WEBVTT - Big Red Rage - Cardinals Schedule Analysis 0:00:02.080 --> 0:00:05.520 Strap on the boots and scrape up the knuckles ahead. 0:00:05.600 --> 0:00:10.440 He got Jack. This is the Big Red Rain presented 0:00:10.520 --> 0:00:14.800 by Santanford in Gilbert. Harry's Gonna score touchdown. Slam to 0:00:14.880 --> 0:00:17.840 the ground by Buddha Baker Like a torpedo. He came 0:00:18.000 --> 0:00:23.160 flying into the backfield. The rage is brought to you 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:29.040 by satan Ford in Gilbert. Are you Satanford? State Farm? 0:00:29.280 --> 0:00:33.000 Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm. 0:00:33.040 --> 0:00:37.840 And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts Visit Acy Cardinals dot Com, 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:46.720 Slash Podcasts, The Rods Rising Guard, Temperaturizing Vision, flurring Rage, 0:00:46.880 --> 0:00:51.600 taking it over. Here's Paul CALVC, Holly Woods, Holly Wood 0:00:51.840 --> 0:00:54.880 and Ron Will Flint. It doesn't get any better than 0:00:54.960 --> 0:01:00.240 bad Horn. Unleash the far Oh. It is the Big 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:07.720 Red Rage starring No, not you, Wolf, Norman back, not anyone, 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:12.200 starring the two twenty two NFL schedule. That is the 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:16.560 very special guest tonight. And don't say that the schedule 0:01:17.160 --> 0:01:20.080 is hot off the presses. Here in two twenty two, Wolf, 0:01:20.160 --> 0:01:24.320 we say it just dropped. The NFL schedule dropped an 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:28.640 hour ago. And so many questions that need an answer. 0:01:29.240 --> 0:01:32.199 When is the buy? Are there any cold weather games? 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:35.240 How many primetime games? Any primetime games on the road. 0:01:35.280 --> 0:01:36.959 So you're playing late at night and you get back 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:38.480 in the middle of the morning. Are you opening a 0:01:38.760 --> 0:01:40.920 home or on the road? How does a division stack up? 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:43.839 And what about those first six games minus d Hoop? 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.720 Well we now have answers, and the only question left, 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:51.000 Ron Wolfley is whether you can handle the truth. Paully, 0:01:51.080 --> 0:01:52.600 what I want to know right now? What is the 0:01:52.720 --> 0:01:55.840 very first thing when the schedule drops? What is the 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:59.160 very first thing you're looking at, Paul? What is it? 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:03.000 It's it's a little self serving as the sideline pencil 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:05.600 neck guy, the guy who doesn't have who's not afforded 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:08.520 the luxury of a climate controlled booth like you and Pash. 0:02:08.639 --> 0:02:11.600 So I do look at the potential cold weather games. 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:16.200 I'm not the only one, Ronda Fleet, who looks at that. 0:02:16.200 --> 0:02:17.760 A little bit later you're going to hear from a 0:02:17.800 --> 0:02:21.240 former Cardinals quarterback who has the same approach. Actually, and 0:02:21.280 --> 0:02:24.000 so I'm not the only one in that category. So yes, 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:27.680 I do look at what exactly it's going to mean 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:30.399 in terms of packing and whether I'm packing the galoshes, 0:02:30.480 --> 0:02:32.840 the boots. You know, how many layers am I wearing 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:35.200 and taking a quick glance. I'm gonna tell you right now, 0:02:35.480 --> 0:02:37.640 really the only one that stands out in that regard 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:42.520 would be Week fifteen at Denver. But because we remember 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:45.040 back when they recruited Peyton Manning away from the Cardinals 0:02:45.040 --> 0:02:47.880 and other teams, they told Peyton Manning it never snows 0:02:47.880 --> 0:02:51.280 in Denver on a on a Bronco Sunday, you know, 0:02:51.280 --> 0:02:53.480 in the last forty years. So I'm gonna hold John 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:56.040 Elway to that. Well, you know what, honestly, PAULI the 0:02:56.120 --> 0:02:58.400 very first thing I look at, Thanks for asking, Paul. 0:02:58.440 --> 0:03:02.120 The very first thing I look at is where's the bye? 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:06.160 That is number one. That's my first observation. When the 0:03:06.200 --> 0:03:09.919 schedule drops, it's like, oh my goodness, where is the bye? 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:12.520 And there it is, it's week thirteen. Now we're going 0:03:12.560 --> 0:03:14.679 to talk more about this, of course, but that's the 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:17.919 very very first thing I look at. Where is the bye? 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:21.200 That's my first observation. By my second one is we 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:24.639 could actually get this on your forehead. We could actually 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:28.640 print this on your forehead. As big as the schedule is, 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:31.760 it would still be able to be printed on your forehead. 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:35.400 Ball That's observation number two. You know, what's seventeen games? Now, 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:37.320 I think it is too big even for my forehead, 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:40.360 So I'm just gonna stay with that. Now. You certainly 0:03:40.400 --> 0:03:43.080 can't print all two hundred and seventy two games, because 0:03:43.120 --> 0:03:46.160 that's the NFL schedule that dropped just over an hour ago. 0:03:46.760 --> 0:03:48.560 And how about it, I mean, before we get into 0:03:48.600 --> 0:03:51.680 the Cardinals, how about the NFL opener Bills at the Rams. 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:53.840 That'll be on Thursday night of Week one, so they 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:57.880 come out swinging bills boy at the Rams. The NFL 0:03:58.000 --> 0:04:02.320 opener and Week one also include Tammy Tom Brady and 0:04:02.400 --> 0:04:05.200 the Buccaneers going to Dallas. And then how about the 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:08.000 first Monday night game. I mean, the NFL didn't waste 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:11.720 anytime sending Russell Wilson and the Broncos to Seattle in 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:15.920 the first Monday night game. My goodness, Paul, is that affix? 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:18.080 I mean, it is the fix, of course it is, 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:21.279 and it's okay to actually fix it that way. That 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:24.560 is pretty stunning, right there. Cannot wait for that first 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.479 Thursday night game though, Paul. Speaking of that, there are 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:31.120 four primetime games on the Arizona Cardinal schedule. Let that 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:33.800 wash over you Ron Willfully. A year ago Dallas in 0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:37.080 Kansas City set a single season record at least since 0:04:37.120 --> 0:04:41.160 the merger, with a half dozen primetime games apiece. So 0:04:41.320 --> 0:04:43.160 you know how the schedule makers you get your first 0:04:43.160 --> 0:04:45.760 sense of what the NFL thinks of you based on 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:49.080 how many time slots you get in primetime. The Cardinals 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:53.279 get four. Your reaction, yeah, you know, I'm honestly right now, 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:55.719 there is a bit of a dispute going on. But 0:04:55.800 --> 0:04:59.680 I think, PAULI that the max is seven. I think 0:04:59.720 --> 0:05:02.520 that the max right there that you can actually be 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:07.640 scheduled for a nationally televised broadcast. The Cardinals got four. 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:11.160 I know that's much better than what they had last year, 0:05:11.640 --> 0:05:14.159 that much. I do know. They got four this year. 0:05:14.400 --> 0:05:18.159 Five typically is really a good number, I think for 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:20.520 the most part. But we'll take our four and run 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:22.839 because you can always get one flexed as well. And 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.120 you know what else, He'll take three at home and 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:27.400 then the fourth one in Mexico City. So it's gonna 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:29.720 be Thursday night, Week seven at home against the Saints, 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:33.680 Monday night, Week fourteen against the Patriots at home Christmas 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:36.160 Night for the second year in a row, this time 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:39.039 against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers Sunday Night football. And 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.960 then of course the Monday night game Week eleven in 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:45.880 Mexico City against the forty nine ers. So there's that 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:49.320 blew me away Polly right there too. The Christmas Day 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:55.440 game once again Paully against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home. 0:05:56.200 --> 0:06:01.240 That right there, that's that's nice. Cardinals Colts game, by 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:03.120 the way, I'm Christmas Night a year ago was one 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:06.279 of the highest rated NFL regular season games all year. 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:10.040 And now you're gonna have Tom Brady in against Kyler 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:13.480 Murray and the Cardinals. So you know, Belichick against Kingsbury. 0:06:13.560 --> 0:06:16.039 So well, I take that back. I'm sorry Buccaneers and 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:18.760 Tom Brady there on Christmas Night. I'm looking at the fact. 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:21.279 It's a triple header, by the way, on Christmas. So 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:24.320 guess what, NBA, you have competition from the NFL. Now, 0:06:24.480 --> 0:06:27.080 how about that? And then of course you have the opener. 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:28.760 I mean, let's just go right off the top here. 0:06:29.040 --> 0:06:32.479 If you want a marquee matchup, how about Kansas City 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:36.880 Patrick Mahomes against Kyler Murray. Patrick Mahomes against his former 0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:39.960 head coach in Cliff Kingsbury. Yeah, Paully that was the 0:06:40.000 --> 0:06:42.520 other thing that I noticed too. Where is the blood bath? 0:06:42.760 --> 0:06:45.360 I mean, you know that's what you I look for 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:48.560 the buy first, and then where is the blood bath? 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:52.280 And the blood bath? It's a three or four game, 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:55.120 scratch three or four games. It doesn't matter if you're 0:06:55.240 --> 0:06:59.400 home away, it doesn't matter. Where is the tough part 0:06:59.440 --> 0:07:03.839 of your edual. There's a couple of tough scheduling points 0:07:03.839 --> 0:07:07.760 of the season, but right off the bat Kansas City 0:07:08.279 --> 0:07:12.320 at the Raiders and then the Ramps. I think that 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:15.920 is a pretty tough way to actually start a season. 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:19.640 Here's the thing. The Cardinals, at least under Cliff Kingsbury 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:22.720 and at State Farm Stadium since it opened, they have 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:25.920 been really successful. In week one. There are eleven and 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:30.520 five in home openers all time at State Farm Stadium. So, yeah, 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:32.760 that going for you. And then in week two, you're 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:35.760 going to Vegas, You're going to take on another playoff team. 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:38.680 You're making your first ever visit to Allegiance Stadium. Right, 0:07:39.080 --> 0:07:42.320 you're eleventh all time meeting with the Raiders. And then 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:46.920 of course, hello Chandler Jones in that game, Yes, Chandler Jones. 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:49.760 Was that an accident? Paul? Was that an accident of 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:52.400 the Arizona Cardinals are going to play the Raiders that 0:07:52.600 --> 0:07:55.640 early in the season. I really don't think that was 0:07:55.840 --> 0:07:59.200 at all, PAULI. And once again the Kansas City Chiefs, 0:07:59.240 --> 0:08:01.600 this is can I. Lets go back to week one, Paul, 0:08:01.840 --> 0:08:03.960 I want to talk about Week one, the home open 0:08:04.040 --> 0:08:07.640 or September eleventh. Of course, the AFC West and the 0:08:07.760 --> 0:08:10.880 Kansas City Chiefs. This is gonna be the first game 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:14.600 the Kansas City Chiefs are gonna play in twenty twenty 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.800 two without Tyreek Hill. Ye, that and that, Polly. I 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:22.480 can't wait to see what that does to the Kansas 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:24.400 City Chiefs. Are they're really going to go out and 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:27.200 try to run the exact same offense. I think that 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.800 they are. They have some guys they think are run 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:33.200 by guys, they have some speed that they like. There's 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:36.600 no doubt. How is this going to change the Kansas 0:08:36.600 --> 0:08:39.760 City Chief's offense. That's what I've been waiting to see, 0:08:39.800 --> 0:08:43.120 because nobody is going to be able to convince me 0:08:43.480 --> 0:08:46.080 that it's gonna look the same. I want to know 0:08:46.120 --> 0:08:49.960 if they think it's gonna look the same, because Tyreek Hill, 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:55.359 there's one. Tyreek Hill, there's one, and Tyreek Hill impacts 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:58.440 a defense, Polly, as we know, when he doesn't get 0:08:58.480 --> 0:09:05.080 the ball, he's impacting entire defensive game plans when he 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:08.080 doesn't get the ball, let alone when he does run 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:11.360 by somebody and gets the ball. So, how are the 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:13.439 Kansas City Chiefs gonna play? Well, you know what, I'm 0:09:13.440 --> 0:09:16.280 sure they've got an idea, they say, at least Andy Reid, 0:09:16.320 --> 0:09:19.000 if you believe Andy Reid. Andy Reid says, it's not 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:20.679 gonna change us at all. We're gonna go out, We're 0:09:20.679 --> 0:09:24.160 gonna run our offense. Well, that's gonna be really interesting, 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:27.520 and maybe that's not a bad opportunity for the Arizona 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:32.040 Cardinals to possibly jump a Kansas City Chiefs team that's 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:34.880 gonna be trying to find itself, if you know what 0:09:35.000 --> 0:09:37.480 I mean. And if they haven't fixed that defense that 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:41.520 struggled El Grande in the playoffs, that could be a barnburner. 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:43.840 There could be a lot of points on the board. Exactly. 0:09:43.880 --> 0:09:46.280 That's gonna be the first week though, of course, no 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:50.400 DeAndre Hopkins yep. And so you know, in fact, you 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:52.520 look at if he hit zoom out those first six games. 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:54.480 So you got Kansas City in Vegas, you got two 0:09:54.480 --> 0:09:56.920 playoff teams. There, you got the Super Bowl champion Rams 0:09:56.920 --> 0:09:58.959 in week three. See, I was hoping to play the 0:09:59.040 --> 0:10:02.480 last place Seahawk twice in the first six weeks. That 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:05.559 only happened once though. As the Seahawks come in in 0:10:05.600 --> 0:10:08.360 weeks six, you're going to Seattle. But how about week 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:12.199 three you get the Rams. Don't get the Rams at home? 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.720 And guess what, you have a Rams team that a 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:19.200 year ago. In Week four you throttled. And then, of 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:22.240 course we know what happened in the playoffs. So if 0:10:22.280 --> 0:10:24.560 you want a barometer of where you stand, especially in 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.959 your division, obviously here comes Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and 0:10:28.000 --> 0:10:31.720 the Super Bowl champions. Yeah, the defending Super Bowl champions. 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:34.720 And yeah, that's gonna be a great test right there. 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:37.440 I think the offensive line is going to be improved. 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:39.680 I think it's going to be more physical this year. 0:10:39.720 --> 0:10:42.560 I really do believe that. Let's hope everyone is going 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:46.720 to remain healthy. But Will Hernandez as your right guard, 0:10:47.040 --> 0:10:49.080 this is a brawler. This is a guy that's going 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:51.960 to come off the ball. He's gonna fight. Now again, 0:10:52.360 --> 0:10:55.199 you may worry about pass protection from time to time. 0:10:55.200 --> 0:10:58.079 With Will Hernandez. It's what he does struggle with if 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:01.000 he struggles, but the one thing he is good at 0:11:01.200 --> 0:11:03.920 is coming off the ball. Let him eat, Paul That's one, right, 0:11:04.040 --> 0:11:06.400 Can I just say that right now? Week three, let 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:10.880 will Hernandez eat? And then week four at Carolina? And 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.199 remember that Cardinals have lost six in a row to 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:17.120 the Panthers and they are owing two against Matt rule. 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:19.800 So before you chalk that up as an automatic w 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:22.800 in fact, may I say the Cardinal's best chance to 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:25.960 win is if Sam Donald place, unlike a year ago, 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:29.440 right when Sam Donald did not play and you ended 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:31.680 up losing a Cam Newton who came in for a 0:11:31.720 --> 0:11:34.959 couple of those touchdown runs in the game. But so 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:37.600 you get Carolina, that'll be in week four on the road, 0:11:38.000 --> 0:11:41.679 and then you get Philadelphia at home. The Eagles come in, 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:45.120 yet another playoff team in the first part of the season. Yeah, 0:11:45.160 --> 0:11:47.920 there's boy, how about that right there? Who's our quarterback 0:11:47.960 --> 0:11:50.360 going to be a winder Carolina as well? There's a 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:53.040 lot of there's a lot of water that still can 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:56.040 go onto the bridge right here. It's it's a year 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:59.000 to year proposition. I say it every year, Paulie. It 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:02.240 really is what what looks like. Man, this might be 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:05.880 a really tough stretch, might not be that tough based 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:09.160 on what happens in training camp. Who goes down, who 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:13.559 gets hurt, who's lost for the season, who gets suspended? Unfortunately, 0:12:13.640 --> 0:12:16.480 we know that very well, So to me, there's still 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:20.000 an awful lot of unknowns. And how many times do 0:12:20.040 --> 0:12:22.760 you see it, Paul? You see the worst to first, right, 0:12:23.000 --> 0:12:26.280 and the first to worse. You see that happen In 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:29.160 the National Football League, it's a year to year proposition, 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:33.720 So it's always a little dicey making conclusions based on 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:36.160 this schedule. Yeah, by the way, you're gonna get a 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:39.520 j Brown, the new Eagles receiver. You're gonna get Jordan Davis, 0:12:39.520 --> 0:12:42.200 all three hundred forty plus pounds of him, that rookie 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:44.880 defensive tackle out of Georgia who went to the Eagles. 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:47.320 So you have that. And then in weeks six, Wolf 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:52.320 you get the Cardinals earliest visit to Seattle since twenty eleven. Wow, 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:54.679 you're always accustomed to playing him in the second half 0:12:54.679 --> 0:12:56.440 of the season, if not the last two games of 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:59.200 the season at Seattle. So you get your first Divisional 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:02.880 road game six at the last place Seahawks. Well, Paul, 0:13:03.080 --> 0:13:06.319 that right there, that's gonna be a weird situation, isn't it? 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:11.160 Because you always, I I imagine you immediately in the 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:14.960 wet suit. Of course in Seattle, you're always it's up 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:17.640 there and it's nasty and it's rainy, and it's drizzly 0:13:17.720 --> 0:13:19.880 and it's wet. And now all of a sudden, you're 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:23.080 telling me October sixteenth is when they're going up there. 0:13:23.200 --> 0:13:27.200 That is wild. That's the earliest since when Paul two eleven, 0:13:27.320 --> 0:13:30.480 WHOA three? Write this stuff down? Paul, do you know 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:33.120 two eleven? I may or may not be have a 0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:34.559 note on that one, and right in front of me, 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:37.440 maybe I have it too, I just didn't read it. 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:39.480 I will say this though, I do know this one. 0:13:39.480 --> 0:13:41.520 The Cardinals have won five of the last seven games 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:45.000 at Seattle. So I'm sorry Seahawk fans, twelves. I'm going 0:13:45.040 --> 0:13:47.120 to mark that down as a home game actually for 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:51.840 the Cardinals Seattle. Now, why I kick somebody when they're down, Paul, Hey, Yeah. 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:55.800 Season tickets available now. Godacy Cardinals dot com slash season 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:59.640 for more information. That's Kasy Cardinals dot com slash season 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:01.959 for more info. I'll see if maybe I can get 0:14:02.000 --> 0:14:04.640 the at Seattle game thrown in as a bonus home game. 0:14:05.000 --> 0:14:09.720 We'll see about that. But look, Wolf, getting back to 0:14:09.760 --> 0:14:13.079 your point about no d hop. You know up teams 0:14:13.080 --> 0:14:15.800 that start O and two to begin a season, and 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:17.800 you got the Chiefs and Raiders out of the gate. 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:20.560 Less than ten percent of the teams that start O 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:24.720 and two make the playoffs. That's the stat in recent 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:28.840 NFL history. So the Cardinals are gonna need everything they 0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:31.000 can do to come out of the gates like they 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.040 have the last couple of years, especially last year under 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:35.600 Cliff Kingsbury. And by the way, the Cardinals, speaking of 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:37.680 the Seahawks, at least they don't travel as many miles 0:14:37.680 --> 0:14:40.680 as a Seahawks. They're going to travel nearly thirty thousand 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:43.640 miles this year and change time zones thirty four times 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:46.400 the Seahawks. The Steelers are just going to travel about 0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:48.960 sixty five hundred miles and aren't even gonna leave the 0:14:48.960 --> 0:14:53.080 Eastern time zone. We're just getting rolling on a big 0:14:53.080 --> 0:15:00.320 red rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert threw a 0:15:00.360 --> 0:15:03.120 shot into the end zone here Johnson and the lead 0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:05.200 of the last Bowl of the Fitzgeralder right time at 0:15:05.240 --> 0:15:08.520 Ajeel back to help protect Josh mccount than one of 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:10.880 the seventeen and count back to twelve and along in 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:14.080 the end zone far side, Fitzjoel goes up to forty 0:15:14.320 --> 0:15:19.280 summer Larry Fitzgerald for the second of the year. Dave 0:15:19.320 --> 0:15:21.560 Pash sprung that one on us. Did he not? Ron Wolf? 0:15:21.560 --> 0:15:24.080 He caught you by surprise and earhold you with the 0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:26.960 rolling of the RS two thousand and five in Mexico City, 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:29.200 did he not? It's not the first time, Paul, and 0:15:29.240 --> 0:15:32.120 it won't be the last. Man, I tell you, I'm 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:34.680 looking forward to that trip. I really am. I still 0:15:34.720 --> 0:15:38.200 consider that a top three road trip we've ever done 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:40.880 in our nearly two decades, right as part of the 0:15:40.920 --> 0:15:43.800 Cardinals broadcast team. I'm looking forward to going back. And 0:15:43.840 --> 0:15:47.040 it's just a great scene of great fibe, the energy 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:50.400 of one hundred thousand plus fans in that stadium, and 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:54.440 it's gonna be a division game against the forty nine ers. Yes, no, 0:15:54.560 --> 0:15:58.040 it's gonna be huge, PAULI seriously, the energy in that stadium, 0:15:59.000 --> 0:16:01.480 it was something shold to behold and it's going to 0:16:01.560 --> 0:16:04.640 be great going back. And so there you go. We're 0:16:04.720 --> 0:16:07.320 going through the Cardinal schedule. It dropped just over an 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:10.760 hour ago, and the Cardinals. We went through the first 0:16:10.800 --> 0:16:13.640 six games, Kansas City at home to open the season 0:16:13.720 --> 0:16:16.560 at the Raiders, Week three back at home against the Rams, 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:19.560 and at Carolina home against the Eagles. In Week five 0:16:19.720 --> 0:16:23.520 at Seattle, the earliest in over a decade. You're going 0:16:23.560 --> 0:16:26.520 to Seattle in week six, and then week seven Wolf 0:16:26.800 --> 0:16:30.040 New Orleans comes to town, and you know, you think 0:16:30.120 --> 0:16:32.520 of the Saints. You're thinking of a team that had 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:36.480 made the playoffs four straight years until last year started 0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:39.800 five and two last year minus Drew Brees, Jamis Winston. 0:16:40.400 --> 0:16:43.440 Winston had them rolling and then he suffered the knee 0:16:43.440 --> 0:16:46.960 injury in Game seven. They lost four straight. With Trevor Simeon, 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:50.000 they ended up using four different quarterbacks. Boom, they were 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:52.480 bounced out of the playoffs in the final week. Yeah, Paully, 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:54.920 you know, looking at week seven on first of all, 0:16:54.960 --> 0:16:58.040 I love the fact that starting week seven that is 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:01.560 the Thursday night game. Of course, yep, that's the mini bye, Paul. 0:17:02.080 --> 0:17:05.480 That's nice to have right there. Week seven, the mini bye, 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:09.600 and then of course week thirteen, six weeks later, you 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:12.600 get the actual buy. I kind of like that, Paulie. 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:15.679 There's a little breathing room there, it is. You're right. 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:18.320 The locker room will view it that way. They'll view 0:17:18.359 --> 0:17:21.960 it as almost a pair of bye weekends. And so 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:24.600 you're absolutely right. And the Thursday night, especially when you 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:28.200 have it at home. Yes, And I can't remember knock 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:32.040 on Wood the last Thursday night road game the Cardinals 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:35.760 have played. So they're gonna get Dennis Allen in a 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:39.840 new head coach, their former defensive coordinator. Five brand new 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:43.639 head coaches on the Cardinals schedule this year. Think about that. 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:48.159 Todd Bowls, Dennis Allen, Nathaniel Hackett, Josh McDaniels, and Kevin O'Connell. Now, 0:17:48.200 --> 0:17:50.879 Todd Bowls and Josh McDaniels obviously have been head coaches before, 0:17:51.400 --> 0:17:53.760 but you know, you get some of these teams earlier 0:17:53.760 --> 0:17:56.960 in the season, maybe they still don't have that familiarity. 0:17:57.200 --> 0:17:58.920 So there you go. It's gonna be the Saints at 0:17:58.920 --> 0:18:02.280 home in Week seven, and then you're going two Minnesota 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:05.600 week eight to take on the Vikings and Kevin O'Connell 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:07.640 as their new head coach. Yeah, paul, you know, it's 0:18:07.680 --> 0:18:10.639 interesting because when you look at the first six weeks, 0:18:10.680 --> 0:18:13.840 of course, and then you look at the next six weeks, 0:18:14.119 --> 0:18:16.720 and then we'll look at the last six weeks up in, Polly, 0:18:17.160 --> 0:18:19.880 what do you think is the most difficult six week 0:18:20.200 --> 0:18:22.680 stretch for the Cardinals when you look at it, Because 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:25.959 I think this the second part, starting with the New 0:18:26.040 --> 0:18:29.320 Orleans Saints on Thursday nights, I think this might be 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:33.600 the easiest stretch of the season. I'm not listen, nothing 0:18:34.040 --> 0:18:36.240 is easy, and you know what I'm saying, Polly, and 0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:39.000 you can't bank on anything because you know it's a 0:18:39.080 --> 0:18:41.879 year to year proposition. But as we look at it 0:18:42.000 --> 0:18:45.520 right now this day, it looks like to me the 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:48.800 middle six weeks might be the easiest stretch they have. 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:51.359 It might be in terms of degree of difficulty, but 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:55.280 in terms of importance. You're going to get DeAndre Hopkins back, obviously, 0:18:55.400 --> 0:18:58.679 starting with that Thursday night game against the New Orleans Saints, 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:02.480 and then to go out this second stretch of six games, 0:19:02.840 --> 0:19:06.920 you have three straight division opponents, right well, you have Seattle, 0:19:06.920 --> 0:19:09.000 the ram San Francisco, and then you get the Chargers 0:19:09.000 --> 0:19:11.359 after that, and the Chargers and they look to be 0:19:11.440 --> 0:19:13.600 high powered. So I mean it's one of the reasons. 0:19:13.720 --> 0:19:17.600 The Cardinals have this second most difficult strength of schedule, 0:19:18.040 --> 0:19:20.040 and I know how that works. Ye year, half the 0:19:20.040 --> 0:19:22.000 playoff teams are brand new, and so a lot of 0:19:22.000 --> 0:19:24.919 times that metric doesn't hold water. But when you're in 0:19:24.960 --> 0:19:28.679 the NFC West and you're playing the AFC West, and 0:19:28.720 --> 0:19:31.520 then you're playing teams outside the division who made the 0:19:31.520 --> 0:19:33.760 playoffs last year, like the Eagles who got a lot 0:19:33.760 --> 0:19:36.879 better in the offseason, and a Patriots team that is 0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:39.159 always prepared. You know that better than anyone. With your 0:19:39.160 --> 0:19:42.240 former head coach Bill Belichicks, you know, yes, I mean, 0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:46.879 this is a tough schedule and it is, Paul, But 0:19:47.200 --> 0:19:50.560 I you know, once again, the middle stretch here, they 0:19:50.600 --> 0:19:53.720 have four of their six games at home. Not no, 0:19:53.880 --> 0:19:56.320 I know. Oh boy, they were a great road team 0:19:56.400 --> 0:19:59.440 last year, and they didn't really play that well at home. 0:19:59.480 --> 0:20:01.359 As a matter in fact, there were some five hundred 0:20:01.359 --> 0:20:04.120 at home Wolf, And I understand that, Paul. I don't 0:20:04.160 --> 0:20:07.560 expect that to be the norm. I just don't. I'm 0:20:07.680 --> 0:20:11.640 looking at that as though that was an anomaly last year. 0:20:11.800 --> 0:20:15.240 Most teams. It's something that has proven over and over 0:20:15.240 --> 0:20:18.160 and over most teams in the NFL. They play better 0:20:18.240 --> 0:20:20.119 at home than they do on the rug. Would you 0:20:20.119 --> 0:20:23.880 agree with that statement, Paul yep okay, So, having said 0:20:23.920 --> 0:20:27.960 that four of those games are home games Thursday night 0:20:27.960 --> 0:20:30.919 in New Orleans Saints, then you host Seattle, then you 0:20:30.960 --> 0:20:33.800 have San Francisco, and then the Chargers, and that's going 0:20:33.880 --> 0:20:36.199 to be a tough one right there, no doubt. And 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:39.800 you know what, the only early Eastern time zone game 0:20:39.920 --> 0:20:43.320 on this schedule is at Atlanta, but that's Week seventeen, 0:20:43.440 --> 0:20:46.040 so there's only a two hour time difference at that point. 0:20:46.200 --> 0:20:49.480 So you don't have the dreaded ten am Eastern kickoff 0:20:49.600 --> 0:20:52.840 on this schedule this year, although that hasn't been nearly 0:20:52.840 --> 0:20:55.040 as much a factor with Cliff Kingsbury because we know 0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:56.639 he's an early riser and a lot of what the 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:59.320 Cardinals do is early in the morning, and they seemingly 0:20:59.359 --> 0:21:02.280 have been prepared the last three years under coach Cliff. 0:21:02.320 --> 0:21:05.440 In that regard Week eight at Minnesota, we know last 0:21:05.480 --> 0:21:08.520 year's game went down to the wire, eight lead changes, 0:21:08.720 --> 0:21:11.199 Cardinals won thirty four thirty three, and the missfield goal 0:21:11.359 --> 0:21:15.080 nearly nine hundred total yards in that game. And keep 0:21:15.080 --> 0:21:16.880 in mind the home team in this series, Wolf, I'm 0:21:16.880 --> 0:21:18.880 looking to this stat has won eight in a row 0:21:19.440 --> 0:21:22.600 in this series Cardinals and Vikings. So the Cardinal's gonna 0:21:22.600 --> 0:21:26.080 try and obviously break that trend. Yeah, no, Polly, I 0:21:26.119 --> 0:21:28.760 know that's It's also two kind of weird when you 0:21:28.800 --> 0:21:31.919