Hello, Packers fans ... and all who wish they were.
We've had a looooong hiatus...since just before the 2022 NFL Draft, to be exact. A lot of water under the bridge before and since then: comings and goings (most notably and regrettably, of course, WR Davante Adams), injury updates, cut-downs, final roster, etc. Too much to cover here and you know it all already anyway.
So let's just get to the important matters of the moment: the season prediction. We'll do the prediction for Sunday's opener against the ViQueens (in Minnesota) in a separate post. We invite you to please check back for that.
The Season Prediction
Since the start of this blog in 2005 (17 years ago ... 17!), we have looked at the season preview not game by game (those are done individually at the relevant time) but more quarter by season quarter, so to speak. With a 17th regular season game in place for the second consecutive year, we'll have quarters plus one extra game...and the bye week, too, resulting in 18 weeks to examine. You'll figure it out. Home games are in green. Be aware, of course, that the NFL may flex various game times, especially later in the season, so the days/times shown here are as they are now indicated.
1st Quarter of the Season
Week 1: @ Vikings - Sun 9/11 · 3:25 PM CDT
Week 2: Da Bearz - Sunday Night Game - Sun 9/25 · 7:20 PM CDT
Week 3: @ Buccaneers - Sun 9/26 · 3:25 PM CDT
Week 4: Patriots - Sun 10/02 · 3:25 PM CDT
We think it's likely the Packers lose one, and perhaps two, of these first four games. Despite the Pack being once again one of the odds-on favorites to make the NFC Championship Game, and, Packer nation hopes, the Super Bowl, and having a talented roster, particularly on defense, we really don't know how it's all going to come together, or how quickly. With Rodgers back at QB and coming off two consecutive MVP season and the weapons on offense, you know that the team will always be in the game in terms of point potential. But with his wide receiver security blanket, Adams, now gone to Las Vegas, and a slew of young and untested receivers, the offense might not be as high-flying as we've been accustomed to especially early in the season. We expect perhaps a more even split between downfield throws and runs and touches out of the backfield. The two-headed monster that is Aaron Jone and A.J. Dillon will be used in new and impactful ways. Will be fun to watch. It will be good to have TE Robert Tonyan back in the mix particularly in the red zone. The new receivers, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, as well as veterans Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins, will also have to have an impact early and often. During this first quarter of the season, but especially down its stretch later in the season, the defensive unit will be called upon to limit the points put up by opponents until the offense finds its footing. And special teams? Can't be worse than last season. Even a modicum of improvement there will help. So, it would seem if the Pack could come out of these first four games 2-2 it would be satisfactory. Not great, but OK, setting the stage for better things moving down the road.
2nd Quarter of the Season
Week 5: Giants - Sun 10/9 - 8:30 AM CDT (technically the home team atTottenham Hotspur Stadium, London)
Week 6: Jets - Sun 10/16 · 12:00 PM CDT
Week 7: @ Washington - Sun 10/23 · 12:00 PM CDT
Week 8: @ Bills - Sun 10/30 · 7:20 PM CDT
This quarter of the season starts with the Pack's first international game in London against the Giants, in which the Packers will be technically the home team. There will be a large contingent of European Packers fans on hand. If the team can handle the jet lag, they should be able to come away with the win there. In looking at the other teams in this quarter, the Bills are the team to worry about, as they showed in their season opener by man-handling the Super Bowl champion LA Rams in LA. Some pundits are projecting a possible Packers-Bills Super Bowl match-up. Long way to go before we get there. But, on a whole, the Packers should come out of these four games with a 3-1 record.
3rd Quarter of the Season
Week 9: @ Lions - Sun 11/6 - 12 PM CDT
Week 10: Cowboys - Sun 11/13 · 3:25 PM CDT
Week 11: Titans - Thursday Night Game - Thurs 11/17 · 7:15 PM CDT
Week 12: @ Eagles - Sun 11/27 · Sunday Night Game - 7:20 PM CDT
The first game of this quarter of the season sees the Packers play the third of three consecutive away games. Oy. Fortunately, it's against the Lions, albeit in Detroit. To be fair, the Lions might be an improved team over what we have come to know over so many years of futility. By roughly the mid-point in the season, we'll have a good idea of who they are. The Cowboys, Titans and Eagles round out these four games. Given the three straight roads trips and the opponents, we can see the Pack going 2-2 in this stretch.
4th Quarter of the Season (+1)
Week 13: @ Da Bearz - Sun 12/4 - 12 PM CDT
Week 14: BYE - Sun 12/11
Week 15: Rams - Sun 12/19 - Monday Night Game - 7:15 PM CDT
Week 16: @ Dolphins - Christmas Day Game - Thurs 12/25 - 12 PM CDT
Week 17: Vikings - New Year's Day Game - Sun 1/1/23 - 3:25 PM CDT
Week 18: Lions - Sun 1/8 - 12 PM CDT
The bye week comes in Week 14. Not ideal, but hopefully can get guys rested a bit for the final stretch of four games, three of which are at Lambeau Field. If the Pack is healthy, here's where the stretch run to the playoffs and Super Bowl gains steam. Given the opponents and being able to finish at home, we see the Packers going 3-2 over this span of games, including the bye.
