The Packers are coming off back-to-back losing seasons, and now it's on star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and first-year coach Matt LaFleur to recalibrate the Green Bay franchise heading into the 2019 season.
That starts with winning the NFC North, and the Packers' schedule for 2019 around their division rivals in the NFC North won't be easy. Green Bay will face the NFC East and AFC West as part of its third-place schedule for 2019.
MORE: When to expect NFL schedule release
The Packers have not missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons since before Brett Favre was their starting quarterback. With Rodgers, the Packers are always a threat to make the playoffs, and their projected win total (nine) suggests it is possible.
Here is a closer look at the Packers' schedule for 2019.
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Packers schedule 2019
Packers regular-season schedule:
Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers
(The NFL schedule release is expected Wednesday, April 17 at 8 p.m. ET.)
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Packers preseason schedule:
| Week 1 | Houston | Aug. 8-12 (TBD) |
| Week 2 | at Oakland | Aug. 15-19 (TBD) |
| Week 3 | at Baltimore | Aug. 22-25 (TBD) |
| Week 4 | Kansas City | Aug. 29-30 (TBD) |
MORE: Full 2019 NFL preseason schedule
Toughest tests: The Packers will open the NFL's 100th season in Chicago, and the Bears will be reminded of Rodgers' performance in last year's Week 1 comeback. Kansas City and Dallas were both 7-1 at home last season. Green Bay will have a large fan presence in Los Angeles for the Chargers game, but that’s still a game against a playoff team on the road.
Biggest breaks: Outside of the NFC North rivals, none of Green Bay's home opponents were better than .500 on the road last season. Those teams together had a .350 winning percentage on the road. Green Bay, for all its troubles last season, was still 5-2-1 at home.
Bottom line: The Packers also were 1-7 on the road. Mike McCarthy-coached teams had a distinct home-road pattern, and it’s on LaFleur and Rodgers to break it and become a better road team while restoring their dominance at Lambeau Field. That especially rings true within the division, where Green Bay is 3-8-1 over the last two seasons.
The Packers will be back in the playoff hunt, but it might take 10 wins to get in. This will be close. Record prediction: 9-7.
