Packers' 2023 schedule includes opponents with many question marks just like Green Bay

Green Bay Packers opponents for 2023 are no more successful than the opponents for 2022 were, and fewer of them made the playoffs.

The NFL this week announced each team's home and away opponents for the coming season, although the actual schedule will not be released until late April or early May.

The Packers will play the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field.

They will travel to Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Carolina, Denver, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and to New Jersey to play the Giants.

The overall winning percentage of Packers' opponents in 2023, 47.3%, is nearly the same as 2022's 47.8%. The Packers' 2023 opponents had a collective 112-125-1 record in 2022, but this being the NFL, past performance does not guarantee future results. The Los Angeles Rams went from Super Bowl champions in 2021 to 5-12 this season. The Jacksonville Jaguars were 3-14 in 2021, but 9-8 this season while winning the AFC South.

For that matter, the Packers went from 13-4 in 2021 to 8-9 this season, although they did defeat four teams that made the playoffs.

Five of the coming year's opponents are playoff teams, compared to seven heading into 2022. Those five are Minnesota, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay and the New York Giants. The Packers defeated Minnesota and Tampa Bay this season and lost to the Giants.

Here's a look ahead, and in some cases back, at the Packers' history with the teams they play in 2023:

Minnesota Vikings

• First of 125 games, Oct. 22, 1961.

• Packers lead series 65-57-3.

• 2022:  Vikings 23, Packers 7 at Minnesota; and Packers 41, Vikings 17 in Green Bay.

• Home or away? One of each

Worth noting: The Vikings had one of the weirdest seasons in NFL history. Although they finished 13-4 and won the NFC North, they were outscored by their opponents 427-424. Eleven of their wins were by eight points (one touchdown and a two-point extra) or less. When they lost, they lost big, such as when the Packers defeated them 41-17 on New Year's Day in Green Bay.

The Vikings play the New York Giants on Sunday in a wild card playoff game.

Until this year, the Vikings were the Packers' toughest divisional opponent in Matt LaFleur's four years as coach. Green Bay leads 5-3 in that stretch, the same record it has against Detroit after losing twice to the Lions this season.

Detroit Lions

• First of 187 games, Nov. 2, 1930, when the Lions were the Portsmouth Spartans.

• Packers lead series 105-75-7.

• 2022: The Lions won 15-9 in Detroit and 20-16 in Green Bay.

• Home or away? One of each

Worth noting: The Lions finished 9-8, won eight of their last 10 games, and blocked the Packers from the playoffs with an end-of-the-year victory at Lambeau Field. An active rivalry might be brewing between these teams, which for a number of years have had a kind of live-and-let-live approach to their games. Insults were flying before and after the Jan. 8 game that ended the 2022 season, and Lions coach Dan Campbell has instilled a new, aggressive attitude in Detroit.

The Lions, against whom the Packers have had more than their share of exciting and record-setting games, are a team on the rise. Under LaFleur, the Packers won their first five meetings, but lost the last three.

Among notable games in their shared history was Aaron Rodgers' 61-yard Hail Mary pass to Richard Rodgers on Dec. 3, 2015, at Ford Field. It was the last play of the game, giving the Packers a 27-23 victory, and it was the longest Hail Mary in NFL history, a landmark play in the careers of both guys named Rodgers.

Don Hutson scored a team-record 29 points in one quarter on Oct. 7, 1945, during a 57-21 Packers victory.

On Jan. 1, 2012, Matt Flynn passed for a record 480 yards and a team-record six touchdowns to lead the Packers to a 45-41 victory.

Detroit is Green Bay's oldest rival in consecutive years played. The Bears are Green Bay's oldest overall rival, but they didn't play in the strike year of 1982.

Chicago Bears

• First of 206 games, Nov. 27, 1921.

• Packers lead series 105-95-6.

• 2022: Packers won 27-10 at Lambeau Field and 28-19 in Chicago.

• Home or away? One of each

Worth noting: Aaron Rodgers and LaFleur have had their way with Chicago for as long as either has been around. Rodgers is 24-5 against the Bears and LaFleur is 8-0.

When the Packers won in Chicago last season, they overtook the Bears as the NFL's winningest team with 787 victories.

Chicago finished 3-14, but they enter 2023 with good draft position, a lot of salary cap space and Justin Fields, who they believe is their franchise quarterback. They are probably a couple years away from contending for the division title, but might be less of a patsy in the meantime.

Kansas City Chiefs

• First of 14 games, Jan. 15, 1967.

• Chiefs lead series 8-5-1.

• 2021: Chiefs 13, Packers 7 in Kansas City.

• Home or away? At Lambeau Field.

Worth noting: Former Packers assistant coach Andy Reid leads a formidable team in Kansas City, just as he did in Philadelphia. A possible Aaron Rodgers-Patrick Mahomes matchup always excites fans, but in fact they've never played on the same field. Mahomes was unavailable for a game in 2019 and Rodgers for the game in 2021. And it remains an open question whether Rodgers will be with the Packers at all in 2023.

The Chiefs have the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and have a bye this week.

The Chiefs lead the series, but the Packers won the biggest game, Super Bowl I. It was the game were little-used receiver Max McGee came off the bench, allegedly after a night of partying, and scored two touchdowns in the 35-10 Packers victory.

Los Angeles Chargers

• First of 12 games, Oct. 12, 1970, when they were the San Diego Chargers.

• Packers lead series 10-2-0.

• 2019: Chargers 26, Packers 11 in Carson, Calif.

• Home or away? At Lambeau Field.

Worth noting: The last time these teams played was in 2019 at Dignity Health Sports Park, a soccer field in Carson, Calif., with a capacity of 25,435, an intimate setting in which the vast majority were Packers fans. It didn't help. The Packers got blown out 26-11, one of only three regular-season losses.

The Chargers are the only team in their division the Packers haven't played in a Super Bowl. The Chargers play the Jaguars Saturday in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Los Angeles Rams

• First of 98 games on Oct. 17, 1937, when they were the Cleveland Rams.

• Packers lead series 49-47-2.

• 2022: Packers 24, Rams 12 at Lambeau Field.

• Home or away? At Lambeau Field.

Worth noting: The Packers have played the Rams more than anyone outside their division, including three times since January 2021, all at Lambeau Field and all Green Bay victories.

The Rams won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season, but everything came apart for them in 2022. Now there is talk about coach Sean McVay leaving Los Angeles. It could be a much different team that comes to Lambeau next year.

It is often overlooked that the Packers' 28-7 victory over the Rams on Dec. 23, 1967, in Milwaukee allowed Green Bay to face Dallas in what became the Ice Bowl. The Rams had defeated the Packers 27-24 two weeks earlier in Los Angeles.

Receiver Billy Howton caught seven passes for a team-record 257 yards on Oct. 21, 1956, in a 42-17 Packers victory.

New Orleans Saints

• First of 27 games on Nov. 17, 1968.

• Packers lead series 17-10-0.

• 2021: Saints 38, Packers 3 in Jacksonville, Fla.

• Home or away? At Lambeau Field.

Worth noting: The Saints, who finished 7-10 under first-year coach Dennis Allen, have a quarterback problem. Replacing likely Hall of Famer Drew Brees proved an ongoing issue, with multiple players, none of them young quarterbacks of the future, filling the role.

Speaking of quarterbacks, before Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, there was Don Majkowski, who, when he was on, was as good as any quarterback. Sept. 17, 1989, at Lambeau Field was one of those games. The Packers trailed 24-7 at the half and Majkowski, who threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns, led a second-half comeback for a 35-34 victory. A 23-yard pass to Jeff Query on fourth-and-17 with a minute-and-a-half left was a key play.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• First of 58 games on Oct. 23, 1977.

• Packers lead series 34-23-1.

• 2022: Packers 14, Buccaneers 12 at Tampa.

• Home or away? At Lambeau Field.

Worth noting: The Bucs are one of four playoff teams the Packers defeated this season. Tampa won the NFC South with an 8-9 record. Every other team in the division, all of which are on the Packers' 2023 schedule, finished 7-10.

Always of interest is a Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers matchup, but that may never again happen. Brady will turn 46 and Rodgers 40 before the end of next season and either or both could retire before the season begins, although past history would make that a fool's bet. By the same token, they could be playing for other teams next year.

The Bucs will play the Cowboys Monday night in the wild card round of the playoffs.

More:Photos from the Snow Bowl on Dec. 1, 1985

Before there was Brady and Rodgers, there was Lynn Dickey and Steve Young. Dec. 1, 1985, wasn't the Ice Bowl, but in some ways it was worse. A raging blizzard that dumped 10.5 inches of snow on Green Bay made that day's Packers-Buccaneers game miserable, and Lambeau Field was less than half-full because fans couldn't get to the stadium. But the so-called Snow Bowl game barely slowed down Dickey, who threw for 299 yards, or Eddie Lee Ivery and Gerry Ellis, who each ran for more than 100 yards. Across the line, Young, who beat the Packers only once in his Hall of Fame career, threw for all of 53 yards in the 21-0 Packers victory. "Needless to say, that's the most snow I've ever seen in my life," said Dickey, which is saying something considering he grew up in Kansas.

Atlanta Falcons

• First of 35 games on Oct. 23, 1966.

• Packers lead series 19-16-0.

• 2020: Packers 30, Falcons 16 at Lambeau Field.

• Home or away? At Atlanta.

Worth noting:  The Falcons parted ways with longtime quarterback Matt Ryan before the season and tried veteran Marcus Mariota and rookie Desmond Ridder during the season. As Packers fans well know, the NFL is a quarterback-driven league and a surprising number of their 2023 opponents have issues.

Carolina Panthers

• First of 17 games on Jan. 1, 1997.

• Packers lead series 11-6-0.

• 2020: Packers 24, Panthers 16 at Lambeau Field.

• Home or away? At Carolina.

Worth noting: The Panthers started each of the last three seasons with quarterbacks cast off by other teams. This season could well make it four. Some reports have the Panthers interested in Las Vegas QB Derek Carr, who's continued presence with the Raiders seems unlikely.

The first meeting between the Packers and Panthers was in the 1996 NFC championship game, which the Packers won 30-13.

New York Giants

• First of 63 games on Oct. 7, 1928.

• Packers lead series 34-27-2.

• 2022: Giants 27, Packers 22 in London.

• Home or away? In New Jersey.

Oct. 9, 2022, the Packers and their fans cruised into London with a 4-1 record, their sights set on a Super Bowl and their first-ever international game. At halftime, the Packers led 20-10 and life was good. And then the season went to pieces. The Packers lost that game 27-22 and six of the next seven.

The Giants play the Vikings on Sunday in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Denver Broncos

• First of 15 games was Sept. 26, 1971.

• Series is tied 7-7-1.

• 2019: Packers 27, Broncos 16 at Lambeau Field

• Home or away? At Denver.

Worth noting: Denver has quarterback and coaching issues. The Broncos made former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett their head coach and gave up the store to acquire veteran Russell Wilson to be his quarterback. On their way to a 5-12 record and a league-worst 16.8 points per game average, the Broncos fired Hackett and are left to hope that Wilson can regain the abilities he showed for many years in Seattle.

The Packers only Super Bowl loss was to the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII on Jan. 21, 1998. Bob Harlan has said the 31-24 loss was terrible. "I kept thinking it was us last year and it should be us today," he wrote in his memoir.

Ahman Green set the team's single-game rushing record of 218 yards on Dec. 28, 2003, in a 31-3 Packers victory at Lambeau Field.

Las Vegas Raiders

• First of 14 games was Jan. 14, 1968, when they were the Oakland Raiders.

• Packers lead series 9-5-0.

• 2019: Packers 42, Raiders 24 at Lambeau Field

• Home or away? At Las Vegas

Worth noting: As every Packers fan knows, Green Bay lost the league's best receiver and Aaron Rodgers' favorite target, Davante Adams, to the Raiders before the 2022 season. Adams wanted to be closer to home and play with his college quarterback, Derek Carr. The same Derek Carr who was benched with two games left and probably will not be with the team in 2023. It will be the first time the Packers play in Vegas' posh Allegiant Stadium.

The first time the teams met was in Super Bowl II, which the Packers won 33-14. But for pure emotion, Dec. 22, 2003, tops everything. It was the day after quarterback Brett Favre's father died unexpectedly. Favre chose to play and passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-7 victory on Monday Night Football. Even Raiders fans applauded him after the game, which was unheard of.

Also not to be forgotten, the Packers trounced the Raiders 28-0 on Dec. 26, 1993, at Lambeau Field, a game that included LeRoy Butler returning a lateral from Reggie White for a touchdown and introducing the world to the Lambeau Leap.

The last time these teams played, Oct. 20, 2019, Aaron Rodgers had one of the best games of his career, leading the Packers to a 42-24 victory. Rodgers produced a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3, a first in his storied career. He threw five touchdown passes, scored one TD himself and accumulated 429 yards passing with an inexperienced receiving corps.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• First of 36 games was Oct. 15, 1933, when they were the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Packers lead series 20-16-0.

• 2021: Packers 27, Steelers 17 at Lambeau Field.

• Home or away? At Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin has not had a losing record in 16 seasons. He's had three 8-8 seasons and won the AFC North division seven times. His only Super Bowl appearances were in his second and fourth seasons. In season four, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV 31-25 on Feb. 6, 2011. MVP Aaron Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns. It was his only Super Bowl appearance, a fact that vexes many Packers fans.

But as Tomlin's record indicates, unless you're Tom Brady, Super Bowls are hard to get to.

Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Packers' 2023 schedule includes opponents with many question marks