2015 Green Bay Packers Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info

The Green Bay Packers have been one of the NFL's most successful franchises during the current millennium. They have made the playoffs 11 times over the past 15 years, including the last six. Most notably, they captured the Super Bowl title for the 2010 season.

There's no reason to believe that sustained run of success won't continue in 2015. It's still a quarterback-driven league, and the Packers have one of the best in Aaron Rodgers. As long as he stays healthy, they are a virtual lock for the postseason.

Green Bay didn't make any major splashes in free agency, which doesn't come as much of a surprise. The team instead focused on locking up some of its own such as Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga and B.J. Raji. The front office will use the draft to fill any remaining holes.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel passed along comments from head coach Mike McCarthy. He feels comfortable relying on young players who can steadily grow with the team rather than taking a chance on a couple of free agents.

"I don't agree with that mindset," McCarthy said. "I think the reasons why we were in a position in 2014 that we were in is because we stayed the course. We relied on young players a lot early in the season.

"It paid off for us later in the season. I think when we look at the body of work of the rookies, you have to feel good about particularly the five guys and what they accomplished in their first year. You still have to keep growing from within."

The Packers have maintained that outlook for quite some time, and it's worked. As they finish up their draft preparations, they now know the slate for next season. Let's check out how things look for Green Bay following the schedule release.

2015 Green Bay Packers Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Time (ET)	TV
1	September 13	at Chicago	1:00 p.m.	FOX
2	September 20	vs. Seattle	8:30 p.m.	NBC
3	September 28	vs. Kansas City	8:30 p.m.	ESPN
4	October 4	at San Francisco	4:25 p.m.	FOX
5	October 11	vs. St. Louis	1:00 p.m.	CBS
6	October 18	vs. San Diego	4:25 p.m.	CBS
7	October 25	Bye Week	N/A	N/A
8	November 1	at Denver	8:30 p.m.	NBC
9	November 8	at Carolina	1:00 p.m.	FOX
10	November 15	vs. Detroit	1:00 p.m.	FOX
11	November 22	at Minnesota	1:00 p.m.	FOX
12	November 26	vs. Chicago	8:30 p.m.	NBC
13	December 3	at Detroit	8:25 p.m.	CBS/NFLN
14	December 13	vs. Dallas	4:25 p.m.	FOX
15	December 20	at Oakland	4:05 p.m.	FOX
16	December 27	at Arizona	4:25 p.m.	FOX
17	January 3	vs. Minnesota	1:00 p.m.	FOX

Analysis

It's a middle-of-the-road schedule in terms of the overall strength, per CBSSports.com's John Breech, which is good news for a top-tier team like the Packers. They will be the favorite in a vast majority of their games. A fifth consecutive NFC North crown should be well within reach.

As mentioned, that has a lot to do with Rodgers. Having an MVP-caliber quarterback gives a team a lot more margin for error than teams without one. And the Packers have built a roster around him good enough to compete for titles.

Keeping Cobb to start opposite Jordy Nelson was one of the biggest keys to the offseason. They were able to get it done, making sure the passing attack should keep clicking on all cylinders.

Homegrown talent has been essential to Green Bay's success. While other teams spend big in free agency trying to fill voids, the Packers lean heavily on their scouting department to find hidden gems in the draft they can develop into useful contributors.

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk highlighted the difference between them and one of their NFC North rivals:

The plan of attack for this year's draft will probably surround the defense. The Packers need to find an inside linebacker and probably another corner or two to feel comfortable. Once they fill those slots, they can start adding some offensive depth.

There may be some added pressure on Rodgers and the offense in the early weeks as the defense works in some rookies. When playoff time rolls around, however, everybody should be settled into his role, and the Packers will be a top contender once again.

Pivotal Matchups

The Detroit Lions still seem like the biggest threat to the Packers in the division. The Minnesota Vikings could also make some noise, though. That depends on how Teddy Bridgewater performs after a promising rookie campaign.

All of the division games are important, but the two against the Lions are the most crucial on paper at this stage. As long as Green Bay is able to avoid a sweep, it should be in the driver's seat when it comes to the NFC North title.

The Packers have the most well-rounded roster and, as Russell S. Baxter of Pro Football Guru notes, a bunch of picks to add to that:

One other game that stands out is the clash with the Seattle Seahawks. That could very well end up determining the top overall seed in the NFC when the dust settles. Green Bay has the advantage of playing that game at home.

The Packers' schedule isn't easy, but it's navigable for a team of their quality. There certainly seem to be enough wins on there to qualify for the playoffs as things stand now. Only bad luck in terms of injuries could really change that view.