Gotta feel sorry for the Cowboys....

[hepcat]

I hate so much that I actually will root for the Cowboys to beat Tampa Bay...

 

[TheHopToad]

Whoa, Hoppy. We don't play the NFCE next year. Schedules according to finish are not done any more.

Actually, the schedules are pre-determined according to a divisional and conference rotation. In addition to playing the other teams in its division home and away, each team plays all of the teams in one of the divisions of their own conference (2 at home, 2 away). They also play all of the teams in one of the divisions in the other conference (2 home, 2 away). These rotations cycle through every 3 and 4 years, respectively. This comprises 14 of the 16 games in the schedule. The remaining two games are scheduled with the teams in the other two divisions within the conference that finish in the same place in their division.

The schedule rotation has the Cards playing all of the teams in the NFC North and AFC South next year. Additionally, the Cards will host the team from the NFC South that finishes the season in the same place that the Cards do in the NFC West (i.e. 1st plays 1st; 2nd plays 2nd, etc). Likewise, the Cards will travel to the team in the NFC East that finishes in the same place.

The 2009 (and future) opponents are already pre-determined except for the two opponents that depend upon order of finish:

HOME
Green Bay
Minnesota
Houston
Indianapolis
NFC South (same place)

AWAY
Chicago
Detroit
Jacksonville
Tennessee
NFC East (same place)

As long as the league composition and structure don't change, it's possible to project 14 of the 16 opponents for several years in advance (home and away). This has been the standard scheduling format since the Texans came in to the league in 2002.

 

[PoolBoy]

haha im so happy we ruined their season most likely