NFL Schedule Updates

[corta765]

Happy Friday everyone.

 

Got some fun scheduling updates and rumors:

 

-First off I asked Vinny Bonsignore the main reporter in Vegas for the Raiders about the schedule drop on twitter. He has no idea yet of the game, BUT a user replied saying April 16th is the date of the release. This user doesn't have a ton of followers but they have responded multiple times that this is the date and they seem to be actually selling tickets. This date would line up with the fact the schedule was released last year on the 17th and in 2018 on the 19th. The NFL does like to release the schedule on a Thursday so that also lines up that the 16th would be the date. There is one factor that could delay things...

 

-Tom Brady. Per FMIA by Peter King this year the NFL has some real issues on their primetime schedule due to Brady not having a team. It makes sense as if Brady leaves the Patriots they may finally see a reduction in primetime games and a team like Vegas or LAC would see an increase. In the end the NFL controls the release date and I could see them pushing the date back if things are not squared away in the time frame they want. Ratings is king.

 

-Kansas City has squared away a scheduling issue with the Royals who share the parking lot and are now set to open the season at home on Thursday Sept 10th. The Bills do not travel to KC but they do host them so they will not play them week 1.

 

-I have thought for a while the Bills will open at home against the Chargers week 1 and I still believe that but... the Brady factor exists. If Brady goes to LAC I see the Chargers going to KC for opening night. Same if the Raiders get Brady. The Rams are going to open the new LA stadium week 1 on SNF that's almost a given so the Chargers have to go on the road week 1. Perhaps they head to the Raiders on the back half of the MNF football doubleheader, but I think the league would prefer SF in that spot and to let the Raiders have week 2 to open their new stadium on SNF.

 

-The Bills have opened on the road for two years in a row and the NFL generally tries to rotate home and away opening by year. I believe given the Bills travel this year that Buffalo may get a bunch of home games early before hitting the road. Buffalo opened against a division opponent last year, typically the Bills have gone back and forth from opening against a division opponent one year to playing an AFC conference foe the next. If the Bills do host a divisional opponent my pick is the Dolphins at this point.

 

-In case you have missed the headlines the Dolphins are hosting a game in London and the Cardinals in Arizona. The Bills do go on the road against both teams although I do not think the Bills would go to London given the four west coast trips they already have. The Cardinals are a little more interesting of a possibility, but given they host the Eagles, Skins, Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers I tend to think they would go with a bigger more marketable opponent then Buffalo.

 

-Speaking of London Sports Illustrated has reported the Falcons are hosting the Broncos in November there. If that is the case it makes it less likely Buffalo heads to Denver that month as the Broncos would go on the road to the east coast first for a game and then to London to help stunt travel. Additionally in a weird scheduling quirk the last two times the Bills have went to Denver they went in December. Four of the last five games played between the Bills and Broncos have been in late November or December. The one non late season game was the memorable Von Miller handshake Personal Foul game in September 2017. Knowing my luck this means the Bills are going to Denver week one destroying much of my predictions and writing haha, but interesting none the less. (Buffalo's all time record vs Denver is 22-16-1)

 

Finally for fun this is my current schedule prediction. I think the NFL will set the Bills up for some primetime games in the first half of the season while giving the Bills flexible games in the back half whether for good reason or bad:

 

	Opponent	Time
Week 1	LAC	1:00 PM
Week 2	MIA	1:00 PM
Week 3	at DEN	4:00pm
Week 4	LAR	MNF
Week 5	at Raiders	4:00pm
Week 6	at NE	1:00 PM
Week 7	SEA	4:00pm
Week 8	KC	1:00 PM
Week 9	at NYJ	TNF
Week 10	BYE
Week 11	at TEN	1:00 PM
Week 12	NYJ	1:00 PM
Week 13	at SF	SNF
Week 14	at ARZ	4:00pm
Week 15	PIT	1:00 PM
Week 16	at MIA	1:00 PM
Week 17	NE	1:00 PM

[whatdrought]

All really well thought out and 100% more thought then I put into it ?

[corta765]

Just now, whatdrought said:

All really well thought out and 100% more thought then I put into it ?

 

Thanks. some people specialize in free agency, others the draft, for me its the schedule lol

[BuffaloBillies]

Hope you're right - would love that schedule (3 of first 4 at home; 2 of last 3 at home).

And by breaking up KC and SF, for some reason it doesn't look so daunting.

[Seasons1992]

Great stuff, corta. 

 

If the Bills get a London game in 2020, I'm going. That's a threat and you all can take it to the bank. I will represent us well. @plenzmd1 can show up and ruin a Tottenham commode for good luck.

[corta765]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloBillies said:

Hope you're right - would love that schedule (3 of first 4 at home; 2 of last 3 at home).

And by breaking up KC and SF, for some reason it doesn't look so daunting.

 

I have checked the previous times they went west and generally the NFL does try to package both games back to back. Does not guarantee that always but that has been trend while giving that team a favorable home schedule before hand.

[Kirby Jackson]

FWIW, I’ve heard that the Saints are in Vegas week 2. We will see I guess. I’m not sure if that will be their home opener or not. I was kind of hoping that the Bills wouldn’t be their first home game. The tickets will be triple what they’d be otherwise.

[corta765]

2 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

Great stuff, corta. 

 

If the Bills get a London game in 2020, I'm going. That's a threat and you all can take it to the bank. I will represent us well. @plenzmd1 can show up and ruin a Tottenham commode for good luck.

 

I do think will see the Bills in London sooner then later, but the four west coast trips and London would be pretty unfair and even the NFL generally tries to avoid that type of scheduling... well until the 17th game is added which is always an international game.

1 minute ago, Kirby Jackson said:

FWIW, I’ve heard that the Saints are in Vegas week 2. We will see I guess. I’m not sure if that will be their home opener or not. I was kind of hoping that the Bills wouldn’t be their first home game. The tickets will be triple what they’d be otherwise.

 

I hear that. Vegas is doable for my wife and I as long as its from late Sept into early Dec. The NFL loves to celebrate new stadiums and LA is week one which is why I think they make Vegas open week 2 so they get SNF.

[plenzmd1]

3 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

FWIW, I’ve heard that the Saints are in Vegas week 2. We will see I guess. I’m not sure if that will be their home opener or not. I was kind of hoping that the Bills wouldn’t be their first home game. The tickets will be triple what they’d be otherwise.

I know that is going to be the "travel" game this year, and i am pretty sure i am sitting it out. Last place i want to go for a game.

[Seasons1992]

3 minutes ago, corta765 said:

I hear that. Vegas is doable for my wife and I as long as its from late Sept into early Dec. The NFL loves to celebrate new stadiums and LA is week one which is why I think they make Vegas open week 2 so they get SNF.

 

I'm going to that Vegas game whenever it is. Week 2 will be a scorcher but it's in A/C so no worries until you go outside.

Just now, plenzmd1 said:

I know that is going to be the "travel" game this year, and i am pretty sure i am sitting it out. Last place i want to go for a game.

 

That's loser talk..............

[corta765]

3 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

I know that is going to be the "travel" game this year, and i am pretty sure i am sitting it out. Last place i want to go for a game.

 

I'm predicting 30-40k bills fans go (hopefully including myself). I am just wondering how many Bills fans swim in the fountains at the Bolagio lol

[row_33]

39 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

Thanks. some people specialize in free agency, others the draft, for me its the schedule lol

 

glad someone does this for me

 

i'm getting totally stressed out on 5 large waves hitting my surfboard these days, it's all good though

 

 

[plenzmd1]

14 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

I'm going to that Vegas game whenever it is. Week 2 will be a scorcher but it's in A/C so no worries until you go outside.

 

That's loser talk..............

 

11 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

I'm predicting 30-40k bills fans go (hopefully including myself). I am just wondering how many Bills fans swim in the fountains at the Bolagio lol

Not loser talk..its " that city sucks donkey poop " now. Really dread  going there now, even more so now than when they tried to make it a friendly family place in the mid  to late 90's, and for a hard core gambler/carouser like me, that was a rough time in Vegas history. In my best get offmy lawn voice, I want to go back to mid 80's, gambling was king, food,  room and drinks were free, hookers were cheap, and if you wanted to go clubbing you went to LA or NYC!

 

For @corta765, I think a ton ofBills fans think they want to go till the reality of $300 upper deck seats, $400 hotel rooms and $12 drafts hit.

 

Most over priced city in the world now, IMHO

[BillsFanSD]

I'm going to the Vegas game no matter when it is and no matter what the ticket prices are.  I don't even care about coronavirus -- it won't be the first time I've gotten sick watching the Bills.

[corta765]

Just now, BillsFanSD said:

I'm going to the Vegas game no matter when it is and no matter what the ticket prices are.  I don't even care about coronavirus -- it won't be the first time I've gotten sick watching the Bills.

 

I'm willing to bet the Bills have given me worse hangovers and sickness then anything the corona virus will do.

[Kirby Jackson]

29 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

I know that is going to be the "travel" game this year, and i am pretty sure i am sitting it out. Last place i want to go for a game.

I’m going to do Vegas and Nashville assuming that it isn’t Christmas. I may do one more (London if they’re there interests me). I did 4 road games and 2 home games last year which was just too much traveling. Houston was the only game I could drive to. It was wearing me out. I’m thinking the aforementioned 2 games, home opener and if there’s anything home around Christmas or Thanksgiving. I’ll hopefully be attending playoff games as well. 

[plenzmd1]

3 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I’m going to do Vegas and Nashville assuming that it isn’t Christmas. I may do one more (London if they’re there interests me). I did 4 road games and 2 home games last year which was just too much traveling. Houston was the only game I could drive to. It was wearing me out. I’m thinking the aforementioned 2 games, home opener and if there’s anything home around Christmas or Thanksgiving. I’ll hopefully be attending playoff games as well. 

Denver is going to be high on my list...have never really been "to " Denver, only there at Airport  to head skiing. Think it looks like a fun town. 

 

Possibly Arizona as well as have never really been in Phoenix for more than a night either. 

[corta765]

5 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I’m going to do Vegas and Nashville assuming that it isn’t Christmas. I may do one more (London if they’re there interests me). I did 4 road games and 2 home games last year which was just too much traveling. Houston was the only game I could drive to. It was wearing me out. I’m thinking the aforementioned 2 games, home opener and if there’s anything home around Christmas or Thanksgiving. I’ll hopefully be attending playoff games as well. 

 

We only have the money to travel to do one and Vegas we have a better deal set with. Nashville though we've wanted to see and is our backup at this point. I don't wanna miss too many games at home we generally do 2-4 a year so that factors in especially given how good of a home schedule we have.

[Mark Vader]

@corta765 Thanks for the insight.

 

That is a very nice looking schedule too.

 

Going to Denver in September would be great, and having San Francisco & Arizona in back-to-back weeks before Christmas would be perfect.

 

Those are 3 games that I plan on being at. I'm still not sure about the Las Vegas game though.

[Kirby Jackson]

22 hours ago, corta765 said:

 

We only have the money to travel to do one and Vegas we have a better deal set with. Nashville though we've wanted to see and is our backup at this point. I don't wanna miss too many games at home we generally do 2-4 a year so that factors in especially given how good of a home schedule we have.

I fell in love with Nashville last year. I’d never really been there. That’s going on my list forever. Vegas is kind of a novelty and should be fun. I’m weird on that place though. I’ve been 6 times in my life. Twice I loved it, twice I hated it and twice I was indifferent. 
 

If either of those fall around Christmas though I’m probably out. I go back to Buffalo for that. I won’t do them back-to-back either.

Edited March 7, 2020 by Kirby Jackson