Rumors and leaks ahead of the NFL schedule release are well underway, and the Green Bay Packers' first game is now locked in.
The Packers will visit the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12 on Thanksgiving Eve, which is November 25. Yes, that means they will play in a primetime slot on a Wednesday night. Not only does it prove the NFL wants to fill up the calendar with games all over holiday weeks, but it also raises big scheduling questions for the Packers.
It's already a challenge for teams to play on Thursdays, creating scheduling issues and quick turnarounds. But a Wednesday night? What will this mean for the Packers the week prior?
Packers' Thanksgiving Eve game could hint at a Week 11 bye week, but the other scenarios are scarier
We know the Packers are locked into a Wednesday game. It's a big one, too. But what does it mean for Week 11?
There's no way Green Bay can play a Sunday game and then another on Wednesday. It could mean the Packers and the Rams get a bye in Week 11, giving them both extra time to recover and prepare. That's the best-case scenario. A Week 11 bye couldn't be better placed in the schedule, and they'd then get a mini-bye to follow the Thanksgiving Eve game.
But that's only one possible outcome. The other is the NFL putting the Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 11, or perhaps even a Saturday game. That's far less fun.
That would mean playing three games in an 11-day span. Let's say they play on Sunday in Week 9, which would be November 15. They'd then play again on either November 19 or 21, and again for the Thanksgiving Eve contest on November 25. That's an unfair and brutal run of games. Not to mention that trip to SoFi Stadium comes with the extra travel challenges.
Hopefully, it's a bye week for both teams. That's the fairest and most reasonable solution to make it work. But if the Packers and Rams have to play in Week 11, it will raise further questions about the need for a Thanksgiving Eve game and the additional stress it puts on the players.
Time will tell. For now, this announcement raises questions.
Add us as a preferred source on Google