First, let's line 'em up:
Pre-Season
- Thursday, August 8 7:00 PM CDT vs Houston Texans (Gold Package)
- Thursday, August 15 6:30 PM at Baltimore Ravens
- August 22-25 vs Oakland Raiders Site, date, time TBD.
- Thursday, August 29 7:00 PM vs Kansas City Chiefs
Regular Season
- Thursday, September 5 7:20 PM @ Chicago Bears
- Sunday, September 15 12:00 PM Minnesota Vikings
- Sunday, September 22 12:00 PM Denver Broncos (Gold Package)
- Thursday, September 26 7:20 PM Philadelphia Eagles
- Sunday, October 6 3:25 PM @ Dallas Cowboys
- Monday, October 14 7:15 PM Detroit Lions
- Sunday, October 20 12:00 PM Oakland Raiders (Gold Package)
- Sunday, October 27 7:20 PM @ Kansas City Chiefs
- Sunday, November 3 3:25 PM @ Los Angeles Chargers
- Sunday, November 10 12:00 PM Carolina Panthers
- Week 11 Bye
- Sunday, November 24 3:25 PM @ San Francisco 49ers
- Sunday, December 1 12:00 PM @ New York Giants
- Sunday, December 8 12:00 PM Washington Redskins
- Sunday, December 15 12:00 PM Chicago Bears
- Monday, December 23, 7:15 PM @ Minnesota VIkings
- Sunday, December 29 12:00 PM @ Detroit Lions
Now let's knock 'em down.
Matt LaFleur's first schedule as Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers has a Black (first two) and Blue (last three) emphasis but there are plenty of twists beyond the NFC North challenges in September and December.
The first four games will be played in a span of just 21 days thanks to the 100th anniversary NFL season kickoff in Chicago to a second Thursday night date with the Eagles at Lambeau on September 26.
Five of the first seven games are at home. (Ron Wolf must be rolling his eyes, he built the Pack to play at home when the tundra was actually a tundra.)
For a team that went an unsightly 6-9-1 last year, a lot of eyes will be on them again this fall with five prime time appearances. That speaks to the power of Rodgers. Aaron and the boys are under the lights on opening night on NBC, they hit the NFL Network and live stream in week four, a date on ESPN with Monday night football two weeks later against Detroit, another juicy Football Night in America showdown between Rodgers and reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes two weeks after that and one more Monday nighter in Minneapolis right before Christmas.
The Packers make a mid-season tour of the AFC West with consecutive games against the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers.
If LaFleur's first team is in contention, they'll be asked to clinch a playoff spot by beating the division rivals down the stretch, hosting the Bears in the Lambeau finale on December 15 and finishing at the Vikes and Lions.
Hopefully, they won't be beat up by then with the bye coming in week 11, the latest it's appeared in years.
It's all AFC teams for Gold Package season ticket holders, they'll complain about getting Houston in the pre-season, Denver and Oakland in the regular season but that's just how the schedule maker cookie crumbled.
Based on last year's winning percentage (.504) of Green Bay's opponents, the Packers have the 14th toughest schedule in the league.
Not surprisingly, the only game without a firm start time, not to mention a date or even a sight, is the third pre-season game against the Oakland Raiders. They're scheduled to host the Packers but it could be played anywhere from Green Bay, to a Canadian city or the Bay Area.
Selfishly, love the road stops this year, San Francisco one of my favorite cities, another trip to the big apple and a second straight year with a ride to L.A.
So how many will they win? I'm not going there with a rookie coach. Let's take 'em as they come and they'll be coming before you know it.