Predicting Winner of Every Packers Game

With the season starting on Sunday, everyone has one question on their mind. How are the Packers going to do this season? We answer that question for you with game-by-game-predictions

It's the most wonderful time of the year. 

After nearly 200 days of free agent fodder, mock drafts and offseason gossip, the games that matter have returned. 

The regular season kicks off on Thursday with the Kansas City Chiefs beginning their title defense in a primetime matchup against the Detroit Lions.

After that appetizer, the Green Bay Packers will start their season in Chicago against Justin Fields and the Bears. 

There will be 16 more games after that, and this year is more uncertain than any of the last 15. The team is incredibly young. Historically young, in fact. That likely will mean growing pains with exciting peaks combined with excruciating valleys.

The biggest key for the season is whether Jordan Love establishes himself as the team's long-term quarterback.

The future of the Packers' organization rests on his shoulders. 

Their first season? Here's how we see it playing out. 

@ Chicago

A season opener that should have plenty of eyes on it. Justin Fields vs. Jordan Love. 

Aaron Rodgers boldly claimed he owned the Chicago Bears. He wasn't wrong. 

Rodgers went 24-5 against the Bears during his illustrious career, including a win in the NFC Championship Game in 2010 at Soldier Field.

Could this be a changing of the guard? The Bears had a massive makeover this offseason. They spent a boatload of money and traded out of the top pick in the draft to acquire receiver DJ Moore. 

The Bears' season rests on whether Fields can improve as a passer.

As dynamic as he is as a runner, he has not been consistent enough as a passer. The Bears' defense is still in the midst of a rebuild.

If there were a game to help Love get off on the right foot, it would be against a defense that could struggle. Chicago fits the bill. 

Prediction: Win (1-0) 

@ Atlanta 

The Atlanta Falcons play in a wide-open NFC South and feel like they're ready to win the division this year. 

Their offense has some exciting players. Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson could make for a heck of a trio. The biggest question is at the quarterback position. Desmond Ridder took over last season. He struggled, but the Falcons have stuck by him. 

Given how many Packers fans live in the Chicago area, this will be the first true road game for Love and Co. That could lead to some struggles for a young team. 

Prediction: Loss (1-1)

New Orleans

This one is pretty simple.

It's Love's home debut as a starter. The crowd should be in full throat behind its new starting quarterback. 

He'll get a rousing ovation before the game. The Saints have some talent but also are  breaking in a new quarterback. 

The home crowd should give the Packers the edge to roll. 

Prediction: Win (2-1) 

Detroit (TNF)

This will be an early test against a team that ended its season a year ago and is the favorite to win the NFC North. The Detroit Lions will stroll into Lambeau Field a confident bunch. Lambeau is no longer the house of horrors it was for the Lions for the better half of 30 years. 

They've won in Green Bay four times since finally breaking through in 2015. They've won three straight against Green Bay, including sweeping the Packers a season ago. 

These two teams are evenly matched, but a short week gives the edge to the more veteran-laden team. 

Prediction: Loss (2-2)

@ Las Vegas (MNF)

Another road game that may not really be a road game. Allegiant Stadium is one of the worst home-field advantages in the NFL. Mark Davis has been searching for ways to get more Raiders fans in the stands.

Packers fans notoriously travel well, and Vegas is the ultimate vacation destination.

Expect a large contingent of Packers fans on hand to see Davante Adams take on the Packers for the first time since he was traded to the Raiders. 

Ultimately, the Raiders are a team in transition much like the Packers, but the Packers have more talent. That shines through on Monday Night Football to get the team  above .500 going into the bye. 

Prediction: Win (3-2)

Jordan Love after catching his own pass vs. Seattle (Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports Images)

@ Denver

Denver is typically a tough place to play. The last time the Packers played there, it was arguably the worst game of Rodgers' career. 

The Broncos have a good defense and should be able to be more competent on offense with Sean Payton replacing Nathaniel Hackett.

Despite coming off the bye, winning on the road is likely to be a tough task for a team as young as the Packers. That gives the edge to the Broncos. 

Prediction: Loss (3-3) 

Minnesota

The Packers stomped the Vikings last season in Green Bay. A 41-17 win gave them a chance to control their playoff destiny.

They squandered that a week later, but the win over the Vikings was one of the highlights of the season.

Minnesota went through some attrition this offseason, losing some veteran staples such as running back Dalvin Cook.

Kirk Cousins has typically played well against Green Bay, but the Vikings might struggle to protect him against a vicious Packers pass rush that should have Rashan Gary fully back in the swing of things by this point. 

Prediction: Win (4-3)

Los Angeles Rams

This probably should have been the NFC Championship Game in 2021, but the Packers wasted that opportunity. Now, both teams are outside of their contending window. 

The Rams have Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp. They might not have much else as they're paying the bill for going all-in to win the Super Bowl.

This is a game the Packers should win, and they will. 

Prediction: Win (5-3)

@ Pittsburgh

The Packers haven't won in Pittsburgh since Dec. 6, 1970. 

The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL with TJ Watt leading the way.  Their pass rush is vicious. Their offense can make big plays. 

The Packers' drought in Pittsburgh will continue. 

Prediction: Loss (5-4)

Los Angeles Chargers

A noon game against an uncommon AFC opponent? This game feels like a recipe for disaster.

Justin Herbert will make his first visit to Lambeau Field. The Chargers could fall victim to issues with traveling to a different time zone, but the bet here is the more talented team wins. 

Prediction: Loss (5-5)

Exactly one week from today, the #Packers will kick off a new season and a new era at the Bears.

It will be Jordan Love's first start as the successor to Aaron Rodgers. In an exclusive, I talked to Rodgers on Thursday about his advice for Love.https://t.co/l7RoOQ6SU0

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 3, 2023

@ Detroit (Thursday)

Contrary to the narrative that emerges every year at Thanksgiving, the Lions do not always play well on that holiday. 

This year, however, they'll be facing a Packers team that is reeling after two straight losses. The Packers will also be playing on a short week in a stadium that has given them fits in recent memory. 

The Lions will sweep the Packers for a second consecutive year.

Prediction: Loss (5-6)

Kansas City (SNF)

This is probably the only game on the schedule that you cannot make a case for the Packers winning.

With all due respect to Matt LaFleur and his team, the defending Super Bowl champs are on a different level than where Green Bay could even reach at its peak this season. 

Prediction: Loss (5-7)

@ New York Giants (MNF)

Another primetime road game. The Giants weren't as good as their record said they were last year. It remains to be seen how much better they'll be this season.

In this case, the Giants will do just enough to win at home to extend the Packers' losing streak to five games. 

Prediction: Loss (5-8) 

Tampa Bay

It's over! The losing streak is over! The medicine in this case for what ailed the Packers over the last five weeks will be a team with one of the worst quarterback situations in football.

Baker Mayfield is on his fourth team in two years. Kyle Trask has shown nothing to indicate he's a long-term option in Tampa Bay.

After three years of having Tom Brady, the Buccaneers should be in the running to draft USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye. 

Prediction: Win (6-8)

@ Carolina

Carolina will be breaking in a new quarterback, much like the Packers, with Bryce Young taking the reigns as the new face of the franchise.

One of the key indicators for the Packers is whether they're better by the end of the year than they were at the beginning.

This will be one of the first big road wins of the season against a Panthers team that could surprise some folks this year. 

Prediction: Win (7-8) 

@ Minnesota

Part of growing pains is learning to not get too high after a team has some success.

The Packers will have to learn that lesson the hard way as their playoff contention ends in Minnesota at the hands of the Vikings. 

This could be Cousins' final game for the Vikings against Green Bay. He'll make it memorable for the home crowd. 

Prediction: Loss (7-9) 

Chicago

This could be a game where both teams have their bags packed and ready for Cancun when the game starts. It can be difficult to remain motivated in a game that does not matter, especially when it is as cold as Lambeau Field should be in January. 

Green Bay is trying to build a new culture with Love as the starting quarterback. The Bears at this point will have been eliminated for several weeks.

Fields might even be on the bench at this point of the year as the Bears try and preserve him for 2024. 

The season ends with a disappointing record but with hope for the future. 

Prediction: Win 

Overall

8-9 is the same record the Packers had a season ago, but this year will feel different.

Last year's 8-9 was a disaster. This year, 8-9 would be a measure of success. 

No, they won't raise a banner in Green Bay for being just OK. 

That being said, this year is about the future. The Packers know that. They're willing to go through some pain now to be better in the future. 

“Sometimes, youth can be a benefit,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said recently. “It’s a young man’s game and you need the legs, you need the speed. Certainly, there’s an experience factor these guys are going to go through. For me, the expectation is to go out and try to win every game that we play. You’re not going to win them all. In my lifetime, nobody has. At the same time, you’ve got to learn and grow from every situation, whether we win or lose."

An 8-9 season will keep them out of the playoffs, but it will maintain the culture and expectations. Their absence from the postseason will not be long.

Just for good measure, my Super Bowl prediction:

Philadelphia Eagles over Jacksonville Jaguars

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The #Packers added a proven player to their special teams today. https://t.co/KNMOV22LEq

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 31, 2023

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