In Anticipation of Tonight's 2009 Sched Announcement....

[JeffGollin]

Although I'm not big on prognosticating or forecasting, here are some of the things I'll be looking for tonight when the NFL announces its 2009 schedule:

Nationally Televised Games
Hey! We we were in the Super Bowl. We're a fun team to watch. I'm expecting 2 games at a minimum.

Non-Sunday Games
When you don't play on Sunday, you get out of your routine - either with extra days to game plan (or get stale; or stew over a tough loss; or read too many press clippings after a big win) or fewer days to prepare for the next contest. And it's not just about us - some of our opponents will face the same challenges.

Bye Weeks
In terms of prep time, momentum and staleness - similar to non-Sunday games. Who will we play coming out of our Bye Week? Who will we play who'll be coming out of their Bye Weeks?

Snow/Winter Games
Who'll be on our schedule from mid-Nov thru Dec.? How many of those games will be on the road? How many of our Nov. - Dec. road games will be in the Midwest/Northeast? How many of our Nov. - Dec. Midwestern/Northeastern road games will be outdoors (i.e. not in domes)?

Loud Away Games
Other than Seattle (who we know will be noisy and boisterous), are there any other away games where we'll face the challenge of dealing with unusually loud crowd noise?

Home Game Crowd Loyalties
Will we have to worry about opposing fans trying to take over "our house?" Specifically: (a) Snow Bird teams, (b) Team Felon (who enjoys a big following in the Valley) and (c) Pittsburgh (whose fans travel well)? We should target those games as Cardinal fan "must-sees" if we want to preserve our 12th-Man advantage?

Division Games
Will any of our opponents - StL, Seattle or SF - gain any edge over us from their schedule?

The Unexpected
Will our opponent be celebrating a retirement, anniversary or memory of a legend? The opening of a new facility? Debut of a new Super Star? Possibility of Setting an NFL record?

Can't wait to see how each of us feel come tomorrow.

 

[AzWins23]

If the Browns got 5 last year, we should get 6. But i'll be happy with 3 or 4

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Home Game Crowd Loyalties
Will we have to worry about opposing fans trying to take over "our house?" Specifically: (a) Snow Bird teams, (b) Team Felon (who enjoys a big following in the Valley) and (c) Pittsburgh (whose fans travel well)? We should target those games as Cardinal fan "must-sees" if we want to preserve our 12th-Man advantage?

We will be playing Minnesota, (biggest home/away crowd I have ever seen in our new stadium) Green Bay, and Indianapolis. It could be pretty bad this year.

 

[DoTheDew]

Home Game Crowd Loyalties
Will we have to worry about opposing fans trying to take over "our house?" Specifically: (a) Snow Bird teams, (b) Team Felon (who enjoys a big following in the Valley) and (c) Pittsburgh (whose fans travel well)? We should target those games as Cardinal fan "must-sees" if we want to preserve our 12th-Man advantage?


Can't wait to see how each of us feel come tomorrow.

We don't play team Felon or Pittsburgh this year.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

We don't play team Felon or Pittsburgh this year.

Did you go to the Minnesota game? The visitors side of the field was full of purple jerseys and at times of the game, they were louder than we were.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

Is it just me, or is this the first year the NFL is trying to make a tailgate event out of something as mundane as a schedule release?

 

[English on tour]

my money is the the game at the Giants being one of 3 TV games we get this year and i think we open up at home to the Rams.

 

[brutus1303]

Did you go to the Minnesota game? The visitors side of the field was full of purple jerseys and at times of the game, they were louder than we were.

I'm not saying that there weren't too many of them there, because the were. They were louder than we were because of the performance on the field, it had very little to do with the number of Cards fans there.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'm not saying that there weren't too many of them there, because the were. They were louder than we were because of the performance on the field, it had very little to do with the number of Cards fans there.

I'll respectfully disagree. Teams from the Midwest and the North like Minnesota, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Chicago (although we are away at Chicago this year) will travel well and will represent well next year, even with our success last year.

 

[Shane]

Did you go to the Minnesota game? The visitors side of the field was full of purple jerseys and at times of the game, they were louder than we were.

TEam didnt give you much to cheer for that day so really hard to judge that.

 

[azsouthendzone]

what is everyone basing the Colts fans invading our stadium on?

 

[Shane]

what is everyone basing the Colts fans invading our stadium on?

Whos everyone? I highly doubt the colts fans travel like the other teams on the schedule (GB and Minny)

 

[PoolBoy]

We don't play team Felon or Pittsburgh this year.

we play the packers, colts and vikings at home.

 

[PoolBoy]

what is everyone basing the Colts fans invading our stadium on?

after the vikings invasion, every team that has a decent fanbase scares me.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

TEam didnt give you much to cheer for that day so really hard to judge that.

True.

Whos everyone? I highly doubt the colts fans travel like the other teams on the schedule (GB and Minny)

My own experience with Colts fans here in the valley. I don't know for sure that they will travel well. I think we will be surprised at how well they travel.

 

[Stout]

I'd be willing to bet we start with a road game

 

[Shane]

I'd be willing to bet we start with a road game

Ill bet ya 475,000 ASFN?

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

I'm curious to see...

where we stand in the eyes of the NFL TV honcho's. Should be interesting. Honestly, when the schedule comes out I immediately look at (2) things. 1./ The TV games and 2./ The last month to see if we're home or away and against whom. (who?) Whatever. I STILL don't know what a "dangling participle" is. IF it sounds right, it's probably right. LOL

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'd be willing to bet we start with a road game

As long as we start with a divisional opponent, I would be fine with it.

Id rather have home games in Nov, Dec, so we aren't traveling to possible cold weather teams.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Ill bet ya 475,000 ASFN?

I will. What else is there to do with my money.

 

[Shane]

I will. What else is there to do with my money.

Done. Oh and you could bet on vbookies. But u almost never do.

 

[Stout]

Ill bet ya 475,000 ASFN?

No, 'cause then I'd have to actively root for us staring on the road

 

[lauraw]

I can't wait till they say the same thing about how cardinal fans travel so notoriously league-wide...

 

[CardLogic]

we play the packers, colts and vikings at home.

Better than playing against them on the road, don't you think? Also Detroit and Chicago games would figure to be easier wins away from home than Green Bay and Minnesota.

Of course, I figure that we can count on the game vs. Chicago being a late November or December cold weather game.

 

[AzWins23]

When was the last time we played the Colts in Arizona??? It has to be longer than 15 years!