The Green Bay Packers released their 2011 schedule this evening. The Packers will open their 91st NFL regular season on Thursday, Sept. 8th against New Orleans (7:30pm) at Lambeau Field.
The Packers will play their first round game a week later, Sunday, Sept. 18th at Carolina (Noon-Fox). Green Bay’s first divisional game followed in week three, at Chicago on Sunday, September 25th (3:15pm-Fox).
The Packers will play 5 games against 2010 playoff teams.
Green Bay has four games in prime time this season, starting with the opener against the Saints. They’ll also play a Sunday night game on Oct. 9th at Atlanta (7:20pm-NBC). The Packers will face the Vikings on a Monday night, Nov. 14th at Lambeau Field (7:30pm-ESPN). They’ll close out their prime time schedule at home on Christmas night against the division rival Chicago Bears (7:20pm NBC).
The Packers will also play on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 24th at Detroit (11:30-Fox). It’s the third Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit under Mike McCarthy.
The Packers Christmas night appearance is their second in team history. They also faced the Bears on Christmas Day at Lambeau Field in 2005.
The Packers also finalized their preseason schedule. They’ll open Saturday, Aug. 13th at Cleveland (6:30pm). They’ll host Arizona on Friday, Aug. 19th (7pm). The Packers play at Indianapolis on Friday, August 26th (7pm) and close out the preseason on Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Kansas City at Lambeau Field (7pm).
http://prod.static.packers.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/2011football_schedule.pdf