The Green Bay Packers know they are in for a fight if they want to win the NFC North this season. Getting some help from the NFL would go a long way towards helping head coach Matt LaFleur lead his team to success. That's why Wednesday night's NFL schedule release is so important to the franchise.
Of course, there's only so much variety the league can provide Green Bay. They have to play each team in their own division twice. It's not as if the Packers can avoid treacherous trips to Minnesota or Detroit next year. Those high-profile matchups are headed towards quarterback Jordan Love no matter what.
Green Bay also knows they will be required to play each team in the NFC East and AFC North. Add in contests against third-place teams in the NFC South, NFC West, and AFC West, and you have the makings of the Packers' 17-game slate.
There's still enough variance in what Packers fans might find out Wednesday night to impact the team's fortunes in 2025. Here are three things Green Bay fans will not want to see when the league releases their schedule on Wednesday night at 8 pm.
1. Late trips to Minnesota or Detroit
The Packers do not want to finish in third place inside their own division again. That makes their games against the Vikings and Lions particularly important. The NFL could do them a real favor by giving them home games against their arch rivals down the stretch.
Some fans might believe Minnesota will fall off as they transition from Sam Darnold to J.J. McCarthy at quarterback but the presence of Jordan Jefferson at wide receiver still means they have a chance to field an explosive offense. The Lions will continue to be one of the most physical teams in the league as long as Dan Campbell is their head coach.
Winning games down the stretch will also be vital for Green Bay as they try to build momentum for what they hope will be a lengthy postseason run. No matter what, avoiding tough games inside their own division on the road in the latter weeks of the season would be a huge plus for the Packers.
2. Going to Pittsburgh in December
The Steelers aren't predicted to be Super Bowl contenders this year but Green Bay will have to travel to Pittsburgh at some point in the regular season. It would be in Love's best interest to avoid the need to take on Mike Tomlin's team in a snowy December matchup.
It's just a massive inconvenience the Packers don't need to encounter. Taking on the Steelers sometime in September would be a much more straightforward proposition for Green Bay. That might be a high-profile game for TV purposes but it would not be an encounter that would stress out the Packers' coaching staff.
The trend line here is that the Packers need to have as soft a schedule as possible before the stress of the playoffs comes around. Being forced to take on the Steelers in a blizzard is the last thing Green Bay needs before making a march to the Super Bowl.
3. Starting out at home against the Ravens
Green Bay needs to get off to a good start if they're going to achieve all of their goals in 2025. That is why avoiding an early home defeat is crucial to the team's chances for success. The Packers know they will have a home game against the Ravens but they should hope it does not come too early in their campaign.
Losing an early season contest to an elite team would not completely derail the team's Super Bowl hopes but it might deal a cruel blow to the team's psyche. Love, in particular, is a player who thrives on confidence. Getting knocked around by the Ravens' defense could get his season off track before he gets a chance to really get on a roll.
Losing to the Ravens in Week 9 would feel like a blip on the Packers' radar. Suffering a severe home defeat in the early going might feeel more like a harbinger of doom for the team's championship hopes. Packers fans should hope to see their home game against Baltimore sandwiched by comfortable wins on the schedule.