Bears host Packers to open NFL's 100th season.

[Stanger37]

We can only hope that is the case. I have never been a fan of Thursday night games.

Charles Woodson and this article sums it up pretty well for me.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/12/06/thursday-night-football-a-bad-idea-that-isnt-going-anywhere/

It is ironic they take whatever means necessary to make the game "safer" but won't do anything about Thursday night games because for the most part, over the last 2 years, they're really good games. Too much of a money maker to ruin now.

I like the games, I watch them so as a fan I am never going to complain about more football, especially when it has been quality for the most part.

I think in an attempt to make everyone happy (impossible) the NFL should at least try to schedule Thursday night games around byes or SNF/MNF. If you play TNF you either are going into a bye so get extra rest, you are coming off a bye so you have more rest, or play a later game the following week for extra hours of rest.

Probably a lot harder than it sounds on paper, but with the players interest in mind, I wish they could try and do something like that.

 

[C-Lee]

road game, on a short week, with rusty starters, versus our biggest rival, on national tv, with our new offense, and our new staff. not good! i wouldn't like this any less if this game were in GB. we needed to start at home, on sunday, at noon, vs den. lol

You're a misery lol.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It is ironic they take whatever means necessary to make the game "safer" but won't do anything about Thursday night games because for the most part, over the last 2 years, they're really good games. Too much of a money maker to ruin now.

I like the games, I watch them so as a fan I am never going to complain about more football, especially when it has been quality for the most part.

I think in an attempt to make everyone happy (impossible) the NFL should at least try to schedule Thursday night games around byes or SNF/MNF. If you play TNF you either are going into a bye so get extra rest, you are coming off a bye so you have more rest, or play a later game the following week for extra hours of rest.

Probably a lot harder than it sounds on paper, but with the players interest in mind, I wish they could try and do something like that.

Playing on Thursday, after a Sunday game is just plain stupid IMO, not enough time to rest. Doesn't matter if you have a bye the following week.

Playing a Thursday night game after a bye week would be the only thing I could get behind. That would give players 10 days off before the game and 9 days off after. A nice healing period for all teams. However, I think in fairness, all 32 teams would need to be scheduled this way, which means 16 bye weeks and only 2 teams (the ones playing on Thursday night) get a bye each week. Which doesn't fit into the way things are currently scheduled, since Bye weeks are only weeks 4-12.

BTW....if my source is correct, the Packers Bye week is in Week 7 this year.

 

[XPack]

NFL season is considerably smaller than most games. How many Thursday after Sunday games do teams play in a season?

 

[sschind]

Get them early before Rodgers has a chance to get hurt also.

We have an optimistic rating where is the pessimistic one.

Im fine with this, lets get it done and dusted.

Like Sschind pointed out, the potential gains outweigh the losses. If we do lose, the urgency to perform already increases quite soon, hopefully making us more sharp and focussed for the next match with some extra days to prepare and review tape. Just pencil it in as a loss boys, with

Get that wake up call game out of the way right off the bat. I like it.

 

[gbgary]

Come on man, put on your big boy pants!

t'was a joke based on some truths. just like to start the season off with a W.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Tough way to start the season, but at least we will have a mini bye going into Week 2.

Agreed. Starting the season on a Thursday is like getting a bye and a half. But the Bears at Soldier Field? Well, we’ll see what this team is made of early, not a bad thing. And a road win against a division opponent would be huge. Go big or go home!

 

[Heyjoe4]

Come on man, put on your big boy pants!

Agree PB. Go big or go home! Maybe the Bears could bring our MVP, Cutty back for just this game. Not that I want anything bad to happen to Trubisky........

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Not to mention we hopefully won't have to worry about playing on a short week the rest of the season. Unless they got us heading to Detroit or Dallas on Thanksgiving or something.

Once again, teams playing in the season opener will play another Thursday game during the season. It has been that way since the league first started playing on Thursday night in 2006.

road game, on a short week, with rusty starters, versus our biggest rival, on national tv, with our new offense, and our new staff. not good!

The Packers aren't coming of a short week heading into the season opener at Chicago.

I think in an attempt to make everyone happy (impossible) the NFL should at least try to schedule Thursday night games around byes or SNF/MNF. If you play TNF you either are going into a bye so get extra rest, you are coming off a bye so you have more rest, or play a later game the following week for extra hours of rest.

I would be in favor of teams getting a bye before playing on Thursday there's no reason to give them any extra rest the week afterwards.

NFL season is considerably smaller than most games. How many Thursday after Sunday games do teams play in a season?

The teams playing in the season opener play twice on a Thursday during the season, all other teams only once.

 

[gbgary]

The Packers aren't coming of a short week heading into the season opener at Chicago.

it will be if their final preseason game is on a friday or saturday.

 

[Mondio]

But it's a preseason game. They can spend that entire week preparing and game planning for the Bears. They aren't going to spend 1 minute of practice time preparing for whoever their final preseason game is against. and it's a game that is historically used to evaluate lower depth guys anyway. I'm more concerned about starters being in game shape than I am the damaging effects from a "short week" heading into week 1.

 

[gbgary]

But it's a preseason game. They can spend that entire week preparing and game planning for the Bears. They aren't going to spend 1 minute of practice time preparing for whoever their final preseason game is against. and it's a game that is historically used to evaluate lower depth guys anyway. I'm more concerned about starters being in game shape than I am the damaging effects from a "short week" heading into week 1.

i mentioned the rust factor because the starters don't get the reps they need in preseason.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

i mentioned the rust factor because the starters don't get the reps they need in preseason.

Well wouldn't that be the same for the Bears?

With a new HC, we may see a different strategy during preseason than we saw with MM. However, I don't really expect it, seems like most teams have decided to play their top guys less and less during those meaningless games.

 

[XPack]

i mentioned the rust factor because the starters don't get the reps they need in preseason.

I don't mind giving them a brief run in other pre-season games and let them rest during the last one.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Sounds like the Packers will be playing the Raiders in Canada for one of the Raiders home preseason games.

 

[Heyjoe4]

But it's a preseason game. They can spend that entire week preparing and game planning for the Bears. They aren't going to spend 1 minute of practice time preparing for whoever their final preseason game is against. and it's a game that is historically used to evaluate lower depth guys anyway. I'm more concerned about starters being in game shape than I am the damaging effects from a "short week" heading into week 1.

You point out some badly needed common sense in this discussion Mondio, thanks. Starting the season on a Thursday is hardly the same as a Thursday game once their season is underway. And as you point out, that last pre-season game is a last chance to look at guys 3 and 4 levels down the depth chart. Hardly the guys who will be playing lots of minutes in the opener. Again, thanks for the perspective.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The only bad thing is that it's in Chicago. I take that as a bit of an affront, but at least we get them at home later in the season. Maybe we can take them by surprise with our new offense.

Good point. The Bears won’t know quite how to prepare with all the new faces. Yeah that cuts both ways, but certainly (hopefully?) the D will look quite a lot more different for GB. As for the O, a lot will depend on how well the right side is addressed through FA, the draft, and of course training camp and the first three PS games. In other words, I’m optimistic Rodgers won’t be running for his life every snap........

 

[sschind]

You point out some badly needed common sense in this discussion Mondio, thanks. Starting the season on a Thursday is hardly the same as a Thursday game once their season is underway. And as you point out, that last pre-season game is a last chance to look at guys 3 and 4 levels down the depth chart. Hardly the guys who will be playing lots of minutes in the opener. Again, thanks for the perspective.

Thanks a lot Joe. He will be impossible to live with now that he got one right

 

[gbgary]

Well wouldn't that be the same for the Bears?

With a new HC, we may see a different strategy during preseason than we saw with MM. However, I don't really expect it, seems like most teams have decided to play their top guys less and less during those meaningless games.

i don't know chi's history of using starters in preseason but we know the Packers'. maybe it'll be different this year, with the new o, but i kinda doubt it since we don't have a lot of depth, if someone gets hurt, and there's no one behind rodgers.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Thanks a lot Joe. He will be impossible to live with now that he got one right

That’s always a hazard on this forum!

 

[El Guapo]

I don't mind opening against the Bears. It's a great rivalry that is at its best when both teams are even. Playing the Bears is a non-issue in my book since we are scheduled to play them twice each season no matter what. I'm just proud that two of my favorite teams were chosen to kick off the 100th season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don't mind opening against the Bears. It's a great rivalry that is at its best when both teams are even. Playing the Bears is a non-issue in my book since we are scheduled to play them twice each season no matter what. I'm just proud that two of my favorite teams were chosen to kick off the 100th season.

You had me until you included the Bears as one of your two favorite teams.

 

[Mondio]

Thanks a lot Joe. He will be impossible to live with now that he got one right

on the bright side, if my head gets any bigger it could explode?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

it will be if their final preseason game is on a friday or saturday.

Week 4 preseason are played on Thursday. With the Packers mostly resting starters rest won't be an issue entering week 1.

 

[gbgary]

Week 4 preseason are played on Thursday. With the Packers mostly resting starters rest won't be an issue entering week 1.

rest for the starters? clearly not since the starters hardly play in the preseason. it's the rust factor from not playing that's the concern. the rest/injury concerns are for the backup/depth/rotational players who get the lion's share of the snaps in preseason.