The Packers’ 2021-22 schedule and thoughts
The NFL finally released its 2021-22 season schedule. This is what the Packers’ schedule looks like:
They will play a total of 17 games with 9 on the road and 8 at home. They have 6 road games in their first 9 to start the season. All of their divisional home games are in prime time, assuming they don’t get flexed out. They are still a huge draw despite the lingering drama with Aaron Rodgers and his future with the organization. Here are some things that stand out to me when I looked at the schedule.
They start out with the Saints, who no longer have Drew Brees, but it is always a tough place to play when the stadium is at full capacity, which the NFL expects to see this coming season. The home opener vs the Lions is on Monday night. Detroit has played Green Bay tough lately and they now have Jared Goff at quarterback instead of Matthew Stafford. They also have a hard-nosed coach in Dan Campbell who talks a tough game, but we will see if it translates to results on the field. San Francisco has a new quarterback in Trey Lance and is looking to prove that last season was a fluke and not the season before where they made it to the Super Bowl and fell short. The Packers come back home to face the Steelers, who always seem to be tough, at least defensively. Pittsburgh actually played the last two games vs Green Bay without Rodgers in the lineup as he was injured both times. The last time they faced Rodgers, the Packers ended up celebrating with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. When the Packers visit Soldier Field in Week 6, will the Bears have Andy Dalton starting, or will they have switched to Justin Fields by then? Week 8 sees them going to Arizona to face the Cardinals on Thursday night. They get a “mini-bye” before their “extra” game on their schedule, which is at Kansas City. It’s never a bad thing to have extra time off before facing the Chiefs, especially at Arrowhead Stadium. They have their bye in Week 13, the first Sunday in December. They then have 3 home games in their final 5 overall to finish the season. They have quite a treat on Christmas Day as they host the Cleveland Browns, who made the playoffs last year, knocked off the hated Steelers on the road, and lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Chiefs, who lost Patrick Mahomes during the game. The Packers end the regular season at Detroit.
On paper, it’s not easy, but the Packers managed to finish 13-3 the previous two seasons and end up in the NFC Championship Game both times. They are obviously looking to go two wins better this time around. For that to happen, they obviously need Aaron Rodgers back with the team. All of us have opinions on this whole thing and I can only speak for myself. I think there is a rift between Rodgers and the front office, especially Brian Gutekunst. I do think it’s salvageable though. Much of this talk about him leaving Green Bay is just noise in my opinion. Many of his former teammates spent time with him and I am encouraged by what they had to say. I tend to believe them over the blowhards at ESPN and elsewhere. I don’t think we are out of the woods yet, but my belief is that Rodgers will still be wearing that #12 for our beloved Packers and will be ready to dominate starting in Week 1 and beyond. None of us can control that though. We can only hope that both sides will act like adults and that the front office realizes that Rodgers is their best hope for success and Rodgers realizes that there is no better situation where he can win a championship than in Green Bay. By the way, how fitting it is that the Packers will be coming off a bye week and they will be playing on December 12 (12/12) against the Bears on Sunday night, a team that Aaron Rodgers has dominated throughout his career. Remember that the Bears once had an 81-57-6 lead over the Packers in the all-time series in 1992, a total of 24 wins for the Bears. The Packers would go 44-14 to take a 101-95-6 overall lead in the series. Despite any differences, hopefully both sides know that the grass is not always greener on the other side.
At this point, I am assuming that Rodgers will be back until I have reason to believe otherwise. With him, they have a great chance to once again dominate and be in prime position to make it to the Super Bowl and win it. I think they filled a lot of needs in the draft. I like CB Eric Stokes and I especially like WR Amari Rodgers, who might very well be another Randall Cobb. There is plenty of reason to be excited for this upcoming season. Let’s block out the noise and let both sides settle things like adults. Hopefully we will get this drama behind us soon and get ready to enjoy some Packer football. In the words of Aaron Rodgers himself, “R-E-L-A-X, relax. We’ll be fine.”
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
