The Green Bay Packers have a notable built-in disadvantage to their schedule during the 2022 regular season: rest.
If all teams played on Sunday, there would be no rest differentials. All teams would be on an even playing field in terms of recovery week to week. But the NFL schedule is filled with quirks, bye weeks and primetime games on different days, so the idea of rest comes into play. In a game as physically and mentally demanding as football, rest is important. Coaches across the league talk about the importance of rest and prep every single week.
How does this work? Let’s say Team A and Team B play in Week 2. But in Week 1, Team A plays on Thursday night, and Team B plays on Sunday. Team A would then go into Week 2 with a three-day rest advantage – 10 days for Team A compared to just seven for Team B.
The Packers will be playing against better-rested teams for a big chunk of the 2022 season.
According to Seth Walder of ESPN, the Packers are -13 days in net rest differential relative to opponents, which ranks as the worst mark in the NFL for 2022.
The schedule is filled with disadvantages for the Packers.
– In Week 7, the Packers play the Commanders, who play on Thursday night in Week 6. (-3 days rest)
– In Week 8, the Packers play the Bills, who have a bye in Week 7. (-7 days rest)
– In Week 10, the Packers play the Cowboys, who have a bye in Week 9. (-7 days rest)
– In Week 16, the Packers play the Dolphins after playing on Monday night the week prior (-1 day rest)
– In Week 17, the Packers play the Vikings, who play on Saturday in Week 16. (-1 day rest)
The Packers also play the Jets just seven days after playing the Giants in London, which will require a grueling transatlantic flight there and back. We already pointed out that the Packers will then play five of their next seven games on the road, including a three-game road trip after facing the Jets at home, so the middle part of the schedule – with three rest disadvantages in the span of four weeks added in – looks especially challenging from a logistical standpoint.
Facing the Bills and Cowboys coming off bye weeks will be difficult, especially considering all the travel required during that part of the schedule. The Bills and Cowboys, two playoff teams in 2021, combined for 23 regular-season wins last season.
It’s not all bad. The Packers do get a bye week before hosting the Los Angeles Rams in December, although the advantage is negated slightly by the Rams playing the previous Thursday night. The mini-bye week advantage comes into play for the Packers before facing the Philadelphia Eagles in November, Overall, the Packers will gain seven days of rest advantage before playing two playoff teams from the NFC in 2021. And both games are at home.
Overall, the Packers play three games with a significant rest differential working against them (Washington, Buffalo, Dallas), and they’ll have a multiple-day rest advantage in two games (Philadelphia, Los Angeles), so the net result isn’t necessarily great. Weathering the storm during the middle part of the schedule – and getting to the good stuff late in the season – will be huge for Matt LaFleur’s team.
