GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers' 2024 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Wednesday.
They play on at least four different days of the week -- Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday, with the possibility of a fifth on the Saturday of the final week of the regular season -- and start the season on a Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil, against the Eagles.
The Packers play on consecutive Thursdays, including Thanksgiving. But in a twist, they're hosting the Thanksgiving night game at Lambeau Field against the Dolphins -- just the second time they will play at home on Thanksgiving since 1923 -- and then they play at Detroit the following Thursday.
Here's what's in store for the Packers:
Week 1: Sept. 6 vs. Philadelphia (Brazil)
Week 2: Sept 15 vs. Indianapolis
Week 3: Sept 22 at Tennessee
Week 4: Sept: 29 vs. Minnesota
Week 5: Oct. 6 at Los Angeles Rams
Week 6: Oct. 13 vs. Arizona
Week 7: Oct. 20 vs. Houston
Week 8: Oct. 27 at Jacksonville
Week 9: Nov. 3 vs. Detroit
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: Nov. 17 at Chicago
Week 12: Nov. 24 vs. San Francisco
Week 13: Nov. 28 vs. Miami (Thanksgiving night)
Week 14: Dec. 5 at Detroit (TNF)
Week 15: Dec. 15 at Seattle (SNF)
Week 16: Dec. 23 vs. New Orleans (MNF)
Week 17: Dec. 29 at Minnesota
Week 18: Jan 4 or 5. vs. Chicago*
*Date for Week 18 is to be determined
Strength of schedule: The Packers are tied for the fourth-hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a .526 winning percentage in 2023).
Over/Under: 9.5
Biggest takeaway
If the Packers need a late-season rally like last season to make the playoffs, it might not be easy. Consider the three games in Weeks 12 to 14. Within a span of 12 days, the Packers play the 49ers, Dolphins and Lions. Those three teams combined for a 35-11 record last season. The Miami game on Thanksgiving night begins a stretch of four straight prime-time games -- two Thursday nights, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game.
Revenge game
Don't think that just because the 49ers don't come to town until late November that the Packers won't remember exactly how last season ended. The missed field goal by Anders Carlson, all the missed tackles by the Packers' defense and Jordan Love's last pass of the season (which was picked off) won't soon be forgotten. It all added up to a playoff loss to San Francisco in the NFC divisional round. Throw in two other playoff losses to the 49ers during Matt LaFleur's coaching tenure (the 2021 divisional-round game and the 2019 NFC title game), and this should be one of the most hotly contested games on the Packers' schedule.
Bold prediction
Love will put himself in the MVP conversation, in part because more often than not he will outduel the likes of Jalen Hurts, Matthew Stafford, C.J. Stroud, Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, Jared Goff and Caleb Williams in many of those head-to-head battles.