Friday Cheese Curds: Breaking down the Packers' 2020 schedule

We now know the approximate path the Green Bay Packers will have to take to reach Super Bowl LV and it’s definitely going to be a different journey.

For the first time in franchise history Green Bay will open the season in Minneapolis against the Vikings. The game at US Bank Stadium is always a challenge and it will be nice to get it out of the way immediately.

Two weeks later they head to New Orleans to face off against the Saints in the first of five prime time matchups. The Packers also will play the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, the Chicago Bears and the Tennessee Titans in night games.

The most brutal stretch of the season comes immediately after the Week 5 bye where Green Bay will face Tampa Bay and Houston on the road in consecutive weeks followed by the home game against the Vikings and after that is the Thursday night game at the 49ers.

After that gauntlet, it’s a decent final stretch as the Packers will have four of their final six games at Lambeau Field where temperatures are likely to be in their favor.

All this of course assumes football will be played this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic but thankfully the NFL built flexibility into the schedule.

You can read more on those contingency plans in today’s cheese curds.

Five takeaways from Packers schedule: Early division tests, plenty of prime-time exposure—PackersNews.com (subscription required)

America will get to see a lot of the Packers this year, a testament to both their far-reaching fan base and their strong 2019 season. Opening the season in a quiet US Bank Stadium could give the Packers an early leg up in the North should fans not be allowed in stadiums.

Packers 2020 NFL season schedule notes—Packers.com

It’s hard to believe Green Bay has never opened the season in Minnesota before in 50 plus years but it’s true. Also they finally get to close the season against someone other than the Lions.

Closer look at the Packers 2020 regular season schedule—Packers Wire

Here’s a look at what’s changed with all 13 of Green Bay’s opponents and what it means for the Packers.

NFL is ready to call an audible or two if coronavirus forces schedule changes—Los Angeles Times

Wondering how the NFL can be so flexible with the schedule when it comes to COVID-19? It turns out the league made a similar contingency plan in 2011 when they feared they could lose games due to the lockout.

Fortune cookie numbers earn $2 million jackpot after five years--UPI

I'm going to guess the fortune cookie had a message about tremendous patience on the other side of the numbers.