Saturday, April 21, 2018

Glancing at the 2018 Schedule

I wish the NFL would be a little more deliberate when it came to the schedule release date.  For a league that's so regimented and so strict when it comes to scheduling, you'd think we'd have more other than "sometime in April" for the day the schedule's released.  Especially because so many people look forward to it each year.

This year, the schedule arrived on Thursday.  And, as usual, it was dissected backwards and forwards.  Even though we've known everyone's opponents since January (we also already know 14 of each team's 16 games for the 2019 season, by the way), we didn't know when they'd be or what the prime time schedules would look like.  Now we do.

While it seems kinda silly that people get this excited about the schedule coming out, it makes sense, too.  The NFL is THAT big, and the schedule release is that first real sign for many people that football season is coming.  Pretty soon, it'll be the Draft, then mini camp, then training camp, then the Hall of Fame induction, then the preseason, then, before you know it, the season's here.

Speaking of the season, let's take a look at some of the highlights, as the NFL embarks on its 99th campaign:

Week 1: Falcons at Eagles-No surprise that they chose Atlanta as Philly's opponent for the opener.  Of all the teams visiting the Eagles this season, the Falcons seemed like the most logical option.  Rams at Raiders-Jon Gruden's two worlds collide, as his return to coaching is on Monday night.  I love it when the NFL has a sense of humor about things.  Bears at Packers-Interesting choice for the opening Sunday night game.  Yes, it's a big rivalry, and yes, the Packers are a national brand.  But the Bears suck.  And I thought it was an NFL rule that Giants at Cowboys was the Sunday night opener.

Week 2: Giants at Cowboys-Instead, it'll be in Week 2.  Would've been even more fun if the Giants had any interest in signing Dez, but it doesn't look like that's happening.  Patriots at Jaguars-An early AFC Championship Game rematch, as we find out whether the Jaguars are for real or 2017 was a fluke.  Seahawks at Bears-Two prime time games for the Bears in the first two weeks of the season?  Why?  Did I miss something?

Week 3: Chargers at Rams-The first "Battle of Los Angeles" (not to be confused with the terrible movie "Battle: Los Angeles") comes in Week 3.  More importantly, it's the first matchup between Phillip Rivers and Jared Goff.  Titans at Jaguars-Last year's surprise playoff teams from the AFC South meet for the first time in 2018.  Tennessee won both games last season, but Jacksonville won the division.  Patriots at Lions-A little surprising that they didn't put this one on Thanksgiving (when, once again, we get the Chicago Bears for some reason).  Also a little surprising they put it on a Sunday night.  I'm assuming that's because of the Brady vs. Stafford matchup.

Week 4: Vikings at Rams-FOX's first Thursday night game is actually a pretty good one between two division winners from last season.  Jets at Jaguars/Saints at Giants-It's been a few years, and I still don't understand this whole "cross-flexing" thing.  Why is Jets-Jaguars on FOX and Saints-Giants on CBS?  Better question: Why are the Giants in the national window when they were 3-13 last season?

Week 5: Vikings at Eagles-This was basically the only other option for the season opener, the NFC title game rematch.  Of course, the Vikings' QB is now Kirk Cousins, who knows the Eagles pretty well from his time with the Redskins.  Rams at Seahawks-Until last season, the NFC West was Seattle's domain.  Then the new kids on the block came and seized control of the division.  This is their first matchup of 2018.  Who'll have the edge?  Cowboys at Texans-It's a Texas-sized showdown on Sunday night!  It'll be even better if the Texans are at full strength (meaning DeShaun Watson and J.J. Watt).

Week 6: Seahawks vs. Raiders-London Game No. 1 is the first at Olympic Stadium.  And, for a change, London has three good games this year.  Chiefs at Patriots-Kansas City is the one team that has New England's number.  They blew them out on a Monday night two years ago.  They blew them out on the opening Thursday night last season.  What will happen on a Sunday night?

Week 7: Titans vs. Chargers-Tennessee and the Chargers play the first of back-to-back games at Wembley Stadium.  Like I said, London's got three good games this year.  Cowboys at Redskins-If Dez signs with Washington (which is what I'm assuming), he'll be out for blood in his first game against his former team.  His return to Dallas would be on Thanksgiving.  Rams at 49ers-Remember in the 80s and early 90s when this was one of the best rivalries in football?  We aren't back to that point yet, but at least the Rams are back where they belong in LA.

Week 8: Eagles vs. Jaguars-When they set it for London, they had no idea they'd come within one game of it being a Super Bowl rematch.  My only issue is that it's an NFL Network exclusive, which makes this the best NFL Network game of the season.  Packers at Rams-This has the potential to be just as entertaining as Philly-Jacksonville.  And it's Rodgers vs. Goff!  Saints at Vikings-We all remember what happened the last time these two met.  So, of course, the NFL made the rematch the Sunday night game opposite the World Series.

Week 9: Raiders at 49ers-The Bay Area Battle is on Thursday night, and it's one of the better Thursday night matchups of the season.  These two don't play in the preseason, either, which adds another layer of intrigue.  Rams at Saints-These two both entertained us last season.  I don't see this game being any different.  Not with these two offenses!  Packers at Patriots-Rodgers vs. Brady!  Somehow they've only gone head-to-head once (even though the Packers play the Patriots once every four years).  This was a no-brainer for a Sunday night.

Week 10: Panthers at Steelers-FOX's Thursday night games are much different than the selection CBS and NBC had.  For example, they get an intriguing interconference matchup between two really good teams.  Ordinarily, we'd see a game like this on Sunday night.  Cowboys at Eagles-As we all know, the NFL likes to put NFC East games on Sunday night.  We probably would've gotten this one on a Sunday night anyway.  But now you throw in the fact the Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champions, and it becomes even more fun.

Week 11: Packers at Seahawks-Another fun one on Thursday night!  This was a Week 1/playoff showdown how many years in a row?  Last season, they both missed the playoffs.  That'll add another layer to one of the best matchups the NFL can give us.  Eagles at Saints-Philadelphia and New Orleans possess two of the best offenses in the game.  On the turf of the Superdome, there should be plenty of points.  Steelers at Jaguars-Oh, that NFL sense of humor strikes again.  Someone forgot to tell the Jaguars it was supposed to be a Patriots-Steelers AFC Championship Game rematch last season.  America gets to see them go at it on a Sunday night.

Week 12: Bears at Lions/Redskins at Cowboys/Falcons at Saints: Once again, the AFC is shut out of Thanksgiving.  What did they do to piss the NFL off?  Instead we get the Bears (again, why?).  Redskins-Cowboys is a Thanksgiving staple, and Falcons-Saints is a fun one for the night game, which usually features division matchups.  Packers at Vikings-Like the NFC East games, Green Bay-Minnesota is an annual Sunday night matchup.  This one is Green Bay's four road game in five weeks, and it sets up for quite a stretch run.

Week 13: Chiefs at Raiders-When they both became good again, the Kansas City-Oakland rivalry was already rekindled.  Now you throw Jon Gruden back into the mix!  Yes, please!  Vikings at Patriots-We came thisclose to Minnesota-New England being our Super Bowl matchup last season.  Instead of being a Super Bowl rematch, this is just a showdown of two of the league's best.  49ers at Seahawks-Richard Sherman returns to Seattle.  Need I say more?  This game was tailor-made for Sunday night.

Week 14: Patriots at Dolphins-As usual, there are a ton of division games to start December.  But New England-Miami is one of the most appealing.  The Patriots have lost in Miami in each of the last two years.  Falcons at Packers-Atlanta beat the Packers in the 2016 NFC Championship Game and again in Week 2 last season.  This one, though, is in Green Bay in December.  Steelers at Raiders-Pittsburgh has to make a cross-country trip for a Sunday night game.  That's gonna be tough.  Especially since the Steelers usually lose on the West Coast anyway.

Week 15: Patriots at Steelers-We should be thankful for what happened between these two in Week 15 last season.  It got them to finally rewrite the catch rule.  Thanks to the Jaguars, this will be their first meeting since.  Eagles at Rams-It was probably the most entertaining regular season game last year.  But it was also the game where Carson Wentz got hurt (not that it ended up mattering that much).  What will the 2018 meeting have in store?  Saints at Panthers-The NFC South doesn't get enough credit for how competitive its division games are.  But let's not forget, they put three teams in the playoffs last year.  Including these two.

Week 16: There will be two Saturday games.  We just don't know what they are.  Another new NFL scheduling quirk that makes no sense!  Just pick a day and go with it!  Steelers at Saints-We know when this one will be.  It'll be the national late game on CBS.  Pittsburgh does not have the easiest December schedule.  Broncos at Raiders-Christmas is a Tuesday, which means the final Monday night game is on Christmas Eve.  And the Monday night season ends the same way it begins.  At the Oakland Coliseum.  Makes sense, seeing as it was the Monday night game on Christmas last year that got Gruden's return to the Raiders in motion.

Week 17: For the ninth consecutive year, it's all division games in Week 17.  And I'm sure there will be a Sunday night game this time after not having one last year (because they didn't want to have one on New Year's Eve).  Obviously, we have no idea which game they'll end up choosing for Sunday night, but I'm going to install Eagles at Redskins, Lions at Packers and Raiders at Chiefs as the early favorites.

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