My preferred schedule & Packers’ preferred results

fpadmin | 04/21/2014

NFL schedule due out this week; Green Bay faces impressive foes
By CHRIS HAVEL
The much-anticipated NFL schedule is expected to be released later this week. The avalanche of events it triggers throughout the league – and especially in Green Bay – seems endless. While fans rush to Event USA to take care of the off-the-field accommodations, I will handle the on-the-field aspect.
Here is my preferred schedule, and the Packers’ preferred results:

Monday Night, Sept. 8: Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field

The Packers’ defense might as well see where it rates against one the NFC North’s best offense south of Green Bay. It would mark the return of Julius Peppers against his former teammates. Now, wearing No. 56 and lining up opposite Clay Matthews, Peppers might be able to get reacquainted with Jay Cutler in a hurry. This would be the first of the NFL’s annual twin NFL Monday Night Games to open the season.

Sunday, Sept 14: Packers at Buffalo

The Bills aren’t very good, and come at a time when Green Bay will be fine-tuning the defense. If the Packers must go to Orchard Park, it might as well be coming off a short week and a tussle with the Bears.

Sunday, Sept. 21: Packers at Seattle

Better sooner than later especially against a team coming off a resounding Super Bowl victory. The Seahawks’ defense is good, but it hasn’t tried to stop Aaron Rodgers/Eddie Lacy yet.

Sunday, Sept. 28: Detroit at Lambeau Field

This is a difficult two-game stretch, but the Packers have owned the Lions in Wisconsin and that should continue.

Sunday, Oct. 5: New York Jets at Lambeau Field

If things go well, or as planned, the Packers could roll into the bye week with a 4-1 win-loss record.

Sunday, Oct. 12: BYE

Notes – Too early? I don’t think so.

Sunday, Oct. 19: Packers at New Orleans

The Saints are going to be very good, but Packers’ coach Mike McCarthy happens to be even better out of the bye week.

Sunday night, Oct. 26: Carolina at Lambeau Field

This will be a much-anticipated match-up between two of the NFC’s top teams. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton should be healthy after off-season surgery, and Rodgers should be coming off a big game in The Big Easy.

Sunday, Nov. 2: Packers at Miami

True, it’s a bit early for a second bye week, but if you must travel to Miami it’s apt to be cooler in November than September.

Monday, Nov. 10: Philadelphia at Lambeau Field

The Eagles’ LeSean McCoy tore up the Packers a year ago. This time, armed with Rodgers, Green Bay aims for redemption. This will be a significant mid-to-late season test for the Packers’ defense. Will it be much-improved under coordinator Dom Capers? How will Peppers fit? Does Matthews’ thumb, et al, stay healthy enough for him to be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate?

Sunday, Nov. 16: Packers at Tampa Bay

The Bucs are going to be better than many NFL “experts” think. They just aren’t going to be better than Green Bay. This should be the week Lacy begins to threaten 1,000-yards rushing, and Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb really make it difficult to know which receiver to resign.

Sunday, Nov. 23: Minnesota at Lambeau Field

Wouldn’t it be great if this were the game the Packers and Brett Favre publicly kissed and made up? It would be affirmation that Favre is no longer and only briefly played quarterback for the Vikings.

Thursday, Nov. 27: Packers at Detroit

Playing the Lions in Detroit is never a picnic anyway, so the Packers might as well take care of business on Thanksgiving Day.

Sunday, Dec. 7: Atlanta at Lambeau Field

Notes – It is better to play the Falcons later in the season. Receiver Julio Jones hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and quarterback Matt Ryan has managed to do little except put head coach Mike Smith’s job on the line.

Sunday night, Dec. 14: New England at Lambeau Field

The later, the better, when it comes to playing the Patriots. New England’s Tom Brady and the Packers’ Rodgers might go a long way toward deciding the question, “So which one is the NFL’s MVP?”

Sunday, Dec. 21: Packers at Minnesota

The Packers will be playing outside at Gophers Stadium and Rodgers is great with playing outdoors, so it’s probably a good division tune-up for the regular-season finale.

Sunday, Dec. 28: Packers at Chicago

I like the symmetry. The Packers open by unleashing Peppers on his former team, and close by watching Lacy dance on the Bears’ defense at Soldier Field.

SUMMARY:

Packers finish 12-4 to win the NFC North.

Chris Havel is a national best-selling author and his latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ MVP Parties the evening before home games.

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Kudos to Amy for making sure that the tickets to the tailgate party were waiting for me at the reception desk! Your personal phone call and text messages went above and beyond customer satisfaction! I can't wait for the 2024 season, rest assured that my go-to Packer's game supplier will be Event USA for a long time.
"

-Jean-Pierre Mallette, Montréal, Canada

"Thank you so much Cathy, greatly appreciate your help. As always, EventUSA has been awesome to deal with in booking the Lodge Kohler package for the Tampa Bay Game, particularly for me traveling from Sydney, Australia, it takes the stress out of the booking process. "

-Kayle

"Good Morning, Nicole - Everything you did turned out great. The seats were great. Access to the air conditioned club lounge was great. Lots of Packers fans in the club lounge and overall at the stadium. The tailgate party at the fancy restaurant in the hotel was fabulous. The servers just kept on bringing out different sliders and desserts. Good thing that I got in a 30-minute run along the river in the morning. So, thank you! You may be speaking with me in November if I can work out getting up to Green Bay for a game. It's been too long since my last time. One of the best aspects of this weekend was interacting with so many people from Wisconsin and learning their personal stories of things Packers. And we even met a couple from St. Petersburg, Florida (my home county) and were able to tell them about the Varsity Club tavern and Packers bar in Clearwater where Mark Murphy's mother is in attendance -- very nice lady whose retirement home is in Clearwater, which borders my little city of Dunedin. Pre-COVID, I always went to the Varsity when the Packers games weren't televised locally -- lots of Wisconsin natives there, too + they serve brats and sauerkraut during Packers games. I'm glad that you are working for Event USA. "

-- Martin Lawyer, Dunedin, Florida

"Dennis - I was blessed to join Amy and some of your customers at the Morton's tailgate as well as after the game. She does an amazing job for you. Every single customer I met praised Event USA for being able to arrange the hotel and tickets and fabulous tailgate party in such a quick time. Having been to some great tour tailgate parties in Jacksonville and Kansas City and old San Francisco, a lot can be said of the long-term benefit of having really great tailgate parties. Morton's was probably one of the best - amazing food, patio sitting on the riverfront, walk to stadium, open bar!!! It was first class fun!!!"

-Matt

"Hi Amy- Just wanted to say thank you for making Jacksonville happen! We had a wonderful time and looking forward to more Packers games with Event USA in the future! Even though the game was not what we expected- we are packers fans for life-lol! Go pack go!!"

-Julie Mastrianni

"I want to thank Event USA and in particular Amy Flores for the Jacksonville trip. We have used you before and always were very pleased with the packages you have set up and your service. My son who lives in Charleston, SC and myself who lives in Minnesota, decided we needed to do a guys trip and decided to go through your company to see the opener in New Orleans. I initially called and talked with Amy about some questions I had and booked our trip. After itinerary and info was emailed to us, it soon became apparent that the trip to New Orleans wouldn’t happen. In steps Amy, wondering if we would be interested in Dallas if the game was moved there and a package was set up. Then finally the move to Jacksonville and continued communication from Amy on our interest. It was getting late at that point and I was wondering if she would be able to pull off setting up a package in Jacksonville. She did it. We went to Jacksonville and had a great time. The accommodations and the tail gate were fabulous. If only the Packer team we were hoping for had made the trip. Thank you Event USA and in particular Amy Flores."

-Tom Sohrweide, White Bear Lake, MN

"Thank you for all your help. I had a great time at the Packer-Raider game opening day. I have already begun telling interested Packer fans in Sacramento about your service. The next time I come to Green Bay for a game, I’ll be sure to ask for your help. God bless you and God bless the Green Bay Packers."

-Frank Chavez, Sacramento

"I just wanted to say that I had such a great time. The whole weekend was so much fun. I enjoyed the Player Autograph Party and the tailgate party was just the best. After coming from a country that loves soccer, it was nice to mix with people who have the same interests as me. Thank you once again, Green Bay is one very special place."

-Beverley Moore, Lancaster

"My accommodations at the Best Western Midway were excellent. I was picked up at the airport and returned promptly. No problems at all. Your representative at the hotel on game day was very pleasant and helpful. The tailgate party was super, great food, great drinks and lots of fun. Obviously, Lambeau Field and the game itself was great. I will continue to use Event USA in the future, and I will definitely tell anyone who I come across to give you a call. One last thing, the hospitality I experienced in Green Bay was incredible. I have traveled to many places, and I don’t think there are more friendly people than the people of Green Bay. Thank you again and see you next year!"

-David Anastas, Worchester

"My wife and I booked the tour to Tampa. The trip was so well organized from start to finish. It started with the people in the office with their friendly help over the phone, to receiving the tickets in the mail, and meeting the tour guides with their upbeat personalities. Signs guided us in the airport and information was posted in our motel lobbies to keep us posted. Your people had everything in order. Talk about organization, you had it. Event USA made this a most memorable trip. Thanks for all involved."

-Dick Koerner, Neenah

"I wish to convey my sincere thanks and gratitude for providing my husband and I with, what he refers to as the greatest experience of my life, apart from my wedding day."

-Lara and Matt Appleton, Thornhill, Ontario

"Thanks for all your help, the great tickets and service, and the chance to help me make one of my son’s dreams come true, seeing the Packers playing at home in Lambeau Field."

-Sam Jones, Sedalia

"I just want to thank you for the wonderful job your staff did last weekend for the Packers vs. Lions game. This was our first time utilizing your program and we were not disappointed at all. In fact, we can’t wait to schedule and event for next season’s games. From my first experience with your staff placing my order until the very end at checkout of the hotel, everything was perfect. You truly out-do yourselves to please everyone. Thanks again for making our stay in Green Bay one of the best."

-Kim Ewing and Bruce DeMaine, Ann Arbor

"Thanks so much for the best weekend ever! You not only got us in all the Magazines, TV, WWW pages and even the big screen at Lambeau Field, but Disney World on the side? Nice job – You and your family are top notch – we were on the best tour for the Super Bowl! Seeing the Green Bay Packers win back the Lombardi Trophy was a life long dream of this Packer fan, and you all were so dedicated to the job of taking care of us that, like the Packers, we were a winning team! Keep me on your list."

-William D Lorge, Representative to the Wisconsin State Assembly