Packers 2021 schedule: Daunting five-game stretch at midseason
When looking at the Green Bay Packers‘ opening seven games, there are some tough challenges on the schedule but overall, it looks OK.
The game at San Francisco looks to be the hardest but matchups with New Orleans and Pittsburgh might not be as difficult as they appear on paper. Drew Brees is no longer QB for the Saints, while the Steelers’ late-season form showed a serious decline in 2020.
The Packers will need to get off to a good start because a daunting five-game stretch awaits them, starting in Week 8 and ending in Week 13, just before their bye.
Challenging five-game stretch awaits Packers
Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Matthew Stafford are among the QBs on the schedule in these weeks.
Three of the five games are also on the road, starting in Week 8 with the Packers taking on the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
The Cardinals missed out on the playoffs last year but took a big step forward. They’ve since been aggressive in free agency, signing J.J. Watt, Malcolm Butler, Rodney Hudson, James Conner, and A.J. Green.
An excellent offense led by Murray and featuring All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, along with an improved defense, make the Cardinals a tough challenge in the NFC this year. To make matters worse, the Packers will make the trip on a short week as it’s played on Thursday Night Football.
A mini-bye will follow and the team will need every extra day of preparation they can get as up next are the Kansas City Chiefs. Super Bowl champs and runners-up in the past two seasons, the Chiefs are among the favorites to win another championship in 2021.
Green Bay does return to Lambeau the following week, but will meet one of its biggest rivals of the past decade as the Seattle Seahawks come to town. You can always guarantee a hard-fought game between these two teams, both consistently among the best the NFC has to offer.
In Week 12, the Packers are back on the road at U.S. Bank Stadium in a key divisional showdown with the Minnesota Vikings. These games are always tough. Mike Zimmer’s team will be looking to bounce back, and the return of fans will certainly help.
To close out this five-game run, we get a playoff rematch at Lambeau Field as Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams visit. The Packers won the divisional-round meeting last January, but the Rams now have Matthew Stafford at QB.
Combined, these five teams went 51-29 last season.
It’s fair to say the Packers will need their Week 13 bye after this incredibly tough run of games.