Packers 2018 schedule: Six games to be played against 2017 playoff teams

Six of the Green Bay Packers’ regular season games in 2018 will be played against playoff teams from last season.

The dates of these games will be announced on Thursday, April 19 at 8 p.m. ET when the NFL releases the full regular season schedule. But we already know who the Green Bay Packers will be playing this year.

The Packers will play against playoff teams six times this season. They will take on the Minnesota Vikings (twice), the New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams.

Outside of meeting Minnesota both home and away, two of the other four games will take place at Lambeau Field, the other two on the road. The Packers will welcome the Falcons and Bills to Green Bay, but face daunting road trips against the Patriots and Rams.

The Vikings will once again be a force in the NFC North. Adding Kirk Cousins will only improve their offense, as will getting Dalvin Cook back from injury. It’s Minnesota’s division, and the Packers will need to win of the two games against them to have a chance of taking back their crown.

The Vikings, Falcons and Rams will all be serious playoff contenders in the NFC. Securing victories over these teams could make a huge difference late in the season.

The Packers and Patriots put on an entertaining show when they met at Lambeau four years ago. Aaron Rodgers beat Tom Brady on that day, but this year the game is in New England. It will almost certainly be a primetime game between the league’s top two quarterbacks.

If Mike McCarthy’s team can come away with three wins from these six games, they can be pleased, especially if at least one of those victories is against Minnesota.

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On Thursday evening we’ll find out when the Pack will meet each of these teams. Stay tuned.