It's not about who you play but when you play them, as they say.
While the Packers' schedule arrived back in April, a summer full of personnel moves and camp position battles gives us new visibility into the level of hype behind each of the 17 regular season games. Let's preview five of the most anticipated games on the schedule.
5. Week 12 vs. Los Angeles Rams: Late in the regular season, the Packers host a familiar face in Matthew Stafford - this time as a Los Angeles Ram. The Rams, however, will be without running back Cam Akers, after the second-year back torn his achilles in July. However, playing in the supremely-competitive NFC West division, expect the Rams to be hungry for a Week 12 win that retains or gains hold of the division lead with six weeks left in the regular season.
4. Week 6 at Chicago Bears: Not facing the Bears until mid-October gives the fickle Matt Nagy plenty of time to punt on the Red Rifle and pre-maturely start the Justin Fields era. Historically inept against mobile quarterbacks, however, the Packers defense will need to take advantage of veteran D-coordinator Joe Barry's lengthy experience in the NFL to handle the versatile rookie.
3. Week 8 at Arizona Cardinals: Green Bay hasn't won in Arizona since a meaningless Week 17 game in 2009 - Rodgers' lone victory there during his 16-year career. The Thursday night before Halloween may be one of the scariest games on the calendar due traveling to the desert on a short week, facing a significantly-improved Cardinals defense and having to go to Kansas City the week after.
2. Week 3 at San Francisco 49ers: No team has more damage to the Packers throughout the Aaron Rodgers era than his childhood favorite team. The victims of a Super Bowl hangover and unfathomable health issues in 2020, the 49ers will be ready to compete early on in 2021. Throw in the fact that the Packers are 1-4 playing in California since 2015 and you can plan for close one on Sunday Night Football.
1. Week 9 at Kansas City Chiefs: Finally, 2020 NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers takes on 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes - what every NFL fan has been yearning for. Might this be a preview of Super Bowl LVI? Prepare for offensive fireworks as the two NFL teams with the most loaded set of skill position players tee off at Arrowhead.
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