Packers Schedule 2019: Release date, rumors, opponents, & more

The NFL has announced when the announcement will happen — the league will release its 2019 schedule on Wednesday evening at 8:00 PM Eastern. Until then, however, we have little information about when the Green Bay Packers will be playing after week one.

However, we do know when the Packers’ first regular season game will be, and we also know who the team will be playing along with where. Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for the schedule release this week.

Opening Week

The Packers will open the season on Thursday Night Football, playing the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. This is the first year in over a decade that the defending Super Bowl champions are not opening the season, and the rationale is historical in nature. After all, the Bears and Packers are the NFL’s longest-running rivalry, so the league elected to start off its historic 100th season with the 199th meeting between the two legendary franchises.

Packers’ 2019 Regular Season Opponents

The Packers’ opponents for the upcoming season are already decided by the league’s schedule rotation. Green Bay will play every other team in the NFC North twice, once at home and once on the road. They will then face the NFC East and AFC West as their rotational divisions, with the final two games dependent on their finish in the standings in 2019. The Packers finished third in the NFC North, so they draw the third-place team in the NFC South at home and the third-place NFC West team on the road.

Home Games

NFC North: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles, Washington
AFC West: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
NFC South: Carolina Panthers

Road Games

NFC North Opponents: Chicago Bears (week 1), Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers

Preseason Schedule

The NFL announced the preseason schedule of games about a week ago. The Packers’ preseason schedule sets up as follows:

• Preseason Week 1: Packers vs. Houston Texans @ Lambeau Field
• Preseason Week 2: Packers at Baltimore Ravens @ M&T Bank Stadium
• Preseason Week 3: Packers vs. Oakland Raiders (location TBA)
• Preseason Week 4: Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs @ Lambeau Field

The third exhibition game against the Raiders is expected to take place somewhere in Canada, with Winnipeg, Manitoba or Regina, Saskatchewan as the likely sites. However, the Packers will still get two home games regardless. Additionally, the Packers have plans to practice with the Houston Texans in Green Bay in the lead-up to the first preseason game.

Schedule Rumors

After reports of specific games leaked out during the day on Wednesday, the full set of dates for the Packers’ schedule has been reported by Kyle Cousineau at about 3:00 PM Central Time (part 1/part 2). The reported games are as follows:

• Week 1: Packers at Bears, Sept. 5, Thursday Night Football (previously announced)
• Week 2: Vikings at Packers, Sept. 15 (source)
• Week 3: Broncos at Packers, Sept. 22 (source)
• Week 4: Eagles at Packers, Sept. 26, Thursday Night Football(source)
• Week 5: Packers at Cowboys, Oct. 6 at 3:25 PM CT (source)
• Week 6: Lions at Packers, Oct. 14, Monday Night Football (source)
• Week 7: Raiders at Packers, Oct. 20 (source)
• Week 8: Packers at Chiefs, Oct. 27, Sunday Night Football (source)
• Week 9: Packers at Chargers, Nov. 3
• Week 10: Panthers at Packers, Nov. 10 (source)
• Week 11: BYE WEEK
• Week 12: Packers at 49ers, Nov. 24
• Week 13: Packers at Giants, Dec. 1 (source)
• Week 14: Washington at Packers, Dec. 8 (source)
• Week 15: Bears at Packers, Dec. 15 (source)
• Week 16: Packers at Vikings, Dec. 23, Monday Night Football
• Week 17: Packers at Lions, Dec. 29 (source)

The exact times of the games will be announced tonight during the league’s official reveal, though many games will be subject to the NFL’s flexible scheduling policy.

Stay tuned for more information on the Packers’ schedule and additional big games around the NFL during the lead-up to the release on Wednesday evening.