the difference in the 1st place schedule to the 4th place schedule will now be even larger, since the packers will have to play 3 1st place teams, that the rest of the division doesn't have to. Granted, non conference games do not count as much as conference ones, so loosing that 17th game isn't as massive of a deal as loosing a game in conference, but a loss is a loss. Also in the NFL there is no guarantee of future success in the following season. It gives the network another bunch of juicy matchups to put in primetime, so I am sure everyone is happy and really doesn't care that about the SOS difference.