than the Week 5 bye a year ago. Even in the last two months, though, there are mini-bye weeks sprinkled in.
After playing against the Minnesota Vikings on November 15, the Packers enter their bye week. It’s shorter than most because Green Bay is playing on a Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Rams coming out of it. However, the time off from the Vikings game to the Rams game gives the Packers nine days of rest.
Then, after playing the Rams on a Wednesday night on November 25, Green Bay won’t be in action again until they head to New Orleans on December 6. That’s 10 days off for the Packers between games.
Finally, the Packers will play that aforementioned game against the Bears on Christmas Day, which falls on a Friday. After that, Green Bay doesn’t play again until two Mondays down the road when the Texans pay a visit on Monday Night Football. That’s eight days between games.
Of course, there’s the built-in disadvantage of having to play the Dolphins on December 20 and then turn around five days later to play the Bears on Christmas. The Bears are in a similar boat, with only one extra day of rest before that affair.
Lastly, let’s look at kickoff times.
Week 18 against Detroit is TBD, as are all games in the final week of the season. The NFL does this so it can flex games of greater importance based on playoff standings.
As boring as it may sound to some, sometimes a good ol’ noon kickoff is the best-case scenario. In an ever-evolving NFL scheduling world, where games are played on Thursday nights, Sunday nights, Monday nights, and the occasional holiday afternoon — plus nine games now played internationally — the schedule can be pure chaos. The best dose of medicine is a steady, familiar noon kickoff.
In the first nine games of the season, the Packers have two noon kickoffs. Those games are Week 2 at the New York Jets and Week 4 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Heck, in the first half of the schedule, there’s even a stretch where the Packers play on a Thursday night against Atlanta, followed by a noon kickoff the following week, only to have a 3:25 p.m. game against Chicago in Week 5.
After that, it’s a Sunday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 and a 3:25 p.m. start in Detroit for Week 7. That leads into another Thursday Night Football game in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers. It’s the definition of controlled chaos.
In the last eight contests of the campaign, Green Bay has four games that will kick off at noon, and a fifth is possible in Week 18 against Detroit. There’s even a four-week stretch where the Packers have three games that all start at noon.
Take a look at any schedule, and fans will come up with optimistic and pessimistic takes. Green Bay fans have plenty to be thrilled about in the second half of the slate. Four of the final five will be played at Lambeau Field, and two of those come against warm-weather teams. On top of that, there are three mini-byes peppered in.
It’s hard to complain about the second half of the 2026 schedule, which could put Green Bay in a strong position for the kind of successful playoff run fans have been waiting for.
