The NFL season is coming up even with COVID-19 rearranging the sports world. Tentatively, the NFL is set to kick off as regularly scheduled but with no fans in attendance this year. Similar to last year, here is a season preview for the 2020 Green Bay Packers.
Season Preview for the 2020 Green Bay Packers
Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings
The Green Bay Packers kick off the regular season against their NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings. This is a tough game to start the season with but I do feel the Vikings got worse in the off-season. A lot of their exceptional defensive players left in free agency like Everson Griffen and Xavier Rhodes and they traded star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills. However, the Vikings did draft wide receiver Justin Jefferson to replace Diggs but I don’t see him making as big of an impact as everyone thinks and I still do not trust Kirk Cousins in primetime games or rivalry games. Green Bay also wasn’t fully healthy at the end of last season and still handled Minnesota easily by running all over the field with Aaron Jones. I see Green Bay winning this game by 10 or 14 points.
Week 2: vs Detroit Lions
The first home game for the Packers will be against another NFC North foe, the Detroit Lions. Detroit has been a bottom feeder in the NFL for the past four or five years and I really don’t see them making a big jump this year in a loaded NFC. However, with Matt Stafford healthy and a defense coming together, they could disrupt a few playoff hopefuls but they are a good three years away from being legitimate contenders. They also can never seem to win in Green Bay. I see the Packers winning this one by at least 14 points.
Week 3: at New Orleans Saints (Sunday Night Football)
The first real test for the Packers comes in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints. This year, New Orleans will be one of the powerhouses of the NFC, especially after adding wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency. I think New Orleans is too much of an offensive juggernaut that Green Bay will be overwhelmed and they don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Saints. The Packers will lose this game by seven or 10 points.
Week 4: vs Atlanta Falcons (Monday Night Football)
In Week 4, the Packers face the Atlanta Falcons. This is one of the hardest teams to predict as they struggled mightily last year due to most of their defense being lost to season-ending injuries and then losing star tight end Austin Hooper in free agency this off-season. However, they did add running back Todd Gurley to bolster the run game, but questions still surface about Gurley’s knee issue. I think the deciding factor here is playing in Green Bay and the Packers didn’t lose any major pieces in free agency. I see Green Bay winning this game by three or seven points.
Week 5: Bye Week
Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Packers in Week 5 head to Tampa Bay to take on the noisiest team from the off-season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, having acquired quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, look like an offensive nightmare on paper. However, I fear that’s all they are. Both Brady and Gronkowski are shells of their former selves but still capable of some decent production. But, the Buccaneers offense is made for throwing the ball deep and I just don’t think Brady has the arm to do that anymore. Also, with it being early in the season, the Buccaneers will still be working the kinks out. This will be an extremely neat matchup regardless as we get Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers once again. I see Green Bay winning this game by three or seven points.
Week 7: at Houston Texans
The Packers hit the road again in Week 7 to take on the Houston Texans. Houston had a questionable off-season by trading away one of the best and most reliable receivers in the league in DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. Deshaun Watson will have nobody to throw to and the Texans secondary is one of the worst in the league which should make Aaron Rodgers smile from ear to ear. The Texans look like a team primed for regression this season. The Packers will win this game by at least 14 points.
Week 8: vs Minnesota Vikings
In Week 8, the Vikings make their return trip to Green Bay. The Vikings will be the team in the NFC North to contend with the Packers but I still see Green Bay as the class of the NFC North. Not to mention that playing in Green Bay in November through January is one of the toughest places to play. I see Green Bay winning this game by 10 points.
Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers (Thursday Night Football)
On a short week, the Packers travel to the West Coast to take on the reigning NFC Champions, the San Francisco 49ers. This is the toughest game of the season and the scheduling did the Packers no favors either. The Niners will run the ball heavily and Green Bay’s poor run defense will be exposed. I still see Rodgers keeping it close though. Green Bay will lose this game by 10 or 14 points.
Week 10: vs Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars come to town in Week 10 proving to be a favorable matchup for the Packers. A warm-weather team playing in the frigid cold of Wisconsin should give a boost of confidence to the Packers. The once-great “Sacksonville” defense of the Jaguars is completely depleted and Rodgers should be able to pick apart this inferior team. Green Bay will win this game by 21 points.
Week 11: at Indianapolis Colts
Green Bay travels to play the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11. This is the toughest game to predict as nobody has been able to get a read on how good the Colts will be this year. They added quarterback Philip Rivers in free agency but return a cast of impressive players from the year prior. I think with the Colts adding an extremely reliable quarterback in Rivers, the Colts will be a lot better than expected with T.Y. Hilton as their number one throwing option. The defense led by Darius Leonard will once again be a force and I see Green Bay really struggling to put points on the board this game. The Packers will lose this game by seven points.
Week 12: vs Chicago Bears
In Week 12, the Packers face their most historic rival in the Chicago Bears. But oh how the mighty have fallen. The “one year wonder” Chicago Bears have really taken a nosedive since their division crown in 2018. Mitchell Trubisky is not even close to being an elite quarterback and once the unbeatable defense has been figured out by most of the league and has fallen back to earth. The Bears did add quarterback Nick Foles in the off-season to provide some competition in camp so the quarterback race in Chicago should be interesting. But, the Packers still have their foot on the neck of the Bears and don’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. Rodgers always seems to have a bone to pick with Chicago and this year will be no different. The Packers will win this game by 14 points.
Week 13: vs Philadelphia Eagles
One of the most exciting matchups of the season will be when the Philadelphia Eagles come to Green Bay in Week 13. Carson Wentz is now fully healthy and the Eagles will have all their wide receivers fully healthy as well. Running back Miles Sanders will make a big leap from last year and the Eagles’ defense is one of the most proven in the league. I think the Packers’ lack of a true second star receiver will be exposed and they won’t be able to keep up with Philadelphia. The Eagles again have one of the most complete teams in the league. The Packers will lose this game by 10 points.
Week 14: at Detroit Lions
In Week 14, the Packers travel to play the Lions. I really don’t see this game being any different from the one earlier in the season. Detroit will struggle this year and the Packers always tend to close out divisional opponents late in the season. Green Bay wins this by 14 points.
Week 15: vs Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers come to Green Bay in Week 15. The Panthers got a new head coach in Matt Rhule and signed free-agent quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in the off-season. The Panthers will be a nightmare to deal with offensively as running back Christian McCaffrey will run all over Green Bay’s inferior run defense. However, the Panthers’ defense isn’t stellar, and playing in Green Bay in December could be the deciding factor. I see Rodgers outdueling Bridgewater and Rhule will be out of his element as a first-year NFL head coach. The Packers will win this game by three points.
Week 16: vs Tennessee Titans (Sunday Night Football)
The final home game of the season is in Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans. If Christian McCaffrey is going to run all over Green Bay, then Derrick Henry will absolutely obliterate Green Bay’s defense. If Henry is able to run all over the field, this game won’t even be close. Tennessee has a formidable defense and has weapons around quarterback Ryan Tannehill like A.J. Brown that they can also throw the ball deep. I think the Packers will lose this game by 14 points.
Week 17: at Chicago Bears
The final game of the season for the Packers is traveling to play the Chicago Bears. As stated earlier, Green Bay tends to take care of divisional opponents late in the season and this game will be no different. Rodgers should be able to air the ball out and throw all over the field. Multiple play-action calls will allow for this. Chicago won’t be able to keep up offensively. Green Bay will win this game by 14 points.
I have the Packers going 11-5 on the season preview, a slight regression from last season. Without trying to really find a great number two wide receiver in the off-season, that will really hurt them in key games and they won’t be able to keep up offensively with the top NFC teams. This will be an interesting season to watch and hopefully, football can happen if COVID-19 is somewhat under control.
