The regular season of the NFL is just around the corner. As always, there are some games Packers fans look forward to more than others. Whether it’s because they’re rival, fight for the top spot, two players who have always been compared, or just a great matchup in general, there are many reasons to be excited for a game. Here is a list of the eight regular season games I think have the most hype from least hype to most hype.
8. Week 2 vs. Chicago Bears
It’s always a fun game whenever a team plays against their rivals. The Packers and Bears are no exception. These two teams have a hate for each other that rivals any other rivalry in the league. It goes back to the beginning of the NFL. That’s a century of hated rivalry. According to McQuade Arnold’s article, a former Bear is already talking a bit of smack about the Packers receivers. This game would be a chance for them to prove him wrong by flying past Bears defenders and racking up the yards and touchdowns. A cherry on top, it will be Sunday Night Football. Will Rodgers still own the Bears?
7. Week 1 @ Minnesota Vikings
Once again, a rivalry makes the list. Not surprising since rivalries always add some sizzle to the games. This one is more than just the rivalry though. This game is the first game of the season. Every football fan of any football team has endured all offseason, especially the dreaded June and July of absolutely no football at all, just waiting for this day to come. Once September 11 comes around, the wait shall finally be over. Football season is back and back with a bang against a rival. Russell S. Baxter already made a bold prediction about this game in his post. We’ll see if he ends up being correct.
6. Week 18 vs. Detroit Lions
Three rivals in a row. Wow. This one, instead of being the first game of the season, will be the final game of the regular season. If the Lions actually turn out to be a good team, this game could have some major ramifications. I don’t think they will be battling the Packers for the top spot on the NFC North, but they may be battling for a wild card spot. All of Packers fans would love to see them shut the door on the Lions playoff hopes. The only reason this game isn’t higher is because the Lions might not even be in the playoff race and this will be just another rivalry game. Also, the Packers could already clinch the top spot and could start backups as to not injure their players. Hoping for the scenario with the playoff pressure though.
5. Week 10 vs. Dallas Cowboys
With the way Cowboys fans are to other fans, everyone loves to beat the Cowboys. With the Packers, it’s even more so. Since I first started watching football back in 2007, there has seemed to be some sort of unspoken rivalry between the Packers and the Cowboys. There was literally a five or six year span where they played each other each year. To add to this unspoken rivalry, it will be Rodgers going against Prescott. Time for Prescott to prove he can hang with the big boys. My final not is that the Cowboys could be fighting for the top spot for their division while the Packers could be fighting for the top spot in the NFC. That means both teams could be desperate for this win.
4. Week 17 vs. Minnesota Vikings
I know what you’re thinking. “Didn’t we already go over the Vikings?” Yes we did, but we face them twice and for me, both games have a lot of hype. This one is similar to the section about the Lions. It is two weeks before the playoffs and the Vikings could be fighting for a wild card spot. The Packers could be fighting for the top spot. Both teams will have extra motivation to win. That should make this game a thriller. This game would be higher if the chance of the Vikings struggling in year one under first year head coach Kevin O’Connell. That would mean this is just another rivalry game. Really hoping for the playoff pressure in this one too.
3. Week 15 vs. Los Angeles Rams
The top three games really do have so much hype and it was difficult to rank them in order. I will be excited to watch all of them. This one just had slightly less hype than the other two. Do I really need to explain the hype for this one? I mean, it’s the Super Bowl Champs! How is it not number one right? Not only that but these two will probably be fighting for the number one spot in the playoffs for the round one bye. To top it all off, it is going to be on Monday Night Football. Oh so much hype. This is going to be a great game to watch and a possible preview of the NFC Championship.
2. Week 3 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This game has so much hype, but it also has revenge. That’s right, this is a revenge game for the packers. In 2020, the Packers were one game away from reaching the Super Bowl. Who was it that beat them in the NFC Championship. The eventual Super Bowl winners of that year, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I know, it’s regular season, but I’m sure Rodgers wants to get back at them and this is where to do it. The Bucs also beat the Packers in the regular season that year. The Packers could have the chance to beat them here and then again in the playoffs, thus gaining the ultimate revenge. To add to that, it would be Rodgers and Brady possibly for the final time, though you never know with these two age defying QBs. This should be a great game.
1. Week 8 @ Buffalo Bills
This is it. The game I think has the most hype of them all. The Bills against the Packers, both highly thought to be Super Bowl favorites. These are two power houses who are going to dominate most other teams. We’ll get to see how they do against each other. These are the creme of the crop. Goku against Vegeta. Iron Man against Captain America. Optomus Prime against Megatron. Okay, I’m done geeking out. Still, this is the game that I will be looking forward to the most. Rodgers versus Allen. Their defense and our defense. Two of the best teams in the whole NFL. My final note: this is a potential preview of the Super Bowl. It is very possible for these two to go to the Super Bowl this year for a rematch of this game. This is the kind of stuff football fanatics live for.
These were the games I believe have the most hype of them all. Hope you all enjoyed and are as hyped as I am.
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