The supposed leak was not at all accurate. Here’s the actual 2018 Green Bay Packers’ schedule.
As we predicted and was known for much of the day, the Packers will be opening with their oldest rival, the Chicago Bears at home to kick off their 100th season. That game will also, as expected, be in primetime — the primo spot of Sunday night.
Here’s a look at the proceedings.
1: Sunday, September 9 – CHICAGO BEARS, 7:20 p.m.
2: Sunday, September 16 – MINNESOTA VIKINGS, 12 p.m.
3: Sunday, September 23 at Washington Redskins, 12 p.m.
4: Sunday, September 30 – BUFFALO BILLS, 12 p.m.
5: Sunday, October 7 at Detroit Lions, 12 p.m.
6: Monday, October 15 – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, 7:15 p.m.
7: BYE WEEK
8: Sunday, October 28 at Los Angeles Rams, 3:25 p.m.
9: Sunday, November 4 at New England Patriots, 7:20 p.m.
10: Sunday, November 11 – MIAMI DOLPHINS, 12 p.m.
11: Thursday, November 15 at Seattle Seahawks, 7:20 p.m.
12: Sunday, November 25 at Minnesota Vikings, 7:20 p.m.
13: Sunday, December 2 – ARIZONA CARDINALS, 12 p.m.
14: Sunday, December 9 – ATLANTA FALCONS, 12 p.m.
15: Sunday, December 16 at Chicago Bears, 12 p.m.
16: Sunday, December 23 at New York Jets, 12 p.m.
17: Sunday, December 30 – DETROIT LIONS, 12 p.m.
So let’s count them. One, two, three, four, five primetime games. One Monday, one Thursday and three Sunday.
The Notable
Let’s start with this. The Packers do not play on Thanksgiving and thank god for that. The last couple times they did play on Thanksgiving, they’ve looked like a week-old turkey drumstick. Ruined the best holiday of the year!
Second, what is with closing with the damn Detroit Lions? Why is that game not Packers-Vikings? The Packers have closed with the Lions three of the past four years. Let’s mix it up a little, huh?
The Stinkings are actually closing with a home game against the Bears.
Third, the division hierarchy will be established early. Bears at Packers, Vikings at Packers in weeks 1 and 2. I like that both of those games are at home!
Now, let’s look at those first six weeks. The Vikings’ are by far going to be the toughest win. Detroit won’t be a pushover. The 49ers won’t either, but the Packers have them at home. I will not predict they will do this, but 6-0 at the bye is possible.
And then… brutal. Go to Los Angeles to face the Rams and turn around and go to Foxboro to face the Patriots in consecutive weeks. That smells like two consecutive losses. The road swing is brutal. We’ll see how Mike McCarthy handles it.
The schedule-makers didn’t do the Packers any favors in weeks 11 and 12 either. At Seattle and then at Minnesota. The good news there is the Seattle game is the Thursday game. So the Packers will get extra time to prepare for the their game in Minneapolis.
Lastly, the Jets are a curious choice for week 16, when teams usually play a divisional opponent. But hell, we’ll take that win.