Most people aren’t fans of such an early bye week. They
would rather save this week for later in the season, when they can fully
recharge their batteries for the second half of the season. The Green Bay
Packers unfortunately do not have that luxury this season, as they their bye
week falls in week four. In an ironic way, this bye week couldn’t come at a
better time.
Head coach Mike McCarthy admits that the Packers caught a break withthis bye week. McCarthy said this week, “I never thought I would say
this, but for as different a schedule that we have, it’s a great time to have
the bye, because we need it. That’s where we are.” McCarthy is referring to the
injury bug that is going around his team, as four defensive starters sat out
against Detroit and tight end Jared Cook sprained his ankle.
The Packers head into the bye with a 2-1 record and are
coming off a game where Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns. Here is how the
rest of the schedule looks for the Packers.
October: Giants
(2-2), Cowboys (3-1), Bears (1-3), at Falcons (3-1)
The Packers come out of the bye with
three straight home games, ending with the Bears in a Thursday night game. The
Packers and Giants always seem to have great games while the Cowboys will be
looking to avenge the Dez Bryant “Was it a catch?’ game. This game
may be Dak Prescott’s final game, as Tony Romo is expected to return after the
Cowboys’ bye week. The Giants are definitely a playoff caliber team, but the
Packers should have the edge on both the Giants and Cowboys since the games are
at Lambeau.
The Packers then face the Bears on a short week. The Bears
are one of the worst teams in the league, but these Thursday night games are so
unfair on the players and coaches that nothing can be a sure thing. The Packers
should be able to handle the Bears, but it should be noted that the Bears beat
the Packers last year on a short week (Thanksgiving night). The Falcons offense
has been one of the league’s best this season, as their 34.7 points per game is
the highest in the league. Expect a shootout in week eight against the Atlanta
Falcons.
November: Colts (1-3),
at Titans (1-3), at Redskins (2-2), at Eagles (3-0)
The Packers’ schedule lightens up in November, starting off
with the Colts at home. Indianapolis depends too much on Andrew Luck’s comeback
ability, which isn’t a good idea in a November game at Lambeau. As Mike
McCarthy mentioned, the Packers schedule is “different” and this three-game
stretch is a perfect example why. The Pack will play three straight road games
- four out of five games when you count the Falcons game - including a Sunday
night game against the Redskins and a Monday night game against the Eagles.
On paper, the Packers have more talent than all of these
teams, but right now the Eagles are playing great and you can’t count out the
Colts or Redskins. It will be an interesting month for the Packers.
December and January:
Texans (3-1), Seahawks (3-1), at Bears (1-3), Vikings (4-0), at Lions (1-2)
The Packers simply have to beat the Texans at home, so let’s
move on from that. Playing the Seahawks in week 14 is as tough of a matchup as
you are going to get, especially with these two teams expected to be in the
thick of a playoff race. The last three games will come against divisional
opponents, two of which will be on the road. The week 16 matchup against the
Vikings could possibly be the most important game of the entire season, since
it can essentially be for the NFC North crown. Let’s hope the week 17 game in
Detroit is meaningless and the Packers know exactly what seed they are in the
playoffs, whether it is as division champion or Wild Card team.
With 13 straight weeks of football left for the Green Bay
Packers, their stamina, focus, and preparation will be tested for the next
three months. There is no soft part of the schedule, as the Packers will have
to earn every win from here on out. It should be an exciting 13 weeks for
Packers fans.
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