Every Packers Primetime Game: TV Schedule, Dates, Matchups, Previews

Memo to Green Bay Packers President and CEO Ed Policy.

Pay the electric bill.

In the 2026 NFL schedule that was revealed on Thursday evening, the Packers will play six primetime games. Five of them will be at Lambeau Field. That’s the most in franchise history and more than half of their home slate.

Here’s a look at the games.

Week 3: Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers

Thursday, Sept. 24, 7:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

The Falcons have a new coach, Kevin Stefanski, seeking new results. Atlanta hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2017, which also was the last season with a winning record.

The Falcons under former coach Raheem Morris went 8-9 in 2024 and 2025. They did win their last four games from last season, though, including a 27-24 upset of the Rams, who reached the NFC Championship Game.

They’ve got an exciting nucleus, led by star running back Bijan Robinson, who rushed for 1,478 yards and led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage.

There is uncertainty at quarterback with former first-round pick Michael Penix and former Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa. Whoever starts against Green Bay will get to throw the ball to tight end Kyle Pitts (88 catches, 928 yards), receiver Drake London (68 catches, 919 yards) and Robinson (79 catches, 920 yards.

GM Ian Cunningham brought in help with receivers Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency and Zachariah Branch with a third-round pick along with veteran tight end Austin Hooper.

The defense, which was a mediocre 19th in points allowed and 15th in total defense, isn’t appreciably better aside from second-round cornerback Avieon Terrell. He and A.J. Terrell could form a top tandem.

Week 6: Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

Sunday, Oct. 18, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)

It’s Micah Parsons Bowl II. Or Rashan Gary Bowl I.

As if Parsons’ return to Dallas last season wasn’t intriguing enough, the rematch might be even juicier.

Parsons, who will be returning from a torn ACL, will get his first crack at his former team at his new home. On the visiting sideline will be Kenny Clark, who was traded to Dallas in the Parsons deal, and Gary, who was traded to Dallas this offseason as a tangential part of the Parsons deal. The Cowboys’ first-round pick acquired in the Parsons trade, Malachi Lawrence, will be in the lineup, as well.

Last year’s game ended in a 40-40 tie. This one could feature plenty of fireworks, as well. Last season, Packers quarterback Jordan Love finished fifth in passer rating and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott finished seventh in rating, third in yards and fourth in touchdowns.

Despite finishing seventh in points and second in total offense, the Cowboys missed the playoffs last season because their defense finished last in points allowed and 30th in total defense. The Cowboys will hope the additions of three veterans (Gary, safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback Cobie Durant) and two rookies (first-round picks Caleb Downs and Lawrence) will plug at least some of the holes.

Week 8: Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers

Thursday, Oct. 29, 7:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

The Panthers haven’t had a winning record since 2017, though last year’s 8-9 record was enough to emerge from the rubble pile that was the NFC South as the division champion.

Carolina got rolling at one point last year, with a stretch of five wins in seven games including a 16-13 upset of the Packers at Lambeau Field. Running back Rico Dowdle was the standout of that game but signed with the Steelers in free agency.

Quarterback Bryce Young, the first overall pick of the 2023 draft, is coming off his best season. That doesn’t mean he had a good season, though. Among 24 qualifying passers, Young ranked 22nd in passer rating (career-high 87.8), 23rd in yards per attempt and 18th in completion percentage. He did lead six game-winning drives, though.

Rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns. No other player hit even 400 receiving yards, though. Running back Chuba Hubbard, who rushed for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, will be back on top of the depth chart.

Defensively, the Panthers finished 15th in points allowed and 16 in total defense but 31st on third down. They spent big on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd and drafted nose tackle Lee Hunter in the second round.

Week 12: Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams

Wednesday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m. (Netflix)

This Thanksgiving Eve showdown at SoFi Stadium will be an enormous challenge for Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

The Rams reached the NFC Championship Game last year but couldn’t stop Sam Darnold or Jaxon Smith-Njigba. So, general manager Les Snead traded for cornerback Trent McDuffie and signed cornerback Jaylen Watson.

Problem solved. A defense that finished 10th in points allowed last season could be even better because two quality corners will be helped by the combined 26.5 sacks provided by Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Jared Verse.

On the other side of the ball, the Rams finished last season ranked No. 1 in points scored and total offense. Quarterback Matthew Stafford won NFL MVP honors by finishing first in the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns.

Receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams form an elite tandem, with Nacua leading the league in receptions and Adams in touchdown catches. Running back Kyren Williams is coming off a third consecutive season of 1,100-plus rushing yards and 13-plus total touchdowns, and no team on Earth has more competent tight ends.

The Rams’ Sean McVay is one of the best coaches in the league, but LaFleur is 5-0 against his former boss.

Week 14: Buffalo Bills at Green Bay Packers

Sunday, Dec. 13, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)

The Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL. They went 12-5 last season, their seventh consecutive season with at least 10 wins. After losing in the AFC Championship Game in 2024, they were bounced in the divisional round last season, a loss that cost coach Sean McDermott his job.

Josh Allen is the league’s ultimate weapon at quarterback, a lethal passer and explosive runner capable of making a big play at any moment. He finished fourth in passer rating and fourth in yards per rushing attempt last season. James Cook won the rushing title and finished second in yards per carry. Receiver was an issue they hope they solved by trading for receiver D.J. Moore.

For all the firepower on offense, the defense isn’t chopped liver. The Bills finished 12th in points allowed and seventh in total defense. That unit was fortified by edge rusher Bradley Chubb and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

For the Bills, they will be in the middle of an absolute gauntlet of games: home against the Chiefs, at the Patriots and Packers, home against the Bears and at the Broncos. Maybe they’ll be looking past the Packers after back-to-back games against AFC powerhouses.

Week 17: Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers

Monday, Jan. 4, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)

The Packers will make their annual Monday night appearance against the Texans. A warm-weather team playing a night game in January at Lambeau Field might seem daunting, but the Texans’ juggernaut defense is good regardless of the venue or month of the year.

The Texans finished second in the NFL in points allowed, first in total defense, fourth in yards per passing play, seventh in yards per rushing play and fifth in yards per play. They also were sixth on third down, third in interception percentage and eighth in sack percentage.

Having Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson racing off the edge is almost unfair. They combined for 27 sacks, 35 tackles for losses and six forced fumbles. Two-time first-team All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley was one of four Texans with four interceptions.

Houston’s offense needs to improve, and that was the hope by remaking their offensive line with veteran right tackle Braden Smith, veteran left guard Wyatt Teller and first-round center Keylan Rutledge. Combined with the power running of new running back David Montgomery, a run game that ranked 29th in yards per carry should be vastly better.  

Packers’ Primetime Power

Under LaFleur, the Packers are an excellent 24-14-1 in primetime regular-season games. It’s a different story when you go inside the numbers, though. Broken down by season, the Packers were:

2-3-1 in 2025.

3-2 in 2024.

2-3 in 2023.

2-4 in 2022.

5-0 in 2021.

6-0 in 2020.

4-2 in 2019.

Starting with a 23-10 win at Minnesota in Week 16 in 2019 through Week 2 in 2022, the Packers won 13 consecutive primetime games in the regular season. The Aaron Rodgers-led offensive scored 30-plus in nine of those games.

In the playoffs, the Packers are 0-3, with a 31-27 loss at the Bears last year, 24-21 in the divisional round at San Francisco in 2023 and 13-10 in the NFC divisional round against San Francisco at Lambeau in 2021.

Including the wild-card game at Chicago, the Packers have lost four in a row under the lights: 10-7 against the Eagles at home, 22-16 at the Bears, 41-24 against the Ravens at home and 31-27 at the Bears in the playoffs.

The Packers haven’t had fewer than five primetime games since 2013, when they had only two. Over the last 30 years, the Packers have had at least four primetime games in 24; 2001 and 2013 are the only seasons with less than three (two each).

The Packers, of course, are no stranger to primetime games. They played in six last year and have never played in fewer than five under LaFleur.

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