The 17-game schedule for the 2023 Green Bay Packers officially arrived Thursday night. Matt LaFleur’s team will kick off the regular season (and the Jordan Love era) in Chicago against the Bears and end it back at home hosting the Bears in the finale. All the important details can be found here.
So, what’s the most anticipated game on the Packers’ schedule?
The staff at Packers Wire made their picks:
Zach Kruse: Week 4 vs. Lions
It’s hard not to pick season opener against the Bears or even the home opener against the Saints because both of those games will be so important and memorable for Jordan Love early in the season, but I’m going in a different direction and taking Week 4 against the Lions. Primetime. Lambeau Field. Hosting the division favorites. Sure, we’ll learn a lot about this team during the first three weeks, but a Thursday night showdown with the Lions will provide an awesome opportunity for Love to show the NFL world that the Packers are still legit in this new era, and for Matt LaFleur’s team to get some revenge on a team that knocked them out of the postseason a year ago. Aaron Rodgers got that primetime moment against a rival right away in Week 1 in 2008. Love has to wait. But I bet it will be worth it.
Brandon Carwile: Week 1 at Bears
Week 1 at the Bears will be a fun way to start the season. It will be the long awaited debut for Jordan Love, who will immediately be exposed to a division rival in a hostile environment. I mean, what’s not to like? Chicago is no longer in rebuild mode. They completed a blockbuster trade to get Justin Fields a talented receiver (D.J. Moore) and then were active in free agency, including a marquee signing in Tremaine Edmunds. This team doesn’t plan on going 3-14 again. On the other hand, the Packers were not able to do much on the transaction wire but did draft a slew of weapons to try and set Love on the right path. With so much youth and uncertainty on offense, Green Bay’s defense may need to step up and be the reason they win games more times than not. Of course, this was the expectation last year and we saw how that turned out. Either way, both of these teams feel like they can win the NFC North and the season opener will be a super compelling game headlined by two quarterbacks who want to prove they are the guy for the respective franchises. I’m all in.
Paul Bretl: Week 1 at Bears
For me, it’s Week 1 against the Bears with Jordan Love making his debut on the road and against an old rival. Depending on how the season goes for Green Bay, there could be more anticipated matchups out there — like playing against the Chiefs in primetime — but that’s dependent on how the Packers are playing. None of that matters in this matchup, however. The usual excitement that comes with Week 1 of the NFL season coupled with an uncommon unknown that surrounds the 2023 Packers will create a unique atmosphere. Can Love continue the long-standing tradition of beating up on the Bears? Or will the learning curve that comes with being a full time starter take place immediately? Either way, I’m sure conclusions about Love’s future will be drawn, but keep in mind that regardless of what happens, it’s only one game.
