Random thoughts on the schedule:

… Keep those bags packed in November and December. Six road games in eight weeks, although the Broncos got a break by not having more than two straight weeks on the road. The Jackonville Jaguars have to endure a three-week string of road contests;

… With so many road games in the final two months, a strong start could be vital to the Broncos’ chances. Three straight home games against San Diego, Pittsburgh and Green Bay also affords an opportunity for the Broncos to send a league-wide message, and to do so in front of their fans;

… The Broncos don’t face a team with a winning record in 2006 until visiting Indianapolis in Week 4, but don’t face an ’06 losing team from Week 2 (Raiders) through Week 9 (Lions). “It’s tough,” wide receiver/kickoff returner Quincy Morgan said. “I thought in this league when you don’t make the playoffs you’re supposed to get a weak schedule. But I guess we’re the Broncos, so they load us up with some pretty good teams.”

… The Christmas Eve game at San Diego is the first prime-time game on Dec. 24 in league annals. In past years, the league endeavored to ensure that teams completed their games before the evening hours of that day, when celebrations and services around the Christmas holiday typically commence.

“I can’t imagine how those guys feel that have kids and can’t be there when their kids wake up and open their presents,” Morgan said.

Throughout recent NFL history, the nighttime hours of Christmas Eve have gone largely untouched; the latest any team started a game on that day was at 4 p.m. local time — for a Panthers-Redskins game in Washington, D.C. in 1995. When Christmas Eve fell on a Monday in 1990, 1995 and 2001, then-MNF broadcaster ABC was given a Saturday night timeslot. Of course, that window now belongs to the NFL Network and its slate of Thursday-Saturday games.

For more on the schedule, read the story from the main site or watch Quincy Morgan’s Q&A about the schedule.

Tags: 2007 season

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