Cheese Curds, 1/13: Packers haven’t played on Wild Card weekend since 2016 season

If you are a Green Bay Packers fan, you have probably become accustomed to sitting and watching Wild Card weekend without a major emotional investment. The Green Bay Packers have not played during the first weekend of the playoffs for years, thanks in large part to the team’s regular season success under Matt LaFleur.

In fact, the last time that the Packers played on Wild Card Weekend was after the 2016 season, when they welcomed in the New York Giants to Lambeau Field. Since then, the team has missed the playoffs three times (2017, 2018, 2022) and earned a playoff bye the other three (2019 through 2021).

Green Bay played Wild Card games against NFC East teams in back-to-back seasons after 2015 and 2016, defeating Washington in 2015 before beating the Giants the next year. That gave the Packers wins over three different NFC East teams in three consecutive seasons, after winning against the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Playoffs in 2014.

But for the first time in the Matt LaFleur era, the Packers are home for good this weekend, having missed out on the postseason with their loss to the Detroit Lions last Sunday night. That sent the Seattle Seahawks into the playoffs as the #7 seed, where they will face a divisional rival in the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night.

Here’s a look at the Wild Card round as well as a great move by the Packers and some looks at the team’s 2022 rookie class.

NFL wild-card round playoff game picks, schedule, odds, injuries | ESPN.com
As usual, Packers fans will be watching Wild Card weekend while Green Bay is idle. Here's a good primer on the six games taking place over the next three days.

Packers hire Erin Roberge as an assistant athletic trainer | Packers.com
Congratulations to Ms. Roberge, the first female full-time athletic trainer in franchise history. The UW-Madison alumna has been an intern since 2020.

A quick look at the rookie season of each Packers 2022 draft pick | Packers Wire
Nearly every player the Packers drafted in the first five rounds had a big impact in one way or another.

NFL All-Rookie Team: Garrett Wilson, Aidan Hutchinson and the best of the ’22 class - The Athletic ($)
Christian Watson didn't quite make the cut here, as his breakout came a bit late, but Quay Walker did make it as one of three linebackers.

Northeast Ohio man arrested for 70th time after shoplifting suitcase full of meat, police say | 19 News
What is unclear is whether this is the 70th time he has been arrested specifically FOR shoplifting a suitcase full of meat.