If it were up to me the Packers would always play on Sunday at noon. But one “price” of their success is the popularity which has them playing in more marquee games. So I happily give up what I consider the “ideal” schedule in exchange for the Packers having legitimate title hopes. I don’t like the early turnaround playing a physical 49ers team and four days later playing the Bears. They'll likely need their "mini bye" that early in the season. At least McCarthy and staff will have a lot of time to prepare for both games. I don’t like three straight road games but they aren’t playing murderer’s row in that stretch either. I do like the idea of finishing the season against a division rival and I think that’s a league wide phenomena.
While it’s natural to go through the schedule and guess wins and losses, it seems almost every season the Packers lose a game they were widely expected to win and win one they were expected to lose. Thank goodness that last part is more difficult since they’ll likely be favored in almost all their games. Of course which teams they play is most important but when they play them is also very important and there’s just no way to calculate the importance of “when” they play ‘em until the season is underway.
Just thought I’d mention McCarthy breaks the season into groups of four games with the goal of winning each quarter. So here’s how he’s looking at the schedule. IMO the toughest quarter is the first one. Is that a good or bad thing?
Sun, Sept. 9 – San Francisco
Thurs, Sept. 13 – Chicago
Mon, Sept. 24 - @ Seattle
Sun, Sept. 30 – New Orleans
Sun, Oct. 7 - @ Indianapolis
Sun, Oct. 14 - @ Houston
Sun, Oct. 21 - @ St. Louis
Sun, Oct. 28 – Jacksonville
Sun, Nov. 4 – Arizona
Sun, Nov. 11 – bye
Sun, Nov. 18 - @ Detroit
Sun, Nov. 25 - @ NY Giants
Sun, Dec. 2 – Minnesota
Sun, Dec. 9 – Detroit
Sun, Dec. 16 - @ Chicago
Sun, Dec. 23 – Tennessee
Sun, Dec . 30 - @ Minnesota
Opps, almost forgot my prediction: I predict we are going to enjoy the hell out of this season!