Schedule release reaction

By: Josh Frey-Sam

The NFL schedule release feels like an early Christmas to me.

Here are some quick bites on things I noticed about every team’s schedule:

Arizona - Eased into the year nicely, but has a brutal second half of the season.

Atlanta - Has four different sets of back-to-back road games. Thankfully, it’s not a treacherous road schedule.

Baltimore- Has two three-game stretches at home and a three-game stretch on the road.

Buffalo - Tough opener, but Buffalo is set up for success.

Carolina - Doesn’t excite me. One primetime game, in Week 12.

Chicago - Critical schedule in the middle of the season. A few favourable home games, and some really difficult road games.

Cincinnati - A pair of tough road back-to-backs. In Minnesota and Denver, then in Baltimore and Buffalo.

Cleveland - Tough first six weeks. On the road for four, including three in a row (one in London), while their two home games are Cincy and Green Bay.

Dallas - Weeks 12-17… buckle up.

Denver - Lots of travel early on.

Detroit - That road schedule is gross. Home games will be as important as ever.

Green Bay- Two huge home games to open the season.

Houston - Possibly set up to end the season strong.

Indianapolis - There’s opportunity in the first half of the season if their QBs don’t suck.

Jacksonville - If the Jags can weather the first half, they can really do some damage in the second half.

Kansas City - Eight stand-alone games. No surprise.

Las Vegas - The Geno Smith era could get off to a slow start.

Rams - Schedule sets up to get hot in the second half

Chargers - This team will enter the playoffs battle-tested if they survive December.

Miami - Have to travel to the Jets, Steelers and Patriots in December.

Minnesota - Get ready to see a lot of Vikings football. Seven stand-alone games.

New England - There is a legitimate chance the Patriots are entering their Week 5 matchup in Buffalo on SNF 4-0.

New Orleans - No primetime games.

Giants - The upside? Most of their toughest games are at home. The downside? This entire schedule looks like a gauntlet. Week 15 Jaxson Dart?

Jets - After Pittsburgh in Week 1, things could go south in a hurry.

Philadelphia - Tough schedule overall, but the second half is just disgusting.

Pittsburgh - Why does this team have FIVE stand-alone games!?

San Francisco - Six of first nine games on the road. If they survive that, look out for the Niners down the stretch.

Seattle - Two Thursday night games, but looks like a relatively favourable draw overall.

Tampa Bay - Doesn’t look like an overly difficult schedule at first blush. Toughest stretch comes Weeks 10-11 on the road in Buffalo and Los Angeles.

Tennessee - Very tough start for Cam Ward. Four of the first six games are on the road, including three straight from Weeks 4-6.

Washington - Has four different games against teams coming off a bye (most in the league).

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh