The NFC North has turned into a moving target, and the Packers are back in the middle of it.
A week after everything felt like it was slipping away, Green Bay steadied itself with an ugly win over the New York Jets and now turns around quickly for Atlanta. The Falcons, according to the source reporting, look like they are tanking the 2026 season, and the Packers suddenly have a stretch in front of them that can reshape the early part of their year.
The bigger picture is just as favorable. The division is dealing with injuries everywhere, which has left the race wide open.
Chicago is without Caleb Williams for now, though the injury is expected to be short term. The question is whether he misses more than one week, and the Bears have already taken a loss to Minnesota.
The Vikings, meanwhile, are dealing with quarterback concerns of their own.
Detroit has its own problems too. Massive losses in the secondary have made it difficult for the Lions to slow down anything resembling a capable offense. That leaves Green Bay in a strong spot, with the bulk of its division schedule still ahead and a real chance to make an early statement.
The next two weeks matter. Games against Atlanta and the Tampa Bay Bucs come before what could be a defining matchup with the Chicago Bears. If the Packers come out of that stretch at 3-1, they would have legitimate hope of winning the division and taking control of it.
Green Bay is not navigating this completely cleanly, either. Micah Parsons remains sidelined with last year’s ACL tear, which limits the defense’s ceiling, and recent injury has also hit third receiver Jayden Reed. Still, the most important offensive pieces are healthy, and Matt LaFleur has a very winnable two-game run in front of him.
The opportunity is obvious. Minnesota is the only undefeated team in the division, but the source makes clear there is reason to doubt that can last given the underwhelming quarterback situation. After the frustration of Week 1, the Packers have worked their way back into the conversation and now have a chance to capitalize on a division full of injuries.
In Other News...
Packers May Have Found Pass Rush Help At The Perfect Time
The pass rush has been one of Green Bays most watched areas early this season, and rookie edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton has started to give the defense a timely boost. Against the Jets, he put together a disruptive afternoon with six tackles, half a sack and two quarterback hits, the kind of activity that shows up on the stat sheet and in the pressure Washington? No, in the pressure he helped create on the opposing quarterback.
For a player taken 120th in the draft, that kind of early production is notable, especially when hes already ranking 15th among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate after two games. The Packers are always looking for help up front, and Dennis-Sutton has at least opened the door to a bigger role by outplaying several rookies selected ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Secondary Just Lost Its Biggest Safety Net Before Packers Game
The Falcons defense took a significant hit this week when cornerback A.J. Terrell was placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in a recent game. His absence comes with a real timing issue for Atlanta, too, because he now has to sit out at least four games, putting Week 7 as the earliest possible return. For a secondary that leans on him as its top coverage option, the loss changes the look of the group heading into a matchup that already had plenty of attention.
Atlanta filled the open roster spot by promoting defensive lineman Zach Harrison from the practice squad, but that move does not replace what Terrell gives the back end. For the Packers, it is the kind of development that can alter how a defense chooses to play on the perimeter and in the middle of the field, especially against an opponent that no longer has its biggest safety net available. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face A Receiver Problem Bigger Than Week 3
Jayden Reeds injury has turned a promising early-season stretch into a far more uneasy stretch for the Packers, with the receiver leaving Sundays game against the Jets on a stretcher after a neck injury. Matt LaFleur said Reed is back in Green Bay and going through tests, but the team still does not have a recovery timeline, which leaves Green Bay trying to steady its offense without one of its most dynamic targets.
The immediate concern is Week 3 against the Falcons, where Reed is expected to miss the game and the Packers may have to adjust on the fly. Beyond that, the bigger issue is how long Green Bay could be without him, because this is the kind of injury that can ripple through a passing game well past one Sunday. [Read more 🡒]