Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Calls Schedule ‘Unique’

AWAY EARLY, HOME LATE

Green Bay will play three of its first four games on the road, then close the year with four of five at home.

LaFleur was asked if that was a good trade off?

“Yeah, you’ve just got to take it one week at a time,” LaFleur said. “Certainly, I think it’s always important to start the season on a good note, but having four out of five at the end of the year, especially with the conditions that we get up here in Green Bay, could be a big advantage for us.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS?

Green Bay will travel to Chicago on Christmas Day.

The Bears won two of three from Green Bay last season, including a 31-27 win in the Wild Card game when Chicago rallied from a 21-3 halftime deficit and a 27-16 hole late in the game.

The NFL’s oldest rivalry was also amplified when Chicago coach Ben Johnson took shots at LaFleur throughout the year, and yelled, “F*** the Packers” after eliminating Green Bay in the playoffs.

“We’ve got to give them a good Christmas present,” LaFleur said of the Bears. “That’ll be an electric atmosphere, as it always is. Certainly, there’s a lot of games prior to that date but I’m sure it’ll be a meaningful game.”

STRANGE SCHEDULE

Because the Packers have seven national TV games (six in prime time, plus one on Christmas), there are five times during the season where they’ll go at least 10 days between games.

Green Bay currently has just six games that will start at noon on a Sunday.

“It’s probably the most unique schedule in regards to how many days you have off in between games that we’ve ever experienced,” LaFleur said.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com