Oddsmakers favor Detroit to win the NFC North, followed by the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears, and lastly the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL's scheduling decisions reveal a different vision of the divisional hierarchy.
It's hardly an end-all, be-all, but the league's allotment of primetime games says a lot about a team's status. By that count, Green Bay leads the NFC North with six primetime slots to Chicago's five and four apiece for Detroit and Minnesota.
Of course, popularity plays a role in the scheduling process. But projected contender status is arguably a more influential factor. Take a look at the teams awarded five or more games. Among them, only the Bears and Dallas Cowboys are not among the top 10 in consensus Super Bowl odds.
Amount of primetime games by NFL team:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 15, 2026
7: LAR
6: GB, KC, BUF, SEA
5: DAL, PHI, CHI, NE, SF
4: MIN, NYG, PIT, BAL, DET, HOU, WSH
3: JAX, DEN, CIN, ATL, CAR, LAC, TB
2: IND
1: NO, CLE
0: NYJ, ARZ, TEN, MIA, LV
Reminder: Primetime for the NFL = game at night. https://t.co/8YATyTg3O6
Packers' premium schedule is fit for a King of the North
The NFL doesn't mess around with its primetime schedule. The schedulers pencil in the games they think will draw the most viewers in the spectator sweet spot between 7 and 9 PM ET. The quality of the competition has a lot to do with that. That means pitting good teams against each other.
Being included in a tier with Seattle, Buffalo, and, of course, the darling Kansas City Chiefs is a strong vote of confidence from the league in the Packers' favor.
It would be a mistake, of course, to overvalue the schedule versus the more predictive betting odds. That said, many NFL fans were already surprised to see the Lions listed ahead of Green Bay in the division leaderboard.Â
Perhaps that derives in part from uncertainty over the post-injury returns of Tucker Kraft and Micah Parsons. Kraft may be ready to go by Week 1, but Parsons could begin the year on the PUP list. The soonest he could come back would be Week 5 against Chicago.
Parsons' absence would put the pass rush behind the 8-ball. While the Packers trust the young talent on the roster, they will admittedly begin the year thin at edge rusher. Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell and Dani Dennis-Sutton can hold down the fort, but they can't replace No. 1.
That could be one explanation for oddsmakers' reluctance to give Green Bay the edge over a Lions team that, for all its uncertainties defensively and on the offensive line, is still stacked with playmakers.
Another, more influential factor is that the Packers have an absolutely brutal schedule. Being one of the league's best teams means more marquee matchups. That's just how it works. The Lions, meanwhile, have one of the easiest slates in the land.
The Packers will, at least, benefit from a soft launch to start the season, potentially before Parsons' return. Their first four opponents: the Vikings and New York Jets on the road, Atlanta at home, and the Buccaneers in Tampa. No one in that group has an expected win total above 8.5.
The Falcons matchup is set for Thursday Night Football, but after that, Green Bay has five primetime games in its last 13. Clearly the league expects a season of premier Packers football.
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