The 2021 NFL Schedule has released!! REJOICE!!
Let’s take a look at some of the key matchups, bye weeks, road trips and prime time games. NFC North plays the AFC North and NFC West this season which is brutal together. They also play one team from NFC East, NFC South and AFC West depending on their divisional place finish in 2020.
Detroit Lions
Week 1 — vs. 49ers — Sunday, September 12 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 2 — at Packers — Monday, September 20 — 8:15 p.m. ET — ESPN
Week 3 — vs. Ravens — Sunday, September 26 — 1 p.m. ET — CBS
Week 4 — at Bears — Sunday, October 3 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 5 — at Vikings — Sunday, October 10 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 6 — vs. Bengals — Sunday, October 17 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 7 — at Rams — Sunday, October 24 — 4:05 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 8 — vs. Eagles — Sunday, October 31 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 9 — BYE
Week 10 — at Steelers — Sunday, November 14 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 11 — at Browns — Sunday, November 21 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 12 — vs. Bears — Thursday, November 25 — 12:30 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 13 — vs. Vikings — Sunday, December 5 — 1 p.m. ET — CBS
Week 14 — at Broncos — Sunday, December 12 — 4:05 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 15 — vs. Cardinals — Sunday, December 19 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 16 — at Falcons — Sunday, December 26 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 17 — at Seahawks — Sunday, January 2 — 4:25 p.m. ET — FOX
Week 18 — vs. Packers — Sunday, January 9 — 1 p.m. ET — FOX
The Lions first season under new coach Dan Campbell will start off with a bang and tough start. Detroit has three (3) away divisional game by Week 5 and host the 49ers in Week 1 and Ravens in Week 3. The bye week is nice being in Week 9. There are no three game road trips or home stands but two away trips at Steelers/Browns and at Falcons/Seahawks are tough. Lions get two national tv games at least with MNF in Week 2 at Green Bay and the Thanksgiving game against the Bears (3 of last 4 seasons). Week 7 the Lions will face their former QB in LA against Stafford and the Rams. The season goes an extra week this year until January 9 ending with a game against the Packers at Ford Field. Eagles, at Falcons, at Broncos are the extra games. 9 road 8 home for the NFC North this season.
Minnesota Vikings
| Week | Date | Opponent | Location | Kickoff (CT) | Broadcast |
| PS1 | 13/14 Aug | Denver Broncos | U.S. Bank Stadium | Local | |
| PS2 | 20/21 Aug | Indianapolis Colts | U.S. Bank Stadium | Local | |
| 1 | 12 Sep | Cincinnati Bengals | Paul Brown Stadium | Noon | FOX |
| 2 | 19 Sep | Arizona Cardinals | State Farm Stadium | 3:05 PM | FOX |
| 3 | 26 Sep | Seattle Seahawks | U.S. Bank Stadium | 3:25 PM | FOX |
| 4 | 3 Oct | Cleveland Browns | U.S. Bank Stadium | Noon | CBS |
| 5 | 10 Oct | Detroit Lions | U.S. Bank Stadium | Noon | FOX |
| 6 | 17 Oct | Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | Noon | FOX |
| 7 | 24 Oct | BYE | WEEK | BYE | WEEK |
| 8 | 31 Oct | Dallas Cowboys | U.S. Bank Stadium | 7:20 PM | NBC |
| 9 | 7 Nov | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | Noon | FOX |
| 10 | 14 Nov | Los Angeles Chargers | SoFi Stadium | 3:05 PM | FOX |
| 11 | 21 Nov | Green Bay Packers | U.S. Bank Stadium | Noon | FOX |
| 12 | 28 Nov | San Francisco 49ers | Levi’s Stadium | 3:25 PM | FOX |
| 13 | 5 Dec | Detroit Lions | Ford Field | Noon | CBS |
| 14 | 9 Dec (Thu) | Pittsburgh Steelers | U.S. Bank Stadium | 7:15 PM | FOX/NFL Network/Amazon |
| 15 | 20 Dec (Mon) | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field | 7:15 PM | ESPN |
| 16 | 26 Dec | Los Angeles Rams | U.S. Bank Stadium | Noon | FOX |
| 17 | 2 Jan | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field | 7:20 PM | NBC |
| 18 | 9 Jan | Chicago Bears | U.S. Bank Stadium | Noon | FOX |
The Vikings will look to rebound after a disappointing 2020. They start with two road games at the Bengals and Cardinals followed by 3 home games. Bye is decent at Week 7. Green Bay is in Week 11 and Week 17 at Lambeau along with Bears in Week 15 and 18. Big division games late. Vikings have Sunday Night games on NBC against the Cowboys and Packers, a Monday Night game against the Bears and one Thursday night game against the Steelers. Cowboys, at Carolina, at Chargers are the extra games. Tough schedule
Green Bay Packers
| Week | Opponent | Home/Away | Stadium | Date | Time (CT) |
| 1 | New Orleans Saints | Away | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Sunday, Sep. 12 | 3:25 PM |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | Home | Lambeau Field | Monday, Sep. 20 | 7:15 PM |
| 3 | San Francisco 49ers | Away | Levi’s Stadium | Sunday, Sep. 26 | 7:20 PM |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Home | Lambeau Field | Sunday, Oct. 3 | 3:25 PM |
| 5 | Cincinnati Bengals | Away | Paul Brown Stadium | Sunday, Oct. 10 | 12:00 PM |
| 6 | Chicago Bears | Away | Soldier Field | Sunday, Oct. 17 | 12:00 PM |
| 7 | Washington Football Team | Home | Lambeau Field | Sunday, Oct. 24 | 12:00 PM |
| 8 | Arizona Cardinals | Away | State Farm Stadium | Thursday, Oct. 28 | 7:20 PM |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | Away | Arrowhead Stadium | Sunday, Nov. 7 | 3:25 PM |
| 10 | Seattle Seahawks | Home | Lambeau Field | Sunday, Nov. 14 | 3:25 PM |
| 11 | Minnesota Vikings | Away | U.S. Bank Stadium | Sunday, Nov. 21 | 12:00 PM |
| 12 | Los Angeles Rams | Home | Lambeau Field | Sunday, Nov. 28 | 3:25 PM |
| 13 | BYE | ||||
| 14 | Chicago Bears | Home | Lambeau Field | Sunday, Dec. 12 | 7:20 PM |
| 15 | Baltimore Ravens | Away | M&T Bank Stadium | Sunday, Dec. 19 | 12:00 PM |
| 16 | Cleveland Browns | Home | Lambeau Field | Saturday, Dec. 25 | 3:30 PM |
| 17 | Minnesota Vikings | Home | Lambeau Field | Sunday, Jan. 2 | 7:20 PM |
| 18 | Detroit Lions | Away | Ford Field | Sunday, Jan. 9 | 12:00 PM |
Packers get five prime time games in 2021 and start away in New Orleans. A Week 13 bye is very helpful and 3 of the last 5 at home in Lambeau could be an advantage. MNF hosting the Lions and three Sunday Night football games at San Fran, home vs Bears and home vs Vikings. One Thursday game at Arizona. The extra games are at New Orleans (woof), Washington and at Kansas City (woof). Brutal and we’ll see if it is still Mr. Rodgers neighborhood.
Chicago Bears
Week 1, 9/12: at Los Angeles Rams, 7:20 p.m. CT, NBC – Sunday Night Football
Week 2, 9/19: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, noon, FOX
Week 3, 9/26: at Cleveland Browns, noon, FOX
Week 4, 10/3: vs. Detroit Lions, noon, FOX
Week 5, 10/10: at Las Vegas Raiders, 3:05 p.m. CT, CBS
Week 6, 10/17: vs. Green Bay Packers, noon, FOX
Week 7, 10/24: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3:25 p.m. CT, CBS
Week 8, 10/31: vs. San Francisco 49ers, noon, FOX
Week 9, 11/8: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN – Monday Night Football
Week 10, 11/14: BYE
Week 11, 11/21: vs. Baltimore Ravens, noon, CBS
Week 12, 11/25: at Detroit Lions, 11:30 a.m. CT, FOX – Thanksgiving Day
Week 13, 12/5: vs. Arizona Cardinals, noon, FOX
Week 14, 12/12: at Green Bay Packers, 7:20 p.m. CT, NBC – Sunday Night Football
Week 15, 12/20: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN – Monday Night Football
Week 16, 12/26: at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m., FOX
Week 17, 1/2: vs. New York Giants, noon, CBS
Week 18, 1/9/22: at Minnesota Vikings, noon, FOX
Bears get a Week 10 bye and start the season on Sunday Night Football at the Rams facing an old foe in Stafford. At Las Vegas, Giants and at Tampa (woof) are the extra games. Sunday Night at Green Bay and MNF home against Vikings in Week 15 and at Steelers in Week 9. We’ll see if Justin Fields sees the Field or if it’s the Andy Dalton show in 2021. Ending in Minnesota will be tough too.
Enjoy the 2021 season!!