May 20, 2026, 12:02 p.m. CT

Two writers from NFL.com who set out to predict every game during the 2026 regular season concluded that the Green Bay Packers will miss out on qualifying for the playoffs this year.

It’s only May, but the regular season schedule was just released, so Ali Bhanpuri and Tom Blair of NFL.com went ahead and predicted all 272 games coming this fall.

Packers fans won’t love the results. Bhaunpuri had the Packers finishing 10-7, including wins in five of the last six games and seven of the final nine. But the strong finish wasn’t enough to overcome a sluggish 3-5 start, and the Packers just missed out as the No. 8 seed in the NFC.

Blair was even less kind, predicting the Packers to lose four of their last five games and finish 9-8, missing the playoffs.

Interestingly enough, both predictors saw the Packers losing in Week 1. And neither predictor thought the Packers would win in Detroit, in Los Angeles or in Chicago.

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Green Bay has made the postseason in each of the last three seasons as the No. 7 seed in the NFC.

From Blair: “I want to apologize to Packers fans, who should know I didn’t set out to predict a second consecutive late-season collapse. It just sort of lined up like that. Playing the Rams in Los Angeles is a tough way to spend Thanksgiving Eve, and the assignments don’t really get much easier thereafter, aside from a chance to reaffirm their spot in the NFC hierarchy above the Saints in Week 13 and remind Malik Willis, Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan of how much work they have to do to get the Dolphins to Green Bay’s level in Week 15. Though I’m expecting Micah Parsons to be healthy and on the field this time, the Packers’ December trip to Chicago doesn’t end any better than last year’s overtime loss, kick-starting a three-game skid that pushes them out of the playoffs.”

Both Bhaunpuri and Blair picked the Chicago Bears to win the NFC North. Blair had the Lions finishing 11-6 and making the postseason as a wild card team. Neither predictor saw an NFC North team finishing worse than 8-9.

Several other sites ran through 272-game predictions following the schedule release.

Some of the results:

Pro Football Sports Network: Packers finish 11-6, second in NFC North (make playoffs as No. 6 sed)The Score: Packers finish 10-7, second in NFC North (miss playoffs)Bleacher Report: Packers finish 9-8, third in NFC North (miss playoffs)SB Nation: Packers finish 10-7, second in NFC North (make playoffs as No. 7 seed)