The Green Bay Packers waited longer than usual for their first trip through the home tunnel this season.
They also have a chance to make NFL history when they finally get there.
Green Bay hosts the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night after opening with consecutive road games for only the fourth time in franchise history. The Packers enter their first game at Lambeau Field at 1-1, fresh off a 20-17 overtime win over the New York Jets.
There’s another number attached to the occasion. Green Bay has won 13 consecutive home openers, tying the Miami Dolphins’ run from 1976 through 1988 for the longest streak in NFL history, per Packers.com’s official Week 3 preview.
A victory Thursday would give Green Bay the record outright.
The opportunity shows up four days after a game that demanded nearly every available minute. Green Bay trailed New York late before forcing overtime, then moved 58 yards on five plays to set up rookie kicker Trey Smack’s 26-yard game-winner.
Packers Can Own Home-Opener Record at Lambeau
Thursday’s matchup has more history than the typical early-season homecoming.
It will be only the third time Green Bay has faced Atlanta in a home opener, following meetings in 1981 and 2002, and the first Thursday game between the franchises. The Packers hold a 17-15 regular-season advantage in the series and have won the last four meetings played at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay is also 12-4 when hosting Atlanta in the regular season.
The larger streak goes past just one opponent. The Packers haven’t lost a home opener since before their current 13-game run began in 2013. That has taken them through multiple roster eras, quarterback changes and coaching transitions.
Jordan Love now gets his moment to extend it.
Love threw two touchdown passes against the Jets and helped Green Bay recover after its 39-22 season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The offense still left room for improvement in New York, but it came through when the game reached overtime.
On the winning possession, Kaleb Johnson ran for 14 yards on the first two plays before Love found Chris Brooks for 15 yards. Love then recognized pressure before the snap and hit Matthew Golden for another 14 yards, moving Green Bay inside the Jets’ 10 before Smack ended it.
Packers Finally Return Home After Rare Road Start
Green Bay has taken an uncommon route to Lambeau.
The Packers opened a season with two road games only three other times — 1924, 2016 and 2023 — according to the team. Their 2026 schedule also contains five weekday games, the most in franchise history.
Thursday is the first of them.
The Falcons arrive at 0-2 after a 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers, while Green Bay comes home having experienced two dramatically different finishes. The Packers watched their Week 1 lead disappear in Minnesota before responding one week later with the decisive plays in overtime.
That makes the Lambeau opener an key test of how quickly Green Bay can find consistency.
The setting should feel different. Packers Alumni Weekend coincides with the home opener, with former players from multiple eras scheduled to return to Lambeau, via the team’s announcement.
For Green Bay, the night can be about the record, of course, although instilling confidence in the fan base by improving to a 2-1 record is the truly critical piece at stake.
Packers Put NFL Record on Line in Long-Awaited Lambeau Opener vs. Falcons