NFL opener, holiday games highlight Packers' 2011 schedule

An opening-night showdown against Drew Brees and the Saints and games on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day highlight the Packers’ 2011 schedule, which was officially released Tuesday evening.

The defending Super Bowl champions will launch the 2011 season against the 2009 Super Bowl champion Saints on Thursday evening, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m. CT — the first of four primetime, nationally televised games for the Packers. The other night games will take place at Atlanta on Oct. 9, vs. Minnesota on Nov. 14 and vs. the archrival Bears on Christmas night.

The season opener against the Saints will be the first of three games against NFC South opponents in the first five games. Green Bay will battle the Panthers in Week Two at Carolina and the Falcons in Atlanta in Week Five.

For the second straight season, the Packers will travel to Soldier Field in Week Three to take on the Bears in a rematch of last season’s NFC title game.

The Packers will be the first NFL team to play on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day in the same season, with all three games coming against divisional foes.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is making a concerted effort to not get carried away over all of his team’s primetime, holiday and late-afternoon games (five 3:15 p.m. contests) this coming season.

“To me, this is a lot like paper champions,” McCarthy said. “I think that is a bad mindset to fall into. Anytime I think things look really good on paper for our football team, I take a step back because that is not how you win games.

“It’s still about getting better each day and keeping your finger on the pulse of the team because things change. If there ever was a season to illustrate that more than ever, it was our team last year.”

Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/04/20/nfl-opener-holiday-games-highlight-packers-2011-sc

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