The Green Bay Packers found out the when to the where last Thursday when the NFL released the 2016 NFL schedule. For the Packers, it is a very weird schedule to say the least. Four straight home games, three straight road games. One home game in September and November and three home games in October and December. OK. What?
Here are my short takes on the schedule.
- I think opening at Jacksonville is a good thing. The Jags will be a good football team by the end of the year, but I think the Packers will start out with an offensive explosion.
- I love having the chance to spoil the Vikings’ new stadium opener. They spoiled the opening of the renovated Lambeau Field back in 2003. Payback is a bitch.
- If the Packers lose even one of the four straight home games the Lambeau mystique will take another big hit after last year’s debacles.
- I wouldn’t care so much about the three straight road games if two of them weren’t night games. I mean, come on man!
- I like three of the last five at home, and coupled with a trip to Chicago, it’s really four out of five at home.
I think even though the Packers’ technically have the easiest schedule in league on paper, it will not play out that way. As mentioned, I think the Jags will be better, and so probably will be the Colts, Texans, and Eagles. Not going to do a game-by-game prediction but I don’t think it is an easy schedule by any stretch of the imagination.
The price you pay for being America’s Team.