The Green Bay Packers enter Week 1 with the kind of spotlight that comes with being doubted in a division that has plenty of noise around it. Around the NFC North, the summer conversation has leaned toward the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, leaving Green Bay in the role of clear underdog. That doesn’t erase what the Packers have done in the division over the last three decades, but it does sharpen the edge on what comes next.
And what comes next matters a lot.
Green Bay opens against the Minnesota Vikings, and that game could shape the way the division and the season unfold. The Packers’ first four opponents are the Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Bucs - all four teams that missed the playoffs last season. That stretch gives Green Bay a real chance to get out fast, and a Week 1 win would set the table for a 3-1 or even 4-0 start.
The Vikings are the obstacle that makes the whole thing interesting. Division games never come easy, even when one team looks better on paper, and Green Bay has reason to feel good about its talent edge.
Still, the Packers have had trouble with Minnesota under Matt LaFleur, going 7-6 against the rival. That history is part of why this opener feels bigger than a normal September game.
If Green Bay handles business, the path opens quickly. The Falcons and Jets are both teams the Packers should be able to put away, and Jordan Love should have chances to work against both secondaries and help create early separation. That’s the kind of start that can turn a promising schedule into actual control of the division.
The challenge is that Minnesota is the one game that can complicate everything. The Packers have the better roster, but the recent matchups between these teams have tended to stay tight.
That makes Week 1 more than just the first step of the season. It could be the game that tells everyone whether the Packers are ready to turn a favorable opening into something bigger.
A win would do more than just put Green Bay in the driver’s seat early. It would also give the Packers a chance to answer the summer skepticism and grab control before the rest of the North settles in.
In Other News...
Packers May Have An Undrafted Receiver Fans Can't Ignore
J. Michael Sturdivant spent the preseason making it hard for the Packers to look past him, and his six-catch, 112-yard outing gave Green Bay another reason to keep him around. The undrafted rookie receiver earned a roster spot after flashing the kind of size-speed combination that can stand out in a crowded position group, and it comes at a time when the Packers already have Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden sitting atop the depth chart.
Sturdivant is not expected to walk into a starring role, but the fit is easy to see for a team that likes to stretch the field and work the edges. His chances figure to come on downfield throws and along the sideline, where his traits could make him a useful piece if the Packers need another receiver to turn preseason promise into real-game production. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Pass Rush Gamble Will Get An Early Reality Check
The Packers are heading into 2026 with a pass rush plan that leans heavily on youth, and that makes the first stretch of the season especially revealing. With Micah Parsons recovering, Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell are the edge players expected to shoulder the load, giving Green Bay a chance to see whether its in-house options can hold up before the schedule stiffens.
The opening three weeks offer a relatively soft landing spot, which should help the Packers measure more than just sack totals. If the pressure does not come in waves or the edge play looks too thin, Green Bay could quickly find itself studying the veteran market, where names such as Josh Sweat and Maxx Crosby would make sense as potential fixes. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Defense Suddenly Has A Pressure Point Fans Can't Ignore
The Packers pass rush is going into the season with a narrower margin for error than usual after cutdowns left them with only four edge rushers on the roster. Collin Olivers move to injured reserve helped create that reality, and it has pushed the conversation toward how Green Bay can manufacture pressure without overloading the players it does have on the edge.
One answer may come from Edgerrin Cooper, who is expected to help supplement that part of the defense after the Packers experimented with him off the edge in training camp. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon could lean more heavily on Coopers pass-rushing role to help cover for the depth issue, but the bigger question is how much Green Bay wants to ask of him right away as the season begins to unfold. [Read more 🡒]