The long awaited 2010 National Football League schedule is out at last, making the coming season truly seem to be right around the corner.
As always, there is a great deal of speculation and analysis about tough schedules, easy schedules, etc., and that puts me in mind of a past moment in which I asked a coach to compare our schedule with that of a division opponent.
He took a quick look and said, “Looks like we each have eight at home and eight away.”
A very pithy comment often lost on the populace at this time of year. As Josh McDaniels often has said, people try to make forecasts on records, but all the analysis and speculation is based on last year’s records for all teams involved, and each year is a whole new season.
Let’s take a quick look at some schedule facts for this year, and bear in mind that at all times, there is constant change from week to week, based on weather, injury, fatigue, and the basic fact that some teams will get better and some will slip as the long year grinds along.
The Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers travel the most miles this year, San Francisco going 33,264 and the Broncos moving 23,184-of course, this is largely due to the fact that we play each other in London, and then we get a well-deserved bye after that long travel week.
We open at Jacksonville, where the Jaguars will play three home games in their first four-no doubt, the Jaguars will be hoping that the heat is a factor, but then again, it’s not like the visitors don’t know it gets hot in Florida.
In the final three weeks of the season the NFL schedule will feature 28 division matchups, up from 15 in 2009. The Broncos will be a part of that as well with three division games in our last five, including two of our last three.
For the first time in Texans’ history they will play three prime time games, two on ESPN and one on the NFL Network, giving former Broncos’ offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak plenty of national exposure.
With the recent acquisition of Donovan McNabb the Washington Redskins find themselves scheduled to play three prime time games and five on national television this year.
Meanwhile, the longest current streak of Monday Night Football appearances is 18 by the Broncos, and Denver will extend that to 19 when we play in San Diego under the Monday night lights this year.
As might be expected, the Cowboys, Steelers and Colts will dominate the national primetime slots with five appearances each, and the Jets have five primetime games as well. The 49ers have four prime time games, and the Raiders have none.
What does it all mean?
It means what it always means.
If you don’t prepare are practice well you are in danger of getting your teeth kicked in every week, home or away, no matter the foe. And if you do practice and prepare well, you can win any game on the schedule, no matter who the opponent is, no matter where, no matter what day or time of day.
Every coach knows it is all about how you study and work and prepare, and then carrying every one of those good habits over to game day.
We all start off with eight at home and eight away. The NFL is the world’s greatest meritocracy, and we’ll see who merits what as the season moves along.
Tags: 2010 NFL Schedule, Gary Kubiak, Head Coach Josh McDaniels, Jacksonville Jaguars, London, Monday Night Football, San Francisco 49ers
Bring it on. I can`t wait. #11 Rolando McClain #26 Tim Tebow #45 Tobey Gerhart.
I LIKE THOSE PICKS AND IM SOOOO EXCITED ABOUT THIS SEASON. LETS SEE HOW MC DANIELS DOES NOW HE GOT ALL THOSE SO CALLED PAINS OUT THE WAY.
Bay, my picks;
22 Demaryius Thomas
43 Walton
45 Tebow
I think NE will buddy up and want to trade up for some defensive talent (McCLain, Williams) whilst giving us the lowest of their 3 2nds. We’ll fill 2 needs then take a luxury pick!
17)Maurkice pouncey(we trade down)
43)Arrelious benn
45)Toby gerhart
so is that all i have to do to enter?
Yeah, you’re in, it’s just a little in house contest (made by bloggers for bloggers), NO PRIZE JUST PRIDE.
11. Mclain
43. D.Thomas
45. Walton
11 Rolando McClain
43 Colt McCoy
45 Golden Tate
That would be perfect in my eyes, expect i dont know if mccoy could drop there but hopefully
I’ll post the results on both Saturday and Sunday.
15 Pouncey (After trading 11 to NY Giants (McClain) and we get a 2nd Rounder next year)
43 Sean Lee
45 Jonathan Dwyer
p.s. We pick Eric Decker in the 3rd Round
I’m not against McClain, I would actually LOVE to have him. I can just see it happening.
Did Brandstater get released?
The day has finally arrived! The draft is here!
Not that I heard, he is on the roster, if he is to be released he would not be released until later anyway because that’s only if we get a QB in the draft as we would not carry 4. I assume he would then be the odd man out because Orton brings the experience, Quinn just got traded and if we draft one it’s most likely to be a keeper. Just my opinion.
Hey Baylin, did you get my picks? I posted them on here a day or two ago. If not I’ll find and repost them.
footballMANIAC, I remember you were one of the ones who thought it would be cool to have a draft pick contest. Twice you tried to enter, but I couldn’t take your entry because for the third player you had multiple choices if I remember correctly, so if you want in you need to do it again.
First three players with the # they’ll be picked at.
Ooooh me too baylin please
11) Dez Bryant
43) Tim Tebow
45) Toby Gerhart
11) Dez Bryant
43) Pouncey
45) Tim Tebow
yeah!!!
Oh what the heck….
#11 McClain
#43 Gerhart
#45 Tennant
GO BRONCOS….
11: Rolando McClain
17: Maurkice Pouncey (package 43, 137, future 2nd)
45: Demaryius Thomas
Looks like the consensus has some combo with Tebow, McClain or Gerhart included…can we please get some weapons on DEFENSE?!? D-FENSE!?! D-FENCE!!!
And no McD will not go 3 for 3, cuz he already lost the 14th pick…
Im nervous! Just draft smart and please if you must trade, GET SOME DANG VALUE FOR ONCE!!!
Oh, I cried when we got the 55-10 beatdown. However, I was only in 6th grade…so the hormone theory holds substance!!! lol
McD surprises us all and picks mike iupati at the 11th pick
Hopefully we’ll have a chatroom like blog when the draft starts, like we had during the games.
11. McClain
?. Pouncey (trade Miami 2nd this year and next year to move up into the 1st)
if i get those two…dont care what we do with the other second. but 3rd CB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, 4th WR Danario Alexander, 5th RB Charles Scott.
All i know is, lets make it count.
We wil take pouncey at 23, tebow early 2nd, then gerhart, 3rd round will give us Benn
http://coloradosportsdesk.com/wp/archives/2010/04/denver-broncos-2010-mock-draft-will-josh-mcdaniels-go-need-or-best-available
Check out this article. This guy hits the nail on the head of exactly what we need, and should do. Unfortunatley he knows, just like the rest of us, that McXanders is totaly unpredictable. I wish the first two rounds were tonight
Go Broncos!!
http://coloradosportsdesk.com/wp/archives/2010/04/denver-broncos-2010-mock-draft-will-josh-mcdaniels-go-need-or-best-available/
Myron Rolle…
just jumped up my mock board!!!
He could be a steel late in the draft. That kid can flat out play sndvl, even with a year off.
Sorry about the article being posted twice. My bad
Wow FootballManiac,
That would be a damn good start to the draft, I really like those picks.
I hope we trade up for no 2 and take SUH. I’ll be able to go to bed before 1am then, as I’ve got to get up at 5.45am (UK time)
TRB and ATV, I couldn’t get you in, maybe you don’t want in contest but if you do:
Repeat. Anyone who wishes to be in the draft pick contest, It’s very simple, give the top three players picked with what # they will be picked at, that’s it.
Example:
11 McClain
27 Tebow
45 Blount
We have now a whopping 33 pick entries!
If we can get Coop, Mike Rice, Sacco, Gray and Kyle- we could break the 40 mark!!!! lol (Wonder if their are rules against that tho)
Id like to see some player mocks too!!!
11 McClain
43 Tim Tebow
45 Toby Gerhart
The results are going to be along the following guidelines, for those who may be curious:
For trying to figure out with your pick entries what McD will do in the draft you can fall into one of these 4 categories:
1) You are like McD’s twin brother if you get all 3 players right.
2) You are like one of McD’s closest pal if you get two out of three.
3) You are a distant cousin of McD if you get one out of three.
4) You are a complete stranger to McD if you get none.
And of course the #’s picked will help rate the ties within the categories. Lots of work rbf1 got me into, LOL, but it sure will be fun to do. Like I said earlier I will post the results both on Saturday and Sunday.
11 Earl Thomas
43 Demaryius Thomas
45 Jon Asamoah
bay you got my picks right
Im not sure if i wanna enter this contest Baylin, dont wanna be like McDs anything dont wanna be like McDs anything lol but sure, ill get in on the contest
11. ILB McClain
27. C Pouncey
45. WR Gerhart
There ya go. What I think he will pick. Doesnt mean I agree with it. Like first 2, and the 3rd one isnt bad but if we could use it for something else ill be all for it. ENTRY LOCKED!!! lmao
Good to see you ikiratuki, the first guy to get on the wall of shame last year. That was all in fun, for those unfamiliar with it.
Okay I’ll take my weird shot-we trade down, we trade up and we get:
#17 Pouncey (C)
#22 Iupati (G)
#43 Thomas (WR)
Claussen, Benn, Gerhart. 10-4.
WHOA!!!
anybody hearing this tebow at 11 talk?
craziness.
nice thank you bay
I can’t believe you remembered that or me baylin lol. I’ve been gone forever.
At least I would be assured of the distant cousin status, LMAO!!!
Ikiratuki, I have always had an excellent memory, definitely has been my main asset all my life, plus you’re special, LOL.
I can’t wait for the draft to start and the entry deadline to pass, that will give me a break from this job, LOL.
It amazes me how many people think we will draft tebow
Lol we will all find out in a few hours marshisboss………
lol I can’t wait either I was like a kid on Christmas last night couldn’t sleep need to open those Gifts
HECK NO TEBOW!!!!!
TRB…..Since when did Gerhart become a WR????lol