If you’re refreshing your sports app or checking the TV guide to see who do the Green Bay Packers play today, I have some news that might sting a bit. There is no game.
Today is Thursday, January 15, 2026, and the Green Bay Packers have officially entered their offseason. If that feels sudden, you aren't alone. Just a few days ago, the atmosphere in Wisconsin was electric with playoff hope, but a brutal Saturday night in Chicago changed everything.
The Wild Card Heartbreak
The Packers’ 2025-2026 campaign came to a screeching halt on Saturday, January 10, 2026. They headed into Soldier Field as the 7th seed to face their oldest rivals, the NFC North champion Chicago Bears.
Honestly, for about thirty minutes of football, it looked like Green Bay was going to pull off the upset of the decade. They went into halftime with a massive 21–3 lead. Jordan Love was slicing through the secondary, and the defense was suffocating Caleb Williams.
Then, the second half happened.
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Chicago roared back, led by a flurry of fourth-quarter adjustments and a dominant performance by rookie tight end Colston Loveland. The Packers ultimately blew that 18-point lead, losing 31–27. It was a gut-punch ending to a season that saw Green Bay finish with a 9–7–1 record. Because of that loss, the Packers are not playing today, nor will they be playing in the Divisional Round this coming weekend.
Why Today Is Quiet at Lambeau
The NFL playoff schedule is a moving target, but since the Packers were eliminated in the Wild Card round, their schedule is cleared until August.
If they had won that game in Chicago, they would likely be preparing for a massive showdown against a top seed like the Philadelphia Eagles or the Detroit Lions right now. Instead, the players are currently undergoing exit physicals and packing up their lockers. It’s the "Black Monday" aftermath, just spread out over the week.
The Injury Bug That Bit Hard
You can’t talk about why the Packers aren't playing today without mentioning the medical tent. This team was limping toward the finish line.
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- Micah Parsons, who had a stellar first season in Green Bay, was lost to a torn ACL in Week 15.
- Tucker Kraft also suffered a torn ACL earlier in the year.
- Dontayvion Wicks missed the playoff game due to a concussion.
- Jordan Love was clearly battling through lower-body dings that limited his mobility in the second half of the Chicago game.
When you lose your defensive anchor and your primary safety blankets on offense, winning in January becomes a mountain too steep to climb.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Opponents
Even though there’s no game today, we actually already know who the Green Bay Packers play next season. The 17-game schedule for the 2026 regular season is set based on divisional rotations and the Packers' second-place finish in the NFC North.
Next year is going to be a gauntlet. The Packers are slated to face the entire NFC South and the AFC East. That means Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will be coming to Lambeau Field. It also means a trip to the Big Easy to face the Saints and a trek out to Los Angeles to play the Rams.
2026 Home Opponents:
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- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
2026 Away Opponents:
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- Los Angeles Rams
What Fans Should Do Now
Since there is no game on the calendar for today, the focus shifts to the front office. General Manager Brian Gutekunst and Head Coach Matt LaFleur have a lot of soul-searching to do. The late-season collapse—losing the final four games of the regular season before the playoff exit—is going to be the main topic of conversation at the upcoming NFL Combine.
If you’re looking for football to watch today, you’ll have to wait for the Divisional Round games starting this Saturday. For Packers fans, the "game" now is the NFL Draft and free agency.
Keep an eye on the health of Jordan Love and the recovery timelines for Parsons and Kraft. Those three names will dictate whether the Packers return to the playoffs in 2027 or if this mid-January silence becomes a trend.
The best way to stay prepared for next season is to track the defensive coordinator search, as many expect changes following the second-half defensive collapse in Chicago.