Ranking the 5 most important games on the Packers 2023 schedule

Week 16: Packers at Panthers

Another game that will take place on a holiday, the Packers and Panthers will meet on Christmas Eve.

At this stage, Jordan Love and company will be fighting for their playoff lives. The hope for Packers fans is Green Bay handled business against the Giants and especially the Buccaneers in the two weeks heading into this game.

Potentially looking for a third-straight victory here, a win over a Carolina would pay huge dividends. In many ways, the Panthers and Packers are in similar spots.

Each has a new starting quarterback, a strong run attack and, on paper, a defense equipped with the tools to succeed. This could be a make-or-break game for both sides, with the loser's January prospects likely taking a huge hit.

Matt LaFleur has to outsmart Frank Reich in order to give Packers fans something to smile about when they wake up on Christmas morning.

Week 18: Packers vs. Bears

The Packers and Bears bookend their seasons against one another this fall with dates set for Week 1 and Week 18.

These two teams are confident in their young cores and overall team-building philosophies, but it's highly likely only one of them can qualify for the postseason.

With a playoff berth possibly hanging on the line, Green Bay has the luxury of playing host to their age-old rival this January.

The table is set for this to potentially be the most important game of both Love and Justin Fields' pro careers up to this point. They'll each need to be on their A-game, to say the least.

The Packers haven't lost to Chicago since 2018. To keep that streak alive, they must be locked in at both the start of the season and at its very end.

More Packers news and analysis