We've arrived at a pivotal moment in the Green Bay Packers' 2026 campaign. Although the team holds a positive 5-3 record, which would rank in the top two in five other NFL divisions, they sit at the bottom of the NFC North, and their schedule isn't getting any easier.
They head to Gillette Stadium to take on the reigning AFC Champion New England Patriots, who carry the same 5-3 record as Green Bay entering this marquee matchup. It's not going to be easy by any means, but the Patriots have proven themselves to be a beatable team at this juncture of the season.
However, if the Packers stick to the core strategy that's gotten them this far and make some incremental improvements, they have as good a chance to beat New England as anyone does.
1. Green Bay's elite pass rush needs to put pressure on Drake Maye.
The Packers are running into Patriots quarterback Drake Maye at a time when he's been scorching opposing defenses, but none of those opponents have the pass rush that Green Bay does. Unfortunately for the Packers' front line, New England's blockers have the fifth-best pass-blocking win rate in the NFL thus far.
Making Maye uncomfortable in the pocket will be paramount to Green Bay's ability to stay in this game. If they can force him to throw a few balls away and negate his third-down conversion rate, it'll give them a serious chance to run away with a lead.
2. The Packers must establish some semblance of a ground game.
It might seem like a tall task for the worst rushing attack in the NFL this season, but anything even remotely resembling a decent rushing attack would pay dividends for the Packers' offense. Without an actual ground game, Jordan Love has no chance to bait the defense with play action.
If the Patriots don't have to worry about Josh Jacobs and Co., they can key in on Green Bay's playmakers like Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Tucker Kraft, effectively taking away Love's only real options in the passing attack. It's less about actually gaining yardage on the ground — that's probably too much to ask with this combination of offensive linemen and running backs. It's more about opening up the passing attack and giving Jordan Love more options.
3. Jordan Love has to beat Drake Maye at his own game with deep passes.
The Packers have been one of the best teams at limiting explosive plays this season, according to King Fish Bets. That's the bread and butter of Drake Maye and the Patriots' passing game — using the threat of their running backs and tight ends to open up deep shots to their elusive wide receivers. New England, on the other hand, gives up 5.4 explosive plays per game, which is 14th in the NFL.
Love and Maye want to accomplish the same task: give their playmakers the best chance to stretch the field and pick up massive yardage. Although Maye put up an MVP runner-up campaign largely with his deep bombs, it's Love who has the edge this season. If he prevails in that same category against New England on the road, Love is not only going to get another win on the board for his team, but also advance his profile in the national landscape and build his own MVP case.
The No. 1 priority for Love and the Packers, however, is to go get a win, and stringing together explosive plays is one of the easiest pathways for them to do it.
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