Jerry Tapp tells us the Packers have done quite nicely in games before, and after, bye week

By JERRY TAPP

Games before and after the bye week have been good for the Packers

After facing off against the Carolina Panthers in Green Bay this Sunday, the Packers will finally get their bye week for the 2019 season in Week 11. The following week, the Pack will venture out to San Francisco and take on the 49ers in their first game after the bye week.

Games prior to and after the bye week each year have been a relatively positive experience for the Pack, based on stats. Green Bay is one of 11 teams that have a .600 winning percentage or better in games after their bye week. The NFL went to a bye week format in 1990; since that year, the Packers are 18-12 (.600) in games after their bye week. Denver and Philadelphia top the list… each has a record of 22-8 (.733) in games after the bye week since 1990. The worst team after the bye week? The Cincinnati Bengals are only 8-21-1 (.283) in games after the bye week since the ’90 season. (Numbers above reflect games after the bye from 1990-2018.)

It’s interesting to note, however, that Green Bay’s success after the bye week has a dependent factor. It appears that the Green and Gold play a little better if their bye week is later on in the season than earlier in the campaign. This year, their bye week falls on Week #11 of the NFL season, the latest the Packers have had their bye since 1990.

Green Bay is 9-9 since 1990 in games after the bye week if their bye week was in Weeks 3 to 7; if, however, the bye week fell between Weeks 8 to 10, the Pack is 9-3 in those games after the bye week. In fact, the later the bye week the better… the Packers are 4-0 in games after the bye week if the bye week fell on Weeks #9 and #10.

That’s good news for the Packers as they will need to travel out to San Francisco on November 24 to play the much-improved 49ers in their first game after their bye week on November 17.

Here is a look at the Packers win-loss records in games after the bye week based on the week they had their bye that season.

Bye Week, Next Game record
Week 3: 0-1
Week 4: 3-0
Week 5: 1-1
Week 6: 1-3
Week 7: 4-4
Week 8: 5-3
Week 9: 2-0
Week 10: 2-0

If you are wondering how the Packers have done in games prior to the bye week, again they have seen a fair amount of success in those contests. The Packers are 18-12 (.600) in games prior to their bye week since 1990, including going 12-7 in those games this century and winning three of their last four games prior to the bye.

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp