Can the Green Bay Packers avoid another Week 1 letdown like last season?

Last year's first game feels so long ago, especially with how the season turned out, An embarrassing 38-3 loss to the Saints was not the way to start the season. Everyone looked bad but the offense looked particularly bad. Rodgers threw two interceptions which is very uncharacteristic for him. The running game was non existent though being down early meant turning to the passing game. The defense was put in tough positions and couldn’t get any big stops. The hope is that this kind of letdown does not happen this season.

What worries me is how similar the preseason has felt in terms of starters playing. I get it. The last thing you want is one of your star players getting injured in game that doesn’t matter. However, game reps are different than practice reps. Even veterans sometimes need some time to get back into the rhythm of the game. Last year, Week 1 of the regular season looked like the Packers needed a game to get back into a rhythm. Losing to a team like the Saints is one thing. Losing to the Vikings Week 1 puts the team a step behind in the division--not to mention the chatter that will come from Vikings fans disparaging Rodgers for no longer having the same magic without All-Pro receiver Davante Adams. The similarities between this year and last year are pause for concern. 

The huge difference is the lack of drama this offseason. Yes, this offseason has had storylines. But those headlines do not compare to last season. The Aaron Rodgers saga was a dark cloud that hung over the Packers team for the whole summer and spilled over into the season. While players will tell you they could ignore it, it is unlikely that it didn’t affect something in the preparation for the season. Rodgers has been very complementary of the team this year and training camp has had a lot of positives come out of it. Also, with last year’s week 1 dud, you better bet LaFleur and his staff are doing a better job preparing for week 1.

I expect the Packers to do better than last year in Week 1. However, it is important to remember that even with the Week 1 dud, the Packers still went 13-3 and got the number 1 seed in the NFC. The hope is that the Packers can avoid a Week 1 letdown and start the 2022 season off right.