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Thoughts on a schedule

So here are some quick thoughts on the Cardinals’ schedule, for what they are worth. No one knows exactly what will happen between now and when the games will be played and so much can change. Nevertheless, this is what we do, so we press on …

– What smacks me in the face first is the back-to-back games against the 49ers — in San Francisco — and the Seahawks just four days later for their NFL Network game. That’s in October (13 and 17). Those teams aren’t easy with which to deal, and to have them so close together is tough. I guess, with Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson with similar games (I know Wilson doesn’t run as much as Kaepernick), the defense will be in the right frame of mind. Todd Bowles, are you ready?

– Opening in St. Louis isn’t a bad place to start. The Cards have had a ton of success there, winning seven straight before last year. These aren’t the 2009 Rams, but they aren’t the Niners and Seahawks either.

– Offenses with which the Cards must deal without suspended linebacker Daryl Washington: Rams, Lions, Saints, Buccaneers. All in all, not the worst thing.

– A bye at exactly the midway point of the season.

– The Bruce Arians-faces-his-former-Colts-team game comes Nov. 24. Will be very interesting to see where the Cards are at that point — we will be long past the storybook of the Colts season last year — and, for that matter, where the Colts stand.

– I didn’t think weather would be a big deal, but it could be chilly in Philly (Dec. 1) and Tennessee (Dec. 15). And perhaps Seattle (Dec. 22) for that matter.

– It did catch my eye that the preseason Dallas game is at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. I prefer that rather than night preseason games.

– A trip to Raymond James Stadium Sept. 29. Let’s see, the last time the Cards were there …

Schedule on deck for Thursday

The NFL officially announced the regular-season schedule will be released Thursday, at 5 p.m. Arizona time. (We will have that info up immediately as the deadline hits). It’s always a strange day. There is no denying the schedule release is a huge story for NFL fans, even though all we are talking about is actual dates and times. Every team already knows who it is playing next season. That hasn’t been a secret. Whether the Cardinals host the Falcons in October or November probably doesn’t mean a ton. Sure, there are some weather-related situations to note for some teams — if you go to Green Bay for instance, you pay attention if that is in September or December. The Cards don’t have any road trips like that do have to think about Philadelphia (although it’d probably be better to visit Jacksonville later in the season if possible.)

In the meantime, here is the refresher on 2013′s regular-season opponents:

HOME

Indianapolis, Houston, Carolina, Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis

AWAY

Tennessee, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis

Opponents set for 2013

With the Rams’ win against Tampa Bay today, the Cardinals are locked into last place in the NFC West for 2012 regardless of the result today or next week. It also solidifies their opponents for 2013, since the NFC North and NFC East already know who will be their fourth-place teams as well.

HOME

– Indianapolis

– Houston

– Carolina

– Atlanta

– Detroit

– Seattle

– San Francisco

– St. Louis

AWAY

– Tennessee

– Jacksonville

– New Orleans

– Tampa Bay

– Philadelphia

– Seattle

– St. Louis

– San Francisco

Before 2012, a glance at 2013 opponents

Yes, yes, I know I am early. Way early. But as long as the info is out there — and while we still have a little bit before we get to training camp — here is a look at who the Cardinals’ opponents will be for the 2013 season.

HOME

– Indianapolis (Andrew Luck!)

– Carolina (Cam Newton!)

– Houston (Arian Foster.)

– Atlanta (Roddy White?)

– NFC North team that matches Cards’ spot in 2012 standings

– and of course, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco.

AWAY

– New Orleans

– Tampa Bay

– Jacksonville

– Tennessee

– NFC East team that matches Cards’ spot in 2012 standings

– and, of course, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco.

I was going to do a little analysis, but then I realized how foolish that was this far out.

Late kickoff times change this season

The afternoon football games will be a little later this season.

The NFL announced Thursday morning that all the second games on TV doubleheaders that were to start at 15 minutes past the hour will now start at 25 past the hour, to make sure the kickoffs of those games don’t come before the early games have ended.

From the NFL press release: “In researching the kickoff time shift, the NFL analyzed games from the 2009-11 seasons and found that 44 games required part of the audience to be switched to a mandatory doubleheader game kickoff. With a 4:25 PM ET kickoff time, that number that would have been reduced by 66 percent to only 15 games.”

For the Cardinals, that means the kickoff times of five games — three at home, two on the road — are impacted. (All times are Arizona.):

– Sept. 9, Seattle at Arizona, is now a 1:25 p.m. kickoff;

– Nov. 25, St. Louis at Arizona, now a 2:25 p.m. kickoff;

– Dec. 23, Chicago at Arizona, now a 2:25 p.m. kickoff;

– Dec. 9, Arizona at Seattle, now a 2:25 p.m. kickoff;

– Dec. 30, Arizona at San Francisco, now a 2:25 p.m. kickoff.

The games slated to start at 1:05 p.m. or 2:05 p.m. are not affected (and as always, the last seven weeks of the season are subject to flex scheduling, should the Cardinals play themselves into a race.)

Preseason dates and times set

The Cards have set their preseason schedule, with the home finale against the Broncos the most notable, with it coming at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30. The team was limited regarding the Denver game because, by rule, Wednesday was not at option since Denver plays the previous Sunday and a later kickoff was necessary to avoid conflicting with network TV coverage of the Republican National Convention’s final night and the nominee’s acceptance speech.

The full Cards’ preseason sked (all times Arizona):

• Sunday, Aug. 5 vs New Orleans Saints at 5 p.m.  in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.
• Friday, Aug. 10 at Kansas City at 5 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 17 home against Oakland at 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 23 at Tennessee at 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 30 home against Denver at 8 p.m.

The full regular-season schedule will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4 p.m. Arizona time.

The schedule and draft for 2012

With the season over, the Cardinals will pick 13th in April’s draft. Their opponents for 2012 have also been set (although dates, of course, aren’t announced until April too):

Home games: Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, Buffalo, Miami, Philadelphia.

Away games: Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis, Green Bay, Minnesota, New England, New York Jets, Atlanta.

The Cardinals’ 2012 opponents

With a month left on the schedule — and since this info was held back at the beginning of the season as the league sorted through the post-lockout world — it’s a good time to take a look at what the Cards face schedule-wise in 2012.

Dates and times, of course, aren’t out until April.

HOME GAMES

• Chicago Bears
• Detroit Lions
• Buffalo Bills
• Miami Dolphins
• San Francisco 49ers
• St. Louis Rams
• Seattle Seahawks
• NFC East match (wherever place the Cards finish vs. same place in East. As of today, it’s the Philadelphia Eagles)

AWAY GAMES

• Green Bay Packers
• Minnesota Vikings
• New England Patriots
• New York Jets
• San Francisco 49ers
• St. Louis Rams
• Seattle Seahawks
• NFC South match (as of today, it’s the Carolina Panthers).

Some heavy-duty road trips there, based on what’s going on this season. Things change from year-to-year, of course. And the last time the Cards went to play the Patriots and Jets on the road, while the games didn’t turn out great, the season ultimately did.

UPDATE: Many are asking about trips to the Jets and Pats, when the Cards did the same the last time they played those teams. The NFL, I believe is just working backward with AFC vs NFC. The  Cards have played the Ravens and Bengals on the road two straight times, for instance, including this year, and will host the Steelers and Browns for a second straight time. Same thing happened in 2007. So for 2012, they are repeating 2008. I’d assume, in 2016, Cards will visit Miami and Buffalo and host Jets, Pats.

Scheduling a look back for a look ahead

Our own Jim Omohundro will be putting together a series of web videos starting today that highlight the Cards’ 2011 schedule by looking back at a few of the highlights from games against that team in recent years past. For instance, Jim’s first piece is about the Cards and Panthers, who will visit University of Phoenix Stadium Sept. 11 to open the 2011 season (and yes, I am staying optimistic it happens). On the video are looking at three Panthers’ games of the past — wins in Carolina in 2001 and 2002 (Jake Plummer! Pat Tillman! Freddie Jones!) along with the game no one will forget, the playoff road trip against Carolina after the 2008 season. That game, of course, brings up one of the best quotes ever — Panthers coach John Fox about QB Jake Delhomme, after the Cards forced Delhomme into six turnovers. “He picked a bad day to have a bad day.”

Schedule hope

In the middle of waiting for the labor problems to be resolved comes the news the 2011 regular-season schedule will be released tomorrow — Tuesday — at 4 p.m. Arizona time (which is 7 p.m. Eastern). I know, I know, there are some of you who feel “What’s the point” until there is a labor agreement, and clearly, the NFL has taken part of that into account. Another game in London, between the Bears and Bucs, has been scheduled for Oct. 23 — except there is a caveat that the game will move back to Tampa Bay if a new labor agreement hasn’t been reached by Aug. 1.

As a quick reminder, the Cards’ home schedule includes the NFC West teams, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Carolina, Cleveland and the New York Giants. The away schedule includes the NFC West, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Philadelphia and Washington.