AllGreenBayPackers.Com

Look how happy Ryan Pickett is about the Packers 2013 schedule being released.

The 2013 NFL schedule was released Thursday night and it included three Sunday night games and a Monday night game for the Green Bay Packers.

You can view the entire Packers 2013 schedule here. You can view the entire NFL 2013 schedule here.

Here’s everything else you need to know about the Packers 2013 schedule (or at least everything I could think of and lift from other people on Twitter):  Read more... (575 words + 1 image, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)

•  The Packers once again open the season against the 49ers, this time on the road. We’ll find out right away if Dom Capers has learned how to stop Colin Kaepernick and the read-option.
• Need an excuse to eat turkey for breakfast? The Packers play the Lions at 11:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving. I say stuff your face with food early, watch the game, then eat leftovers for dinner.
• Let’s hope the Packers injury luck is better than last season. Green Bay’s bye comes in week four. That’s early.
• We’ll find out a lot about the Packers right away. Their first three games are against 2012 playoff teams (@49ers, vs. Redskins and @Bengals).
• After those first three games, the Packers get a bye, play a non-playoff team (the Lions, who are barely an NFL team, let alone a playoff team) and get right back into the grind with a week six matchup against the Super Bowl champion Ravens.

---- Get AddToAny

The Packers are hoping Suh won’t get this close to Rodgers on Sunday

We’re back to the Detroit Lions already?  It seems like just three weeks ago I was breaking down the key matchups between these same Lions and the Green Bay Packers.  That’s because I was.  Due to the fate of the 2012 scheduling, the Green Bay Packers ended up with five divisional games in their final seven and didn’t see either the Lions nor the Vikings for the first time until week 11.  That means there will be a short time in between each matchup.  In the case of this rivalry, it was a mere 21 days.

With not many changes in the game’s key matchups, I’m going to drill down on the top three and spend more time on them.

Packers Offensive Line vs. Lions Defensive Line

No, not an earth shattering proclamation and yes, it’s a repeat from the first matchup.  But alas, it’s still a key in this game.  Since the last matchup, the Packers are dealing with yet more injuries on the line.  Starting guard/tackle T.J. Lang did not participate in practice on Wednesday and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy did not seem too optimistic with his progress early on this week.  I don’t expect Lang to play on Sunday which clears the path for rookie undrafted free agent Don Barclay to make his first NFL start at right tackle.  Read more... (1590 words + 3 images, estimated 6:22 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny

Around the NFC North in week 12

Well, I dropped the ball my friends.  My apologies to all for not getting this post up sooner and in light of today’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans.  I am feverishly writing this on Turkey Day and I won’t take a single bite until this is up for your reading pleasure.  With that, I want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving weekend!

This week brings a full slate of NFC North football starting with the Thanksgiving day matchup.  The Chicago Bears square off against the Minnesota Vikings for the first time this season and the Packers round off the weekend with the Sunday Night game at the New York football Giants.

Let’s look at the matchups a bit more closely and see what’s to come.

Houston Texans (10-1) at Detroit Lions (4-7)

Well, Houston pulled it out in another overtime thriller.  I could have tried to pass myself off as a prophet and claim that I knew the Lions would take the 9-1 Texans to the brink, but all it takes is a glance at my record in the prediction posts.  It’s clear that I don’t own a crystal ball.  Or at least an accurate one.  So on we go. . .

Minnesota Vikings (6-4) at Chicago Bears (7-3)

The big question in this game for the Bears is once again the health status of starting quarterback Jay Cutler.  Cutler has been cleared to practice in a limited capacity but still has not been cleared by an independent neurologist to resume full play.  Read more... (1300 words + 3 images, estimated 5:12 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny

Rodgers celebrates one of his 6 TD’s vs. the Texans

Earlier this week, I wrote about the Packers being at a turning point in their season.  The Pack turned in the right direction on Sunday night.  They answered the bell  with a convincing 42-24 win over the previously undefeated Houston Texans.  That it was a road win only  added emphasis to the fact that the Packers are still a very good team.

Are they a great team?  That remains to be seen but the possibility is very much there within the team’s grasp.  Everything the Packers needed to do in this game, they did.  Yes, they made some mistakes and suffered a number of injuries, but this is a team sport.   They showed in 2010 that if they play as a team, good things will happen.

This win puts the Packers back at .500.  When you consider that they have already faced the 49ers, Bears, Saints and Texans, that’s nothing to be ashamed of.  Added to that is the fact that they could easily be 5-1 and there should be a lot of reason for optimism in Green Bay.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy has shown a great ability to grab ahold of the team and keep the locker room tight.  While other teams may buckle under the pressure of losing close games or games they should have won, the Packers get back to work and fight.  Read more... (387 words + 3 images, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny