Packers Daily Links: Green Bay Plays Five Prime-time Games in 2012

The Packers' 2012 schedule features three games on Sunday Night Football. That and more in today's Daily Links...

Now that the NFL's regular-season schedule was released on Tuesday, Packers fans can get ready for a lot of night-time viewing. "All told, the Packers received five prime-time games, as they received three games on Sunday Night Football on NBC: At Houston on Oct. 14; at the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants on Nov. 25; and at home against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 9," writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. The three games on Sunday night tie for a league high.

The opening stretch of games provides an interesting challenge for the Packers. "Once the season does begin, there's going to be a lot of football at Lambeau Field in a short amount of time," writes Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin. "That's because the Packers will play two games at home in five days. Starting its season Sunday, Sept. 9 in Green Bay against the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay will then host the division-rival Chicago Bears on Thursday, Sept. 13." It's the sixth time in seven seasons that the Packers will open at home. It's rather unusual that the Packers receive consecutive home games to open the season.

The Packers' schedule features a rare three-game road trip in 2012. "The Packers play at Indianapolis, Houston and St. Louis — their first three-game trek since losing at Pittsburgh, winning at the Giants and losing at Minnesota in November 1998," writes Bill Huber of Packer Report. "The Indianapolis game presumably will be against No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck." That's 15 years since their last three-game road stretch.

The Packers have a late bye week in 2012. "The Packers' bye week isn't until Week 10, which means if you count preseason games, they will have played 13 straight without a break," writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It ties 2010 for the latest the bye has come for the Packers." As Silverstein notes, the Packers play only one NFC North opponent before the bye.

One highlight on the schedule will be when the Packers face a former teammate. "The first road game doesn’t come until Monday night in Week 3 at Seattle, which is expected to pit former Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn against his old team," writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "When last seen on the field, Flynn threw for team records in yards (480) and touchdowns (six) in a Week 17 win against the Lions while McCarthy rested starter Aaron Rodgers." The Packers will have 10 days off to prepare for the Seahawks by virtue of playing Chicago on a Thursday the preceding game.

More schedule analysis comes from the Wisconsin State Journal, JSOnline, twice, the Packers official website and ESPN.com.

Comments from head coach Mike McCarthy on the schedule are provided at PackersNews.com and ESPNMilwaukee.com.

NFL Draft position analysis features tight ends at Fox Sports Wisconsin and wide receivers at ESPNMilwaukee.com.

A pre-draft position analysis of the Packers linebackers appears at PackersNews.com.

An article on the documentary film Last Day at Lambeau is posted at Madison.com.

A connection between the Packers and NFL Draft prospect Harrison Smith is made at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Quarterback Graham Harrell is featured in an article for the Packer Plus publication at JSOnline.

Former Packers cornerback Clarence Williams is profiles in a Packer Plus article.

Video: Fox 11 in Green Bay has more on the online class fans must take if ejected from Lambeau Field...

Brian Carriveau is a writer for Cheesehead TV. To contact Brian, email [email protected].

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