8 Big Takeaways from the Green Bay Packers 2022 Schedule

For a few months now, we knew who the Green Bay Packers were playing and where, but now we know what the official schedule looks like for the 2022 season.

The lead-up to the schedule being released can certainly be overblown, especially with all of the leaks and rumors that happen beforehand. However, how the schedule lays out for a team can certainly impact their season.

Are there any particularly difficult stretches? Are there any long road trips? When is the bye week? How much additional rest will the Packers have compared to their opponents?

These are all factors to consider when looking at the schedule, and over the course of a season, they can carry some weight heading into a matchup–even affecting the win-loss column.

Two of the defending characteristics of this year’s schedule for the Green Bay Packers are travel and rest–or a lack thereof. I dive into that along with several other takeaways that I have from the Packers 2022 schedule.

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On the road again

The Green Bay Packers head to London for a Week 5 matchup with the New York Giants, which begins a fairly long stretch where they spend little time at Lambeau Field. I’m sure, like many of you, I thought that the Packers’ bye week would come following their trip across the pond, but apparently, teams are able to choose whether or not they want to take their bye week then–and Green Bay would decline.

So the Packers have a quick turnaround following their game in London against the Giants with a home game the following week against the New York Jets. They then go on the road for three straight weeks, taking on Washington, Buffalo, and Detroit.

Green Bay then has two consecutive weeks at home against Dallas and Tennessee — a Thursday Night game — before back-to-back road games in Philadelphia and Chicago. This stretch of games from Weeks 5 through 13 includes six road games to just three home games, a trip to London, a three-game road trip, as well as consecutive weeks on the road just a few weeks later.

"“I think there is a stretch in there where we’re maybe away five out of seven games, and that’s a tough stretch of away games,” said Brian Gutekunst via Packers.com. “But at the same time, hopefully, the season is going to be one of those seasons where our guys kind of bond together as we go through it because obviously, the ultimate goal is getting to that kind of second season, the playoffs.”"

Ending the season at home

With all of these road games during the middle portion of the schedule, there was going to be a time where Green Bay spent more time at home than on the road as a way to balance things out. This stretch of home games will occur during the end of the season, with three of the Packers’ final four games taking place at Lambeau Field in either December or January.

Their home opponents will be the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota, and Detroit. Their one road game comes on Christmas Day in Miami, Florida, a state where the Packers have struggled in the past, although relatively speaking, the weather will be cooler than if it were early September.

"“I mean, obviously, getting teams in Lambeau Field in front of our fans is such a distinct advantage for us, specifically at that time of the year,” said Gutey. “We’re excited about that. I think, hopefully, we got a lot to play for during that time and that’ll help us accomplish a lot of the goals we’re set out to accomplish.”"

More rest for the opponent

As Andy Herman of Packer Report would point out, there are several games on the Green Bay Packers schedule where they will be at a rest disadvantage.

Washington will have extra rest before the two teams meet as they will be coming off a Thursday Night game. The Bills and Cowboys will both be coming off their bye weeks before they play Green Bay. While Miami and Minnesota in Week 17 will each have an extra day of rest.

In fact, according to Tim Bliss, a data scientist for the NFL, when it comes to rest this season, the Packers will be the most disadvantaged team based on their schedule.

Home for Thursday Night

One game where the Green Bay Packers will have the rest advantage is during their Thursday Night matchup with Tennessee, which will be played at Lambeau Field. On a very short week for both teams, the team that has to travel is at a distinct disadvantage. According to the Action Network, over the last three seasons, the home favorite — which I imagine the Packers will be — has a win percentage of 62.1% against the spread and are 19-3 straight up.

5 Primetime games for the Green Bay Packers

No surprise, but once again, the Packers are going to be featured heavily in primetime games–although only one of them will come on Monday Night, which takes place in Week 15 against the Rams.

Green Bay will also face the Bears on Sunday Night in Week 2, which will be the 17th consecutive season that these two have met in primetime, along with playing Buffalo and Philadelphia on Sunday Night as well. The other game under the lights is the aforementioned Thursday Night matchup with the Titans.

A late bye week

We know that the Green Bay Packers prefer a late bye week compared to an early one, which is likely a big reason why they chose not to have their bye week following their trip to London. But Week 14 is an awfully long time to wait for some time off and is the latest bye week in team history, according to Packers.com.

If you remember last season, getting to the Week 13 bye week as Green Bay dealt with numerous injuries felt like quite the endeavor. And now they will be tasked with waiting an additional week while also having to deal with a daunting road schedule through the middle-ish portion of the season.

"“I think as we went through that when we found out we were going to play in London and it was going to be early in the season, having that bye so early was not something that appealed to us,” said Gutekunst. “So we certainly–we don’t have a lot of control over it, but we certainly thought we would request that the bye be later and hopefully have a home game right after the London game.”“I do kind of like how the end of the schedule lines up for us. Not only have the bye week, but there’s a Thursday game in there that would give us a little extra time following it. And then the three home game, and then the last four.”"

Hostile road environments early on

Two of the Green Bay Packers’ first three games in 2022 will come on the road against Minnesota and Tampa Bay, in games that are also the home opener for each team. The Packers are just 1-4 in their last five trips to Minnesota, and as already mentioned, they’ve had their struggles in the state of Florida during Aaron Rodgers’ career. With these being home openers, you can bet that the crowds are going to be very loud as well.

Packers have the 11th easiest schedule on paper

According to the NFL, the Packers have the 11th easiest schedule based on their opponent’s 2021 win percentage. Now, this is obviously based on last year’s results, which can be misleading–just look at the 2020 and 2021 Cincinnati Bengals.

When you factor in that Green Bay has a first-place schedule, they will play seven playoff teams from 2021, along with the short-rest and long stretches of road games; this schedule certainly doesn’t feel like the 11th easiest.

With that said, the Packers do have the MVP under center, an improved offensive line when healthy, potentially the best running back duo in football, and what could be a top defense. So don’t be mistaken, they’ll win plenty of games.