It’ll be a crucible of national attention during a pivotal time in the season, and there’s never been anything quite like it in Packers history.
Two years ago, Green Bay played four night games during the stretch run, but it was four over the final seven contests as the Packers tried to salvage their season with a late run at a playoff spot.
The last one – a frustrating home loss to Detroit that turned out to be Aaron Rodgers’ last game as Packers QB – wasn’t scheduled for primetime but was plucked for it as a Week 18 spotlight game with Green Bay’s playoff fate at stake.
Which brings up another possibility for 2024 – if the Week 18 home matchup with the Bears gets chosen for primetime, the regular season will end with five night games over the final six. Mercy.
While that’s a boon for all the out-of-market Packers fans who will have no trouble watching their favorite team through much of the holiday season, it’s not exactly ideal for players’ sleep schedules, particularly when one of the night games requires a long flight home from the West Coast.
The positives? Two southern teams, Miami and New Orleans, playing late-season night games at Lambeau when it might be a tad chilly – though the last time the Packers hosted the Thanksgiving night game, in 2015, all it did was rain.
First appeared on www.packers.com