The first three weeks have already put the Green Bay Packers in a hole they can’t ignore. They’re 1-2 after a brutal opener against the Minnesota Vikings, an overtime escape against the New York Jets, and another blowout loss, this time to Michael Penix Jr. and the Atlanta Falcons. The offensive line has been a mess, the defense hasn’t found enough stops, and the early season has gone about as poorly as Green Bay could’ve imagined.
Still, the schedule gives them a chance to turn it around. The next five games offer a path back toward the thick of the NFC North race, and maybe even a shot at getting Micah Parsons back in the mix. With that in mind, here’s how the Packers’ next stretch could play out.
Week 4 brings a trip to Tampa Bay, and the setup is hard to ignore. Baker Mayfield went down with a thumb injury in Week 3, which leaves the Buccaneers with undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, making his NFL debut.
That’s about as favorable a matchup as you can get in this league, even if no one should ever take an opponent lightly. The oddsmakers are only giving Green Bay a 3.5-point edge on the road, which says plenty about how rough this start has been.
This is the kind of game where the Packers’ defense needs to set the tone.
The following week, Green Bay comes home to face Chicago. Caleb Williams may not be available, but that doesn’t make the Bears harmless.
Case Keenum just helped them put together a national-stage performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, running Ben Johnson’s offense with real authority. Tyson Bagent or Keenum can still make life uncomfortable if the Packers aren’t sharp.
There’s always a short honeymoon when a backup quarterback first takes over, but that window eventually closes. Prediction: Packers win 24-20 (3-2)
Week 6 is the one everybody has been waiting for: Dallas comes to town. The Packers still haven’t opened Parsons’ 21-day practice window, but this has long felt like the spot where many have hoped he could return.
It would be a fitting stage, too, with the chance to go against his old team in front of the Green Bay crowd. The Cowboys have one of the league’s best offenses, but they’re far more dangerous at home than away.
Under the lights, with Parsons potentially making his season debut, Green Bay has a real shot to keep rolling. Prediction: Packers win 31-27 (4-2)
Then comes a trip to Detroit in Week 7, and that feels like the most natural place for the run to stop. The Packers could absolutely carry momentum into that game, but consecutive matchups with Dallas and Detroit are a tall order for any defense, even with Parsons potentially back. Green Bay will likely need to score again to keep pace, and this looks like the kind of letdown spot that follows an emotional win the week before.
Finally, the Packers return home for a Thursday night matchup with Carolina in Week 8, and another shootout is very much in play. Bryce Young leads the NFL in passing yards through three games, but the Panthers’ defense has been hit hard and hasn’t held up well.
Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson become eligible to come off injured reserve this week, but Carolina has already given up 59 points to the Chicago Bears in Week 1 and couldn’t get enough stops against Deshaun Watson and the Browns in Week 2. That leaves the door open for Jordan Love, Matthew Golden, and Christian Watson to do damage, especially if Green Bay’s running game shows some improvement and helps shorten the game.
In Other News...
Packers Fans Just Got A Viral Gameday Distraction They Didn't Expect
A Packers-Buccaneers game already had enough going on with Green Bays early-season struggles, but one fan in the stands managed to steal a different kind of spotlight. A photo of a female Packers supporter dressed in a cheese-themed outfit started making the rounds on social media, quickly turning into one of the most discussed images from the afternoon.
The reaction stretched well beyond the Green Bay crowd, with Buccaneers fans jumping in online as the picture spread. It also fit a familiar pattern for Packers gamedays, where the action on the field sometimes shares space with viral fan moments that take on a life of their own long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Escaped Tampa But One Problem Could Loom Over Everything
The Packers left Tampa with a hard-fought 17-14 win, and the box score alone does not tell the whole story. There were bright spots worth filing away, including strong showings from Kaleb Johnson, Laken Tomlinson, Brandon Cisse and Tucker Kraft, but the game also exposed a few issues that lingered beneath the result.
Edgerrin Coopers night loomed over much of the conversation, with his status carrying the kind of weight that can change the way a season is viewed in a hurry. Add in the uneven moments from MarShawn Lloyd and some questions around Matt LaFleurs decisions, and the Packers escape felt less like a clean victory lap than a reminder that the next injury report could matter just as much as the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face Week 4 Pressure From An Unexpected Bucs QB
An undrafted rookie is suddenly set to get his first meaningful NFL shot in Week 4, and it comes with the kind of spotlight Green Bay did not have circled back in August. Jalon Daniels is expected to be in line for significant work for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Packers, a matchup that carries a little extra intrigue because of the urgency surrounding a 0-3 start and the need for somebody to jolt the offense.
Former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden added to the buzz by publicly encouraging Daniels, framing the moment as both an opportunity and a test of mindset. For Green Bay, the bigger picture is simple: a young quarterback stepping into a pressure-filled setting can bring unpredictability, and the Packers will be dealing with a Tampa Bay team hoping this change at the position can finally spark a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]