Vikes - Pack open Monday Night Football

[Pack-man]

Think maybe the Pack retires #4 this night???

[Green Bud Packer]

Glad to see the game will be in Mr. Rodgers neighborhood.

I'm expecting at least 2 more prime time games this year.Playing in the NFC champiopnship game last season helps in that cause. Favre or no Favre the Pack is still a playoff contender.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Glad to see the game will be in Mr. Rodgers neighborhood.

I'm expecting at least 2 more prime time games this year.Playing in the NFC champiopnship game last season helps in that cause. Favre or no Favre the Pack is still a playoff contender.

This year we'll still be in the national spotlight. It will take winning to keep us there.

[packers11]

Awww I was hoping for an exciting game for the first week...

[twoseven]

I like the 6pm start.

[GBRulz]

Always a good thing to start out the season with a win!!

[Joemailman]

Think maybe the Pack retires #4 this night???

Yep.

[MadtownPacker]

I hate having to wait until Monday for our opener.

Why? The bears and lions lose and we get a shot a being the division leader in week 1.

Unless ARod blows it of course.

[Brando19]

http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080331/PKR01/80331113/1989&GID=3Faq9QRMYQMTMoMRq2ba95eSp5GufHEgz0RtPx7xjDs%3D

The Green Bay Packers either have enough cachet to remain a draw without Brett Favre or their potential struggles in the wake of his retirement are a curiosity.


Either way, the Packers will open the post-Favre era with a Week 1 “Monday Night Football” game at Lambeau Field against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 8.

“There’s no mistaking, certainly from a public perception, the hole that Brett leaves,” Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said today, shortly before the announcement was made at the NFL annual owners meetings.

“That’s going to remain. But the Packers are a very popular franchise, having always been good with television ratings and things like that. We’ve always had our fair share of prime-time games.”

The league announced its opening-weekend schedule today. The Packers-Vikings’ game will kick off at 6 p.m., followed by Denver at Oakland at 9:15 p.m. Both games will be on ESPN.

Commissioner Roger Goodell also revealed the 2008 regular season will open with a Thursday game, with Washington visiting the New York Giants on Sept. 4 (6 p.m., NBC). The other prime-time game in Week 1 is Sunday night, with Chicago at Indianapolis on Sept. 7 (7:15 p.m., NBC).

“I think it’s great,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of the nationally televised opener. “I think it’s a reflection of the success we had as a football team last year. It will be a great way to start the year.”

The opener will put the national spotlight on Favre’s expected replacement, Aaron Rodgers, from the get-go.

“I’m sure from every angle it’s not going to be easy on Aaron, so let’s jump into it,” McCarthy said. “It’ll be good for him to play in a big-game environment.”

The Packers haven’t decided whether they’ll use the opener to retire Favre’s number. The team said last month it plans to honor the recently retired quarterback by officially retiring the No. 4, but Thompson said no decision has been made on a date.

“I think that’s up to the Favres and the organization,” Thompson said. “I think they’ll put their heads together and figure out the best time.”

The rest of the NFL schedule was not announced. There was speculation it could be released this week, perhaps during these meetings that run through Wednesday, but that doesn’t appear likely.

[the_idle_threat]

IMO they don't necessarily need new announcers, what they need is a new programming schedule that doesn't feature quarter-long appearances by celebrities I could care less about. They need to make it about football again ...

[cpk1994]

http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080331/PKR01/80331113/1989&GID=3Faq9QRMYQMTMoMRq2ba95eSp5GufHEgz0RtPx7xj Ds%3D


“I think it’s great,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of the nationally televised opener. “I think it’s a reflection of the success we had as a football team last year. It will be a great way to start the year.”

Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike. How can you be so nieve. This game was NOT chosen becuase of last year's success. It was chosen becuase, in what I can guarantee ESPN will repeat 10,000,000 times, "This is the first game the Packers will play without Brett Favre". Period.

[oregonpackfan]

The bottom line is that this provides a great opportunity for the Packers to put the Vikings in their place. Starting the season with a loss is the way to keep the Vikings out of contention in the NFC North.

[LL2]

Has the rest of the schedule been released? I wonder how many nationally televised games they get.

[mngolf19]

Always a good thing to start out the season with a win!!

I agree. :P