Packers vs Giants Moved

New York Giants quarterback

and Packers quarterback

will be greeting one another a bit earlier Nov. 17 as the Packers vs. Giants game has been moved off prime time and to the afternoon. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports photograph

The Green Bay Packers were supposed to play the New York Giants in New Jersey for the Sunday night game on Nov. 17 for the week 11 game.

It just so happens that the NFL has a rule that the Sunday night game starting week 11 can be changed if a bad match-up or much better match-up is available.

The NFL announced they are moving the Packers/Giants game to 4:25 p.m. Eastern start time and moving the Chiefs/Broncos to the prime time slot.

The Giants are on the bye this week sitting with a 2-6 record, so the best they could be when they face the Packers is 3-6. Meanwhile that same day Kansas City  8-0 plays Denver 7-1 – clearly a much better match-up of better teams since the Giants have not held up their end of the deal this year.

When Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and the rest of his team visit Green Bay, expect that game to be moved from prime time and rescheduled for Sunday afternoon. Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports photograph

The Packers are scheduled for a Sunday night game again on Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. Since Atlanta is playing as badly as the Giants and Seattle plays at San Francisco at 4:25 that day, look for the NFL to make that the prime time game and move the Packers to the afternoon as well.

Personally I am thrilled the Packers are playing fewer prime time games. I don’t know about you, but I much rather watch the Packers on Sunday afternoons. Much like the players, I have my Sunday routine all set up and when I have to sit around in the afternoon watching football only from a fantasy perspective, it is clearly not the same. We already had to suffer with this prime time game last week and this week.

This is also very good news for those of us Packers fans located in the Northeast. For those of us going to the game, an 8:35 local start time means the game would not be over until around midnight. By the time you get out of the parking lot and drive up you are not home until 2 a.m. at best. There is still more than 6,100 tickets available on Stub Hub alone and prices have been dropping since the Giants have not improved. There is a very large number of Packers fans located out here and I would expect that with the adjusted start time and prices dropping that you will see a very good Packers fan present in the stadium that afternoon.

From a football mentality standpoint I believe it helps Green Bay as well. Keeping the Packers off prime time brings less focus to them and will potentially continue to allow the Packers to fly under the radar.  I want the national media talking all about the Niners, Saints and Seahawks. I will be just fine going into the playoffs with the “experts” focusing on those three teams and not the Packers.

Make sure you check your calendar for Nov. 17 as you no longer have a Packers night game, but a late afternoon game.  Also if you live out here in the New York/New Jersey area, there is plenty of tickets available, so let’s make the Packers feel like they are at home.