Out of the way Kobe and Steph, the NFL dropped its full 2016 schedule Thursday night and now that’s all anyone is going to talk about for the next 24 hours. So, while we all dig in to find out how tough our favorite team’s road to the Super Bowl might be, let’s pick out some of the most interesting takeaways right off the bat. Or ball, as it were.
The Inevitable Super Bowl Rematch
Peyton Manning isn’t walking through that door but Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will get another crack at the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos right away as the very-first game of the season on Thursday, September 8. The Panthers will have had all offseason to percolate over the Broncos’ success and watch them bask in the spoils of victory. Maybe it won’t be quite the same but the revenge factor will be extremely high.
The Equally-Interesting Championship Game Loser Showdown
The New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals were last season’s also-rans. Both made it to their respective conference championship games but both lost and had to spend the offseason wondering what could have been. They’ll get the chance to take out their frustrations on one another. Added wrinkle, the Pats traded Chandler Jones to the Cardinals after the season and perhaps the defensive lineman is looking for some payback.
Los Angeles State of Mind
There will be a Los Angeles Rams home game for the first time since 1994 when the former St. Louis franchise christens their new-old home with a September 18 game against the Seattle Seahawks. Head coaches Jeff Fisher and Pete Carroll are also in for a bit of a homecoming as the game will be played in USC’s LA Coliseum, the Ram’s home until their new stadium is built.
RGIII Returns to Washington
What in the world will the reaction be like when Robert Griffin III takes the field in Washington, D.C. wearing a Cleveland Browns uniform? What will it be like when Kirk Cousins and RGIII see one another before the game? It’s going to be a media circus so grab your popcorn on September 29.
Probably Not Your Year, Dolphins or Jets.
The Miami Dolphins are the kind of team that needs a good start to set the tone for a playoff run. The early schedule does them no favors as they open on the road vs. the Seahawks and Patriots before returning home to play the Browns and then going back out on the road to take on the Bengals. Three road games against playoff teams to kick off the season. Woof. Meanwhile, the Jets will have to go on the road in four of their first six games and five of those games are against playoff teams. The “easy” game during that stretch is a Thursday night showdown in a short week against the Buffalo Bills, a team that swept them last season.
Little Love For The Browns or Jags
Johnny Manziel was a massive headache and liability but he made the Browns must-see TV. Now that he’s gone, there isn’t that much interest in the moribund franchise and for now Cleveland has only one primetime games in 2016, a Thursday tilt versus the Ravens on NFL Network. That could change with the flex schedule and the possibility of RGIII surprises or shenanigans, however. The Jaguars join them with only one primetime game scheduled, also a Thursday nighter on NFLN.
Rack Up The Frequent Flyer Miles
Five teams (Atlanta, Carolina, San Francisco, Miami and Oakland) will be playing in back-to-back cross-country games. This is actually on purpose as teams have asked for long trips to be paired so the team can simply stay in one location for longer time and practice rather than shuffle back and forth across the country multiple times. It also helps cut down on accommodation and facility rental headaches.
Hoping To Avoid A Mexico Malaise
After the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans play in Mexico on Monday, November 21, both teams receive home games the following week. This is actually on purpose as the league wants to try it’s best to protect players recovering from altitude issues, not to mention make it easy in case there’s any kind issues moving equipment back and forth via customs.
Seahawks, Cowboys, and Panthers Take it Easy
The schedule makers made it a little bit easier on three NFC favorites with schedules that have plenty of soft spots. Dallas “should” be able to start the season 4-0, same goes for the Seahawks, and assuming the Panthers can get some revenge on the Broncos in week one, there’s a realistic chance they could be leading the conference once more by the time their bye week comes around in week seven.
Steelers vs. Ravens No Longer Primetime-Worthy
For the first time since 2006, neither of the showdowns between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will be primetime games. To be fair, the NFL saved the second meeting for Christmas Day, so it still knows that interest will be high in this rival slugfest, but perhaps it signals a changing of the guard. Meanwhile, it’s the 10th-straight year that the Eagles – Cowboys get at least one primetime game.
