Green Bay Packers: 2021 schedule is brutal as NFL adds 17th game
With the NFL reportedly adding a 17th game for the 2021 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers’ opponents have been announced and is as tough as it gets.
The most important part of the 2020 season–the playoffs–is yet to be played, as the Green Bay Packers are hoping to lock up home-field advantage with a Week 17 victory over the Chicago Bears. However, both the Packers’ 2021 opponents and a bit of information about the NFL schedule dropped on Monday–and it looks like next year will be extremely tough for the Green and Gold.
First, it appears the NFL will be adding a 17th regular season game in 2021 according to an article from NFL.com. Although it wasn’t a formal announcement, the addition of another game means an 18-week season and a fifth interconference matchup (more on what this means for the Packers later). This is a way for the league to recoup some of the money they are losing this year in an attempt to prevent the 2021 salary cap from dropping as significantly.
Even without the addition of a 17th game, the 2021 schedule looks brutal for Green Bay. They play their normal divisional opponents–Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions–twice (once on the road and once on the home). The Bears could potentially make the playoffs this year and Minnesota will likely be much improved next season.
Their schedule outside of that is where it gets extremely difficult. At home, Green Bay is set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and the winner of the NFC East (which is yet to be decided). All of those teams are likely to make the postseason this year.
On the road, the Packers are set to take on the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints. Three of those teams are set to make the playoffs, with the 49ers likely to be much more dangerous and healthy in the form of their 2019 version that went to the Super Bowl.
For those keeping score at home, that’s eight of ten opponents who will make the 2020 playoffs plus the rejuvenated 49ers. If that’s not bad enough, the addition of the fifth interconference game means the Packers would square up with the Kansas City Chiefs–last year’s Super Bowl winner and the heavy favorites to repeat this season.
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To be fair, the Packers have gotten off fairly easy this year with their schedule so maybe this is just karma coming full circle. However, it looks like next year will be an absolute grind where the Packers have to fight tooth and nail every single week.