Big Red Rage - Cardinals Schedule Analysis

And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts Visit Acy Cardinals dot Com, Slash Podcasts, The Rods Rising Guard, Temperaturizing Vision, flurring Rage, taking it over. Here's Paul CALVC, Holly Woods, Holly Wood and Ron Will Flint. It doesn't get any better than bad Horn. Unleash the far Oh. It is the Big Red Rage starring No, not you, Wolf, Norman back, not anyone, starring the two twenty two NFL schedule. That is the very special guest tonight. And don't say that the schedule

is hot off the presses. Here in two twenty two, Wolf, we say it just dropped. The NFL schedule dropped an hour ago. And so many questions that need an answer. When is the buy? Are there any cold weather games? How many primetime games? Any primetime games on the road. So you're playing late at night and you get back in the middle of the morning. Are you opening a home or on the road? How does a division stack up? And what about those first six games minus d Hoop?

Well we now have answers, and the only question left, Ron Wolfley is whether you can handle the truth. Paully, what I want to know right now? What is the very first thing when the schedule drops? What is the very first thing you're looking at, Paul? What is it? It's it's a little self serving as the sideline pencil neck guy, the guy who doesn't have who's not afforded the luxury of a climate controlled booth like you and Pash. So I do look at the potential cold weather games.

I'm not the only one, Ronda Fleet, who looks at that. A little bit later you're going to hear from a former Cardinals quarterback who has the same approach. Actually, and so I'm not the only one in that category. So yes, I do look at what exactly it's going to mean in terms of packing and whether I'm packing the galoshes, the boots. You know, how many layers am I wearing and taking a quick glance. I'm gonna tell you right now, really the only one that stands out in that regard

would be Week fifteen at Denver. But because we remember back when they recruited Peyton Manning away from the Cardinals and other teams, they told Peyton Manning it never snows in Denver on a on a Bronco Sunday, you know, in the last forty years. So I'm gonna hold John Elway to that. Well, you know what, honestly, PAULI the very first thing I look at, Thanks for asking, Paul. The very first thing I look at is where's the bye?

That is number one. That's my first observation. When the schedule drops, it's like, oh my goodness, where is the bye? And there it is, it's week thirteen. Now we're going to talk more about this, of course, but that's the very very first thing I look at. Where is the bye? That's my first observation. By my second one is we could actually get this on your forehead. We could actually print this on your forehead. As big as the schedule is, it would still be able to be printed on your forehead.

Ball That's observation number two. You know, what's seventeen games? Now, I think it is too big even for my forehead, So I'm just gonna stay with that. Now. You certainly can't print all two hundred and seventy two games, because that's the NFL schedule that dropped just over an hour ago. And how about it, I mean, before we get into the Cardinals, how about the NFL opener Bills at the Rams. That'll be on Thursday night of Week one, so they

come out swinging bills boy at the Rams. The NFL opener and Week one also include Tammy Tom Brady and the Buccaneers going to Dallas. And then how about the first Monday night game. I mean, the NFL didn't waste anytime sending Russell Wilson and the Broncos to Seattle in the first Monday night game. My goodness, Paul, is that affix? I mean, it is the fix, of course it is, and it's okay to actually fix it that way. That is pretty stunning, right there. Cannot wait for that first

Thursday night game though, Paul. Speaking of that, there are four primetime games on the Arizona Cardinal schedule. Let that wash over you Ron Willfully. A year ago Dallas in Kansas City set a single season record at least since the merger, with a half dozen primetime games apiece. So you know how the schedule makers you get your first sense of what the NFL thinks of you based on how many time slots you get in primetime. The Cardinals

get four. Your reaction, yeah, you know, I'm honestly right now, there is a bit of a dispute going on. But I think, PAULI that the max is seven. I think that the max right there that you can actually be scheduled for a nationally televised broadcast. The Cardinals got four. I know that's much better than what they had last year, that much. I do know. They got four this year. Five typically is really a good number, I think for the most part. But we'll take our four and run

because you can always get one flexed as well. And you know what else, He'll take three at home and then the fourth one in Mexico City. So it's gonna be Thursday night, Week seven at home against the Saints, Monday night, Week fourteen against the Patriots at home Christmas Night for the second year in a row, this time against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers Sunday Night football. And then of course the Monday night game Week eleven in Mexico City against the forty nine ers. So there's that

blew me away Polly right there too. The Christmas Day game once again Paully against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home. That right there, that's that's nice. Cardinals Colts game, by the way, I'm Christmas Night a year ago was one of the highest rated NFL regular season games all year. And now you're gonna have Tom Brady in against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. So you know, Belichick against Kingsbury. So well, I take that back. I'm sorry Buccaneers and

Tom Brady there on Christmas Night. I'm looking at the fact. It's a triple header, by the way, on Christmas. So guess what, NBA, you have competition from the NFL. Now, how about that? And then of course you have the opener. I mean, let's just go right off the top here. If you want a marquee matchup, how about Kansas City Patrick Mahomes against Kyler Murray. Patrick Mahomes against his former head coach in Cliff Kingsbury. Yeah, Paully that was the

other thing that I noticed too. Where is the blood bath? I mean, you know that's what you I look for the buy first, and then where is the blood bath? And the blood bath? It's a three or four game, scratch three or four games. It doesn't matter if you're home away, it doesn't matter. Where is the tough part of your edual. There's a couple of tough scheduling points of the season, but right off the bat Kansas City

at the Raiders and then the Ramps. I think that is a pretty tough way to actually start a season. Here's the thing. The Cardinals, at least under Cliff Kingsbury and at State Farm Stadium since it opened, they have been really successful. In week one. There are eleven and five in home openers all time at State Farm Stadium. So, yeah, that going for you. And then in week two, you're going to Vegas, You're going to take on another playoff team.

You're making your first ever visit to Allegiance Stadium. Right, you're eleventh all time meeting with the Raiders. And then of course, hello Chandler Jones in that game, Yes, Chandler Jones. Was that an accident? Paul? Was that an accident of the Arizona Cardinals are going to play the Raiders that early in the season. I really don't think that was at all, PAULI. And once again the Kansas City Chiefs, this is can I. Lets go back to week one, Paul, I want to talk about Week one, the home open

or September eleventh. Of course, the AFC West and the Kansas City Chiefs. This is gonna be the first game the Kansas City Chiefs are gonna play in twenty twenty two without Tyreek Hill. Ye, that and that, Polly. I can't wait to see what that does to the Kansas City Chiefs. Are they're really going to go out and try to run the exact same offense. I think that they are. They have some guys they think are run by guys, they have some speed that they like. There's

no doubt. How is this going to change the Kansas City Chief's offense. That's what I've been waiting to see, because nobody is going to be able to convince me that it's gonna look the same. I want to know if they think it's gonna look the same, because Tyreek Hill, there's one. Tyreek Hill, there's one, and Tyreek Hill impacts a defense, Polly, as we know, when he doesn't get the ball, he's impacting entire defensive game plans when he doesn't get the ball, let alone when he does run

by somebody and gets the ball. So, how are the Kansas City Chiefs gonna play? Well, you know what, I'm sure they've got an idea, they say, at least Andy Reid, if you believe Andy Reid. Andy Reid says, it's not gonna change us at all. We're gonna go out, We're gonna run our offense. Well, that's gonna be really interesting, and maybe that's not a bad opportunity for the Arizona Cardinals to possibly jump a Kansas City Chiefs team that's gonna be trying to find itself, if you know what

I mean. And if they haven't fixed that defense that struggled El Grande in the playoffs, that could be a barnburner. There could be a lot of points on the board. Exactly. That's gonna be the first week though, of course, no DeAndre Hopkins yep. And so you know, in fact, you look at if he hit zoom out those first six games. So you got Kansas City in Vegas, you got two playoff teams. There, you got the Super Bowl champion Rams in week three. See, I was hoping to play the

last place Seahawk twice in the first six weeks. That only happened once though. As the Seahawks come in in weeks six, you're going to Seattle. But how about week three you get the Rams. Don't get the Rams at home? And guess what, you have a Rams team that a year ago. In Week four you throttled. And then, of course we know what happened in the playoffs. So if you want a barometer of where you stand, especially in your division, obviously here comes Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and

the Super Bowl champions. Yeah, the defending Super Bowl champions. And yeah, that's gonna be a great test right there. I think the offensive line is going to be improved. I think it's going to be more physical this year. I really do believe that. Let's hope everyone is going to remain healthy. But Will Hernandez as your right guard, this is a brawler. This is a guy that's going to come off the ball. He's gonna fight. Now again, you may worry about pass protection from time to time.

With Will Hernandez. It's what he does struggle with if he struggles, but the one thing he is good at is coming off the ball. Let him eat, Paul That's one, right, Can I just say that right now? Week three, let will Hernandez eat? And then week four at Carolina? And remember that Cardinals have lost six in a row to the Panthers and they are owing two against Matt rule.

So before you chalk that up as an automatic w in fact, may I say the Cardinal's best chance to win is if Sam Donald place, unlike a year ago, right when Sam Donald did not play and you ended up losing a Cam Newton who came in for a couple of those touchdown runs in the game. But so you get Carolina, that'll be in week four on the road, and then you get Philadelphia at home. The Eagles come in, yet another playoff team in the first part of the season. Yeah,

there's boy, how about that right there? Who's our quarterback going to be a winder Carolina as well? There's a lot of there's a lot of water that still can go onto the bridge right here. It's it's a year to year proposition. I say it every year, Paulie. It really is what what looks like. Man, this might be a really tough stretch, might not be that tough based on what happens in training camp. Who goes down, who

gets hurt, who's lost for the season, who gets suspended? Unfortunately, we know that very well, So to me, there's still an awful lot of unknowns. And how many times do you see it, Paul? You see the worst to first, right, and the first to worse. You see that happen In the National Football League, it's a year to year proposition, So it's always a little dicey making conclusions based on this schedule. Yeah, by the way, you're gonna get a

j Brown, the new Eagles receiver. You're gonna get Jordan Davis, all three hundred forty plus pounds of him, that rookie defensive tackle out of Georgia who went to the Eagles. So you have that. And then in weeks six, Wolf you get the Cardinals earliest visit to Seattle since twenty eleven. Wow, you're always accustomed to playing him in the second half of the season, if not the last two games of the season at Seattle. So you get your first Divisional

road game six at the last place Seahawks. Well, Paul, that right there, that's gonna be a weird situation, isn't it? Because you always, I I imagine you immediately in the wet suit. Of course in Seattle, you're always it's up there and it's nasty and it's rainy, and it's drizzly and it's wet. And now all of a sudden, you're telling me October sixteenth is when they're going up there. That is wild. That's the earliest since when Paul two eleven,

WHOA three? Write this stuff down? Paul, do you know two eleven? I may or may not be have a note on that one, and right in front of me, maybe I have it too, I just didn't read it. I will say this though, I do know this one. The Cardinals have won five of the last seven games at Seattle. So I'm sorry Seahawk fans, twelves. I'm going to mark that down as a home game actually for the Cardinals Seattle. Now, why I kick somebody when they're down, Paul, Hey, Yeah.

Season tickets available now. Godacy Cardinals dot com slash season for more information. That's Kasy Cardinals dot com slash season for more info. I'll see if maybe I can get the at Seattle game thrown in as a bonus home game. We'll see about that. But look, Wolf, getting back to your point about no d hop. You know up teams that start O and two to begin a season, and you got the Chiefs and Raiders out of the gate. Less than ten percent of the teams that start O

and two make the playoffs. That's the stat in recent NFL history. So the Cardinals are gonna need everything they can do to come out of the gates like they have the last couple of years, especially last year under Cliff Kingsbury. And by the way, the Cardinals, speaking of the Seahawks, at least they don't travel as many miles as a Seahawks. They're going to travel nearly thirty thousand miles this year and change time zones thirty four times

the Seahawks. The Steelers are just going to travel about sixty five hundred miles and aren't even gonna leave the Eastern time zone. We're just getting rolling on a big red rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert threw a shot into the end zone here Johnson and the lead of the last Bowl of the Fitzgeralder right time at Ajeel back to help protect Josh mccount than one of the seventeen and count back to twelve and along in the end zone far side, Fitzjoel goes up to forty

summer Larry Fitzgerald for the second of the year. Dave Pash sprung that one on us. Did he not? Ron Wolf? He caught you by surprise and earhold you with the rolling of the RS two thousand and five in Mexico City, did he not? It's not the first time, Paul, and it won't be the last. Man, I tell you, I'm looking forward to that trip. I really am. I still consider that a top three road trip we've ever done in our nearly two decades, right as part of the

Cardinals broadcast team. I'm looking forward to going back. And it's just a great scene of great fibe, the energy of one hundred thousand plus fans in that stadium, and it's gonna be a division game against the forty nine ers. Yes, no, it's gonna be huge, PAULI seriously, the energy in that stadium, it was something shold to behold and it's going to be great going back. And so there you go. We're going through the Cardinal schedule. It dropped just over an

hour ago, and the Cardinals. We went through the first six games, Kansas City at home to open the season at the Raiders, Week three back at home against the Rams, and at Carolina home against the Eagles. In Week five at Seattle, the earliest in over a decade. You're going to Seattle in week six, and then week seven Wolf New Orleans comes to town, and you know, you think

of the Saints. You're thinking of a team that had made the playoffs four straight years until last year started five and two last year minus Drew Brees, Jamis Winston. Winston had them rolling and then he suffered the knee injury in Game seven. They lost four straight. With Trevor Simeon, they ended up using four different quarterbacks. Boom, they were

bounced out of the playoffs in the final week. Yeah, Paully, you know, looking at week seven on first of all, I love the fact that starting week seven that is the Thursday night game. Of course, yep, that's the mini bye, Paul. That's nice to have right there. Week seven, the mini bye, and then of course week thirteen, six weeks later, you get the actual buy. I kind of like that, Paulie. There's a little breathing room there, it is. You're right.

The locker room will view it that way. They'll view it as almost a pair of bye weekends. And so you're absolutely right. And the Thursday night, especially when you have it at home. Yes, And I can't remember knock on Wood the last Thursday night road game the Cardinals have played. So they're gonna get Dennis Allen in a new head coach, their former defensive coordinator. Five brand new head coaches on the Cardinals schedule this year. Think about that.

Todd Bowls, Dennis Allen, Nathaniel Hackett, Josh McDaniels, and Kevin O'Connell. Now, Todd Bowls and Josh McDaniels obviously have been head coaches before, but you know, you get some of these teams earlier in the season, maybe they still don't have that familiarity. So there you go. It's gonna be the Saints at home in Week seven, and then you're going two Minnesota week eight to take on the Vikings and Kevin O'Connell

as their new head coach. Yeah, paul, you know, it's interesting because when you look at the first six weeks, of course, and then you look at the next six weeks, and then we'll look at the last six weeks up in, Polly, what do you think is the most difficult six week stretch for the Cardinals when you look at it, Because I think this the second part, starting with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday nights, I think this might be

the easiest stretch of the season. I'm not listen, nothing is easy, and you know what I'm saying, Polly, and you can't bank on anything because you know it's a year to year proposition. But as we look at it right now this day, it looks like to me the middle six weeks might be the easiest stretch they have. It might be in terms of degree of difficulty, but

in terms of importance. You're going to get DeAndre Hopkins back, obviously, starting with that Thursday night game against the New Orleans Saints, and then to go out this second stretch of six games, you have three straight division opponents, right well, you have Seattle, the ram San Francisco, and then you get the Chargers after that, and the Chargers and they look to be high powered. So I mean it's one of the reasons. The Cardinals have this second most difficult strength of schedule,

and I know how that works. Ye year, half the playoff teams are brand new, and so a lot of times that metric doesn't hold water. But when you're in the NFC West and you're playing the AFC West, and then you're playing teams outside the division who made the playoffs last year, like the Eagles who got a lot better in the offseason, and a Patriots team that is

always prepared. You know that better than anyone. With your former head coach Bill Belichicks, you know, yes, I mean, this is a tough schedule and it is, Paul, But I you know, once again, the middle stretch here, they have four of their six games at home. Not no, I know. Oh boy, they were a great road team last year, and they didn't really play that well at home. As a matter in fact, there were some five hundred at home Wolf, And I understand that, Paul. I don't

expect that to be the norm. I just don't. I'm looking at that as though that was an anomaly last year. Most teams. It's something that has proven over and over and over most teams in the NFL. They play better at home than they do on the rug. Would you agree with that statement, Paul yep okay, So, having said that four of those games are home games Thursday night in New Orleans Saints, then you host Seattle, then you have San Francisco, and then the Chargers, and that's going

to be a tough one right there, no doubt. And you know what, the only early Eastern time zone game on this schedule is at Atlanta, but that's Week seventeen, so there's only a two hour time difference at that point.

So you don't have the dreaded ten am Eastern kickoff on this schedule this year, although that hasn't been nearly as much a factor with Cliff Kingsbury because we know he's an early riser and a lot of what the Cardinals do is early in the morning, and they seemingly have been prepared the last three years under coach Cliff. In that regard Week eight at Minnesota, we know last year's game went down to the wire, eight lead changes, Cardinals won thirty four thirty three, and the missfield goal

nearly nine hundred total yards in that game. And keep in mind the home team in this series, Wolf, I'm looking to this stat has won eight in a row in this series Cardinals and Vikings. So the Cardinal's gonna try and obviously break that trend. Yeah, no, Polly, I know that's It's also two kind of weird when you look at the schedule in its totality, Polly, because they only have what two East Coast games? They only have two at Carolina and at the Atlanta Falcons as well.

The Atlanta Falcons. My goodness, that right there, Paul, seems very genuous as well generous. I should say, all right, Seattle, you get the Seahawks at home, and that's gonna be in week nine, and we know what the Cardinals have done to the Seahawks in Seattle. The Seahawks have done to the Cardinals in the a Z, including the season finale in the regular season last year. Bad. It's their first year, first time in a decade without Russell Wilson. So I don't know if anybody really fears Drew Locke

or Gino Smith. But you have Seattle coming to town and then week ten at the Rams Wolf car So well, that's going to be rough right there. That that is going to be rough. You'll imagine that's going to be a very very tough situation. You never know who's going to be healthy. Once again, you never know how the Rams season is going. But as we look at it today, that one looks like that's going to be a very very difficult game. It's interesting because do you think the

Saints are going to roll? As we look at this middle part of the season, do you think the Saints are going to roll? I think that's a winnable game. The Minnesota Vikings, I think that's a winnable game. The Seattlecahawks at home. I think that's winnable. Here is the monster to me, the November thirteenth on the road, so FI game. As you said, against the Rams, that's difficult. Who knows what's going to happen with the forty nine ers this year. I don't expect the forty nine ers, PAULI,

to be as good. I just don't. At some point in time, they have to play Trey Lance. They have to play him, and at some point that's going to happen. Correct, You're gonna have to at some point throw him out there, whether you think he's ready or not. And I think it's going to be more not. Yeah, Niners are about to take a big step back. They might not know it yet, they might not realize it themselves yet, but I agree with you, they're about to take a big

step back. And so you have those three straight NFC West games, and you have a better chance than not of getting wins in two of those three. And then you come home and from Mexico City and you get the La Chargers to I mean, Kyler Murray against Justin Herbert. Hello, there gonna be a lot of fireworks in that one. That's gonna be I really think the Chargers are going to be a team that will I don't even want

to say surprise because I don't think that's accurate. I think that is a team that is going to take a big step forward in the AFC, the Chargers. And it's because of Herbert and how well he played last year. Just watching him grow as a quarterback, a franchise quarterback, it was truly impressive. It's interesting. I saw an interview recently with Brandon Staley, their second year head coach. He's known as an analytics guy, right, and he's the guy who went for it on fourth down, all that kind

of stuff. But Wolf he said, and I quote I want to be known as a rugged, tough football team that can beat you any way, imaginable offense, defense, kicking game. He said. I think we're a lot closer to that because remember they went out and got Khalil Mack in the trade. They signed J. C. Jackson, the standout corner. They got Kyle van Noy also from the Patriots. They brought him Bryce Callahan, an experienced corner from Denver. I'm looking at this. And then they went after Zion Johnson,

number seventeen overall. Right, that maller and brawler of a guard out of Boston College. And of course they hit it big. Rashaun Slater last year as a rookie was a Pro Bowl left tackle. So they are building in the trenches for everything else they do. And with Justin Herbert, they come in and they try and beat you up as well. Polly, that is a great observation, it really is. It's one of the reasons why I love the Chargers too as a team. They are a team that is

blending the old and the new. They're blending it together. Brandon Staley would just say he's a young crunk coach. There's no doubt about it. He's one of those young crunks right there. Brandon Staley, do you remember the big Red rage where I actually brought up what he was saying about twelve personnel paul one back, two tight ends.

He was saying, how difficult that is to actually defend when you do it right, when you attack the gaps, when you attack the line of scrimmage, you have multiple tight ends guys that are capable of blocking, and then you use play action to throw the ball. Again, it's a blending of the two. It's something that Tennessee Titans do very well, it's something Chargers do very well, and it's something that I'm really hoping the Arizona Cardinals will do too. Polly, by the way, Wolf, did you not

interview four rookies today, including Tray McBride. I did, as a matter of fact, that I like that McBride kid. I don't know if he told you what he told the media, but he said to the media, and I'm loosely quoting that Cliff Kingsbury wants to disguise the offense more this season. For a minute, try get over here.

Let that hang for a minute, And I think it's further evidence as to why they went after Tray McBride in round two because they really covet these tight ends that aren't a tell that can be part of the run game and the pass game. Oh Polly, it is. It is. It's something that's been around for a long

long time. When you watch the Tennessee Titans. One of the reasons why the people people felt like the Tennessee Titans going into last year that we're going to be rock solid maybe the best offense in the league was how they blend three wide receiver sets with of course two tight end sets. Eleven personnel and twelve personnel. That's what they blend. They've got a back that you line his toes up at seven and he attacks the line of scrimmage downhill and then they use play action. Then

they'll jump into a shotgun. They'll jump at a shotgun and here we go. Oh, it's the zone read with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. Guess what. That's exactly what I could see the Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray doing. By the way, the Cardinals are going to Tennessee. Will get you the full preseason schedule at the end of this edition. To the Big Red Rage. But they are going to Tennessee. It'll be the preseason finale Week three.

Remember there's only three preseason games. Now. My understanding is the Cardinals will be in Nashville for a full five or six days. Ron Wilfley, Oh, let the round the queue begin. I mean, well, if you better start losing weight now to compensate that you're going to add in late August. I'm just saying that right now, you better bring the flex of pants. That's that's all I'm saying. Uh Azy Cardinals dot com slash tickets, that's where you go.

Single game tickets are on sale now. Asy Cardinals dot com slash tickets. Once again, have you seen this schedule? This home schedule absolutely loaded. We just went through the Saints, the Vikings, the Seahawks, the Rams, and the Niners, and the Chargers will get to the final stretch of this schedule when we come back on the Big Red Rage presented by satan Ford in gilbert A, Seattle. We gotta do. Go Hawks, Go Hawks. I'm gonna see y'all in the morning.

You can go to see the morning. Russell Wilson SIRA, by the way, Wolf have already made themselves at home in Denver in a twenty five million dollar mansion that is a whopping twenty thousand square feet plus none but

twenty five million. So Russell Wilson once again, he is firmly entrenched already in Denver, in the Mile High City, and his challenge now is after leading the Seahawks to the playoffs eight of ten seasons, he now has to do something about the Broncos nasty skid of missing the playoffs six straight years ever since Peyton Manning retired after winning Super Bowl fifty and they're coming off their fifth

straight losing season overall. So Russell Wilson up in Denver, and that's where the Cardinals are going after the buy in Week fifteen. I really think the Denver Broncos have a chance of winning the AFC Ball really, I yes, I do. I think they have a chance of doing it, especially with their defense. I love the combination of that defense and Russell Wilson. I think that's gonna be a winning combination. We shall see, Paulie, but I like it.

You don't think they're gonna be good, No, they'll be good. They're obviously in the most brutal division I'm not real fond of having a rookie head coach, a forty two year old rookie head coach, Nathaniel Hackett. We'll see, you know, boy, here it comes the Green Bay Packers offense, Paul, Yeah, here it comes, you know, and look, you know they they are loaded from all accounts. I mean, they really

don't have many weaknesses, if any. And so with Russell Wilson, and you know when you're going to Denver and by the way, that is that's the one that stands out on the old schedule when you're the sideline reporter right December eighteenth in Denver, ru. Yeah. In fact, here's Drew Stanton.

Check this out. It's not just me Wolf. On the Red Sea Report, Drew Stanton was asked by Craig Griolu, you know, okay, when you look at a schedule, and remember he's not speaking Median as you like to say, here Wolf, Okay, he's in the trust tree and so he gives he gives an all access look and how a player really looks at the schedule. Drew Stanton as fast as I could, especially when we were here, I

was like, do we have any gold games? No? I think you what you look at right, first of all is primetime games who it's against division opponents, and then December football. Those division games are so important and those are vital right on top of the primetime because the primetime games throws you on your schedule. When's the Thursday night game? Do we have a Sunday night game? Are you on the road Sunday night? Because that stinks. It

throws your whole week for a loop. Yeah for me, Polly, you know again, I'm gonna I look immediately where the bye week is. That's what I do. I look where the bye week is. Bye week is the December fourth, the thirteenth week of the season. That's where I start. After that, I look for where the blood bath is.

Where is the blood bath? Listen? You could look at week one, two, and three, and you could build a case where there's a three or four week period where you're gonna play four or three really really good teams. I think the first three weeks of the season Kansas City, the Raiders, and the Rams. That's going to be difficult, very very physical as well. You're playing two of those

games at home. I think starting in week thirteen minus the bye of course, you got the Patriots, you got the Broncos, you got the Buccaneers, the Falcons, and the forty nine ers. I think the four weeks from week twelve, that being the Chargers Paul to Tampa Bay. That's a four week period, four team period. Even though the buy is in there, that that's going to be brutal, and it includes coming out of the buy with the money

Night game against New England. Yes, Cliff Kingsbury going against the team and the head coach that drafted him once upon a time in the sixth round where he's in the same quarterback room with Tom Brady. Now you're gonna get Mac Jones and you're gonna get that New England team.

And look, even when they're not that talented two years ago when the Cardinals went to New England and somehow lost to Cam Newton and his passer rating of like thirty three, it's just amazing how we'll prepare those Belichick teams are and how many different ways they can potentially beat you if you're going out there with unforeced errors in your own game. Yeah, bully, and once again there's no doubt he will exploit any weakness that you have he will exploit it. He will find it, and he

will exploit it. It's what he does. That's going to be an excellent test on a Monday night right there, and then again following that up on the short week playing at Denver, that's going to be very difficult. And as you said, that could be a cold weather game. How about the fact that over the last six weeks of the season you only have one division game. Think about that, only one NSCUS game over the last month and a half of this season, and three or your

last four or on the road. So guess what the Cardinals right now, and we said it before, their true test this season is going to be what happens with December football forward, and and they're gonna have a lot of games on the road. And guess what, They're gonna have a lot of opponents they're not necessarily that familiar with.

So I don't know if that's an advantage or a disadvantage. Yeah, And also Pauli too, I think that bye, it's it's precariously placed Week thirteen right there, that bye, because we all know the Arizona Cardinals, after playing twelve weeks of football, they were ten and two and they were ten and two, Paul, that happened. Ten and two was real, and that happened.

So the bye suddenly is right there, and you know, everybody, even if the Arizona Cardinals somehow, some way got to ten and two going into the bye, you know what, there'd be a lot of people out there saying a lot of analysts would be out there saying, well, let's see if this is gonna be the collapse. Let see if they collapse like they have the last two years in this six week period. So you got the buying week, thirteam, you come out with a Monday night game, so you're

gonna have an extra day, you have New England at home. Then, as you mentioned, the short week, you're going to Denver potential cold weather game, and then you're getting into Christmas Week and on Christmas Night for the second straight year, the Cardinals will be in primetime Sunday night football against Tampa Bay. Not only Tom Brady obviously he's gonna be playing in his twenty third season hashtag no comprendo on

that one, but Todd Bowls as the head coach. Yeah, and if every team somehow is a representation of the personality of the head coach. How do you expect the Buccaneers to maybe evolved this year under Todd? Yeah, I don't really think there's gonna be a lot of evolving, Paul, I don't. Todd is going to run the defense that he's gonna run, and he's going to run the defense he ran under Bruce Arians and Bruce Arians offense I think is very, very similar to what Tom Brady does.

It's one of the reasons why they actually won a Super Bowl. It's because of the attack the line of scrimmage, the bashion bomb offense of Bruce Arians. That's who Tom Brady is. It's who he's always been, attack the line of scrimmage and use play action. He's got some of the best play action mechanics in the history of the game, the history of the game, Tom Brady. So you know what, why would you change any of that? I just don't

see it, Paul, No, it's a great observation. In fact, I'm looking here to quote from Jason light the GM right, former assistant to Steve Kaim, and he said, quote, We've got the ultimate cheat code with Tom, so we're going to take advantage of it while we have it. Says Jason Light And by the way, Tom Brady making his regular season debut at State Farm Stadium. Remember he's played in two Super Bowls there, but he hasn't played the

Cardinals in their home stadium in the regular season. So you have that in week sixteen, and then weeks seventeen you go to it La and you take on a rebuilding Falcons team and whether it's going to be Marcus Mariota or Desmond Ritter, the rookie third round Rookieota Cincinnati,

who knows at that point Week seventeen. Yeah, Paul, it's really interesting, especially the last two opponents of the Arizona Cardinals two away games of course, the Atlanta Falcons as you said, and then the forty nine Ers in week eighteen, January eighth. Those two teams right there, they have recently, and I would say Kyle Shanahan when they drafted Trey Lance, recently they have tried to blend the old and the new, PAULI they haven't had a ton of success. The forty

nine Ers haven't. The Atlanta Falcons they had Matt Ryan as their quarterback for how many years, Paul, They have not really been able to tap into the whole zone read RPO New Age era. We're gonna throw the ball here it comes. They haven't been able to scratch that itch, so to speak. Now all of a sudden with Marcus Mariota,

they're gonna do it. Paul, You know what I always think of with Matt Ryan, his rookie year was the two thousand and eight season, because that's when the Cardinals beat the Falcons and round one of the playoffs en route two super Bowl forty three. He was rookie, yes that season. So and by the way, at Atlanta, that's gonna be on New Year's Day, Wolf, So you'll be in the atl on New Year's Eve, just to let you know you can plan. According to my goodness, I

didn't even think about that right there. Yeah, okay, thank you, Paul Man. And then why don't you just give me the protective cop before you actually say that ball? You know,

if only this was like a fake video. Did you see what the Seahawks what they did on the video and they faked out their own players and it was it was a fake schedule release, and it had all the worst of the worst possible games and dates and holidays and all the possible worst possible road trips, and then the locker rooms start freaking out and then they let them know that it was just a prank and it was a fake schedule. So but no, well this

this this is reality, you know, another reality. And here's another home game you're gonna mark down for the Cardinals. People forget that at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The Cardinals have won six of their eight all time games at the forty nine ers new home stadium, Scalmas. No, I know exactly. So they're gonna go in And by the way, to your point about the forty nine Ers and Kyle Shanahan, I had this out with Darren Urban

on Cardinals Underground this week. Oh, is that the underrated concern for the Cardinals this year, at least to me, is you got to fix the inconsistent run defense, because especially now in this division, do you think the Seahawks are gonna come out and they're gonna try and run the ball. They're gonna try to turn it back, Paul. I mean, they just drafted two tackles right in the first and third round, and in the second round they went after a running back. They're gonna try and run

the ball. Does Kyle Shanahan test you and make you stop the run before he does anything else in the playbook? Yes he does, Yes he does, Yes he does. You had me though with a Seattle Seahawks. But I'm just saying that the Cardinals are gonna have and and Sean McVay has gone back to a more balanced offense. That will the adjustment he made after losing Robert Woods last year and losing three in a row, including that Cardinals beat down and four. So you know, I know we

can argue that as a passing league. And you know, five times last year the Cardinals gave up one hundred and fifty rushing yards or more. And if you're some of these lesser teams can pull out a win and control the game by running the football. And so to me, that is something I'm going to keep an eye on from the get go with this Cardinals team twenty total, the pendulum was swinging towards the New Age offense. It really has for the last five years. Now it's swinging

back to the middle. As Cardinals dot Com slash season for all the info on season tickets available now at asy Cardinals dot Com. Slash season will wrap of this addition to the Big Red Rage next Today is the day the roadmap comes into focus. Fair warning it won't be for the faint of heart. The twenty twenty two Arizona Cardinal schedule passes through a football gauntlet, the familiar faces and new places, a date with a goat, and the toughest divisions in both commons. But when did anything

ever come easy for us? Here's a thing, no matter where the map takes us home is the finish line, because this season all roads lead back to bird City. Nine games against playoff teams from a year ago, eight against teams that had ten or more wins a year ago, four primetime games. Once again, you have a Thursday Night at home against the Saints, so you have Monday Night

in Week fourteen at home against the Patriots. You have Christmas Night on Sunday Night football against saw Me in the Bucks, and then of course you have Monday Night in Mexico City against the forty nine ers in week eleven. It is the twenty twenty two Arizona Cardinals schedule, and you know what tickets are available right now? As they like to say as Cardinals dot Com slash tickets. That's

asy Cardinals dot com slash tickets. Ron Wolfley, if I foisted this on you with with no fore warning whatsoever, what is the game you are looking forward to the most? What is the best, the biggest tilt on this schedule? What is the one that you know what, you looked at the schedule on since you don't have to worry about the weather any of the kind of stuff up there in your booth, you just circled and said, you know what, that one? You're putting that atop my power rankings.

So for me, Paul, it's got to be the Sunday night game. It has to be the Sunday night game there Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That could be a battle provided how well the Arizona Cardinals are playing. How well are they a playoff caliber team coming out of the bye week? Of course, and your December now, all of a sudden, December twenty fifth, on Christmas Day, you're playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Could you see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being a team that could possibly be in the running for

the number one seed in the NFC. I could see that with Tom Brady, of course, a Sunday night game at home. Yeah, if I had to pick one, Balie, it would definitely be the Buccaneers game. I'll tell you what though, the Chiefs at home against Patrick Mahomes. That's a start. It's a you know, if it wasn't Week one, I'd probably make that number one. Just what a great way to come out of the gate, and just everything that's gonna be surrounding that game, and just the fact

it is at home. I mean, think about it, and you know this better than anyone, Wolf because it was your era when you played for the Arizona Cardinals in eighteen seasons at sun Double Stadium. The Cardinals never played at home in Week one. Yeah, think about that, and now this is gonna be a ten time since two thousand and six when that stadium opens. So you have that it's gonna go. Yeah, I can tell you right now, nobody was crying about the fact that we weren't playing

at home. Let me just say this quickly, is as well, Paul, the by coming late I like as well for the Cardinals, especially if you're a good team. If they're a good team, I love the fact that By is late. And look, three of the last four on the road and once again the four primetime games Thursday night against New Orleans at home, Monday night in Mexico City against the Niners at the New England game you and Monday night as well, and then of course Tampa on Christmas Night, and that

is Sunday Night football as well. Special thanks Jim Almajandro and Cody fincherp Ron Wolfley, Paul calBC. Once again, Acy Cardinals dot Com Slash tickets. Single game tickets are on sale. Season tickets are on sale and you know what, they can't play it until they schedule. It is out. And that is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilden Number one kil You've been listening to The Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Guildad are you?

Santanford State Farm talked to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Acy Cardinals dot Com Slash podcasts. This has been an exclusive presentation of Arizona Cardinals Football Club