ARIZONA CARDINALS
This season will be a learning curve for the Arizona
Cardinals under new coach Steve Wilks and his staff. The
offense will have to figure out Mike McCoy’s playbook and the defense will have
to adapt to Al Holcomb’s scheme. That may take weeks, if not the whole season,
and this isn’t the year to have to figure it out on a weekly basis.
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, vs. Washington
Redskins, 4:25 p.m. ET
The first game of the Wilks era will be at home and result
in a win, primarily because Washington will have to fly cross-country, playing
three hours behind the players' body clocks as both teams try out new
quarterbacks. But the home-field advantage will hold true for the Cardinals in
the season opener. Record:1-0
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at Los Angeles
Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET
It won’t take long for the Cardinals to get a taste of the
Rams’ improved defense. Seeing L.A. this early will be a good measuring stick
for the Cardinals, who can gauge their progress under a new coaching staff
rather early. Record: 1-1
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. Chicago Bears,
4:25 p.m. ET
It’ll still be hot in Arizona, so that may be one obstacle
for the Bears that Arizona can exploit. Facing a young second-year quarterback
will be another. Arizona now has Mike Glennon on
its roster and he can give them the ins and outs of Mitchell
Trubisky better than anyone. Record: 2-1
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, vs. Seattle
Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET
This won’t be the Seahawks of old after a slew of personnel
changes drastically altered the roster, but it’s still Seattle and it’s still
an NFC West game. Arizona’s 4-3 defense will get a good feel for its progress
by facing QB Russell Wilson. Record: 2-2
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, at San Francisco
49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET
These aren’t your brother’s 49ers. Under quarterback Jimmy
Garoppolo, who won all five games he started at the end of last
season, the Niners are poised to return to the top of the West -- and the NFC
-- and Arizona will find out it’s not easy to beat Jimmy G, as they already
knew from 2017. Record: 2-3
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Minnesota
Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
This will be the Cardinals’ first trip out of the Pacific
time zone and it’ll be to a place where they hold an 0-5 record since 2006. One
saving grace is that Sam Bradford has
an intimate understanding of the Vikings, which could help. Record: 2-4
Week 7: Thursday, Oct. 18, vs. Denver
Broncos, 8:20 p.m. ET
Arizona’s only prime-time game of the season will be at
home, giving it the opportunity to rest an extra day without traveling. The
return home will be good for the Cardinals. Record: 3-4
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. San Francisco
49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET
The game before the bye is always a trap. Are players
looking forward to the mini vacation? Or will they stay focused for one more
game, especially at home? How the first seven games go will determine that but
it’s still the Niners and still Jimmy G. Record: 3-5
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Kansas City
Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET
Refreshed and ready for the second half, the Cardinals will
be facing a second-year quarterback in Patrick
Mahomes who’ll be midway through his first season as a starter.
It’s time for Arizona to overwhelm him. Record: 4-5
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18., vs. Oakland
Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET
Forget when the Dallas Cowboys or Pittsburgh
Steelers come to town, this will be the game that’ll see
University of Phoenix Stadium transformed into the Black Hole -- especially
with Raiders fans in Las Vegas able to make the quick drive or flight. And if
the Raiders can return to their 2016 success under Jon Gruden, then Arizona
will be facing a road game at home. Record: 4-6
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, at Los Angeles
Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET
It’ll be an easy road trip for the Cardinals and their fans
-- like the week before was for the Raiders -- but this will also be a winnable
game for Arizona against a team that isn’t likely to find its groove,
again. Record: 5-6
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Green Bay
Packers, 1 p.m. ET
Green Bay. In December. Good luck. The Cardinals will have
to trade paradise for their parkas, and then face Aaron Rodgers.
That combination doesn’t bode well. Record: 5-7
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, vs. Detroit Lions,
4:25 p.m. ET
By this point in the year both Wilks and new Lions coach
Matt Patricia will be more than 75 percent through their inaugural
head-coaching seasons. That may play a factor in how this game turns out, but
it’ll likely have to do more with how Arizona can contain Matthew
Stafford. Record: 6-7
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Atlanta
Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
A late-season, cross-country road trip is never fun, unless
the team is flying high in the standings. But the Cardinals are 0-6 in Atlanta
since 2004. That’s not flying high. Record: 6-8
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Los Angeles Rams,
4:05 p.m. ET
By this point in the year, the Cardinals will likely be
counting the days until their offseason begins and they won’t be looking
forward to facing a Rams team that’s expected to compete for a Super Bowl
title. This one could get ugly. Record: 6-9
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Seattle Seahawks,
4:25 p.m. ET
Ah, yes. The familiar season-finale in Seattle. It’ll
probably be chilly, rainy and miserable. The magic Arizona kept recreating at
CenturyLink Field under Bruce Arians has run out. Record: 6-10
LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Los Angeles
Rams will finally experience what it means to play a
first-place schedule. They'll play five prime-time games in 2018, all of them
against teams that could wind up in the playoffs. But they'll also travel very
little in the first five weeks, giving them a real chance to get off to another
good start. Here's a look at how it could shake out for each game.
Week 1: Monday, Sept. 10, at Oakland
Raiders, 10:20 p.m. ET
This will be fun. Sean McVay will be facing off against his
mentor, Jon Gruden, who will make his return to the Raiders -- and to coaching
-- under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. McVay probably isn't
looking forward to facing an offensive mind he holds in such high regard. But
his Rams are the better, more complete team. And they'll once again get off on
the right foot. Record: 1-0
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, vs. Arizona
Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET
The Cardinals are undergoing a pretty major transition
period, with no Carson Palmer, no Tyrann
Mathieu and no Bruce Arians. Look for the Rams' menacing
defensive line to get after a familiar face in Sam Bradford,
who is coming off knee surgery. Record: 2-0
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. Los Angeles
Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET
This smells like a trap game. The buzz at Los Angeles
Memorial Coliseum should be electric for what will be the first regular-season
Chargers-Rams game since the teams moved to L.A. The Chargers have the talent
to compete for a division title this season, and they'll get the better of the
Rams in this one, even though they'll be coming off a cross-country trip. Record:
2-1
Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 27, vs. Minnesota
Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET
Here it is -- the first signature win of the season. The
Rams lost a tough one on the road against the Vikings last year and were badly
looking forward to seeing them in the playoffs, confident that they would come
out on top if given another chance. Kirk Cousins has
since replaced Case Keenum,
and the Vikings might be even better than the team that went to the NFC
Championship Game last year. But the Rams will be ready. Record:
3-1
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, at Seattle
Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET
This isn't the Seahawks the Rams are used to playing. Pete
Carroll and Russell
Wilson are still there, but so many of Seattle's key defensive
pieces are gone now. The last time the Rams played at CenturyLink Field, they
all but clinched a division title with a 42-7 annihilation. They know they can
win there, and they'll do so again. Record: 4-1
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Denver
Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET
When Keenum faced his former team last year, he went
27-of-38 for 280 yards and a touchdown, constantly scrambling to keep plays
extended. Now he'll be steering a Broncos team that isn't as good as last
year's Vikings, and facing a Rams defensive line that will make it a lot
tougher for him to slither away. Welcome back, Wade Phillips and Aqib Talib. Record:
5-1
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, at San Francisco
49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET
It's a small sample size, sure, but it seems as if Kyle
Shanahan has a pretty good feel for McVay (or, perhaps more accurately, Rams
defensive coordinator Wade Phillips). Shanahan's 49ers gave the Rams all they
could handle on Thursday Night Football last year, even though they were still
so uncertain at quarterback. With Jimmy
Garoppolo at the helm for the regular-season finale, they
routed a Rams team that played mostly backups. Back at home, Shanahan will find
a way to sneak past McVay's starters in this one. Record: 5-2
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. Green Bay
Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Here's a fun matchup between two former Cal quarterbacks
in Jared Goff and Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers will be playing at the Coliseum for the first time since completing 23
consecutive passes during a dramatic loss to No. 1 USC in October 2004. Rodgers'
team, now the Packers, will come up short here once again. Record:
6-2
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at New Orleans
Saints, 4:25 p.m. ET
There's a case to be made for the Saints being the NFC's
most complete team, now that Sean Payton and Drew Brees have
a dynamic running game and a solid defense. One of the Rams' most impressive
wins last season came against the Saints. But this one will come at
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which, you know, changes things. Record:
6-3
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:25
p.m. ET
The last time the Rams hosted the Seahawks, they outgained
them by 134 yards and still lost. Not this time. Record: 7-3
Week 11: Monday, Nov. 19, vs. Kansas City
Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET
This one will take place from Estadio Azteca in Mexico City,
which is a whole lot closer than Twickenham Stadium in London. The Rams will be
thrilled about that. Marcus Peters,
the former Chiefs cornerback, will probably spend a lot of time covering Sammy Watkins,
the former Rams wide receiver. When Peters isn't covering him, it will be
Talib. In other words: This will be a very tough test for second-year
quarterback Patrick
Mahomes. Too tough. Record: 8-3
Week 12: Bye.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Detroit Lions,
1:00 p.m. ET
The Rams' most impressive showing last season came off their
bye week, when they beat the New York
Giants 51-17. The Lions should offer a more difficult test, but
the result will be the same. Record: 9-3
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, at Chicago Bears,
1:00 p.m. ET
Mitch
Trubisky still has some growing to do. Facing Talib,
Peters, Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald is
not the ideal way to go about it. The Bears still aren't a very good team, and
the Rams should win easily. Record: 10-3
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, vs. Philadelphia
Eagles, 8:20 p.m. ET
Goff-Wentz, Part II. Carson Wentz injured
his knee in last year's game from the Coliseum, then Nick Foles --
the eventual Super Bowl MVP -- led his team to victory. Wentz will, hopefully,
be fully healthy by the time these teams meet again. The Eagles are just as
good, if not better. And they'll prevail again in what should be another very
close game. Record: 10-4
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:05
p.m. ET
Here's one thing we learned about McVay's Rams in 2017: They
bounce back well from losses. They'll do so again in a rout of the Cardinals,
who could be at the bottom of the standings by this point. Record:
11-4
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at San Francisco 49ers,
4:25 p.m. ET
If given another chance, one has to wonder if McVay would've
handled the last week of last year's regular season differently -- if he would
have played his starters a little bit more, or perhaps given them more practice
time, so that they wouldn't have come out as flat as they did in the ensuing
playoff loss to the Atlanta
Falcons. Regardless, this game could have serious ramifications. The
49ers could be that much better. Given that, McVay will get the best of
Shanahan to split the season series. Record: 12-4
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco
49ers' five-game winning streak to close the 2017 season generated
plenty of buzz heading into 2018. That buzz wasn't limited to fans, either, as
the Niners were given a whopping five prime-time games upon the release of
their 2018 schedule.
The question now is whether the 49ers will be able to live
up to the hype against a schedule that looks particularly daunting early but
offers a lot of home cooking late. Here's one way-too-early guess at how the
season will play out with the caveat that another prediction will be made just
before the season:
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Minnesota
Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
The matchup of the Niners' franchise quarterback (Jimmy
Garoppolo) and the man who likely would have been their franchise
quarterback (Kirk Cousins)
should get this season off to a rollicking start. San Francisco should give the
Vikings all they want, but Minnesota has the better, more accomplished roster
and U.S. Bank Stadium will be rocking. Record: 0-1
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, vs. Detroit Lions,
4:05 p.m. ET
This is the only home game for the Niners in the season's
first month and will feature Garoppolo and Detroit's Matthew
Stafford, two of the league's highest-paid quarterbacks. A Week 1
loss will do nothing to dampen the spirits of the 49ers' faithful, and the
49ers grab their first win. Record: 1-1
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Kansas City
Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET
Kansas City offers a talented young quarterback in its own
right and with many weapons at his disposal, Patrick
Mahomes looks to have a bright future. It's fair to wonder if
that will all coalesce this early, though, and the Chiefs' defense doesn't lack
for questions. Record: 2-1
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, at Los Angeles
Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET
The "other" Los Angeles team looks like one that
could make a run at the AFC West, especially if it can finally start winning
some close games. Don't be surprised if the 49ers' faithful outnumbers Chargers
fans here, but Philip Riverswill
lead a late drive to win a shootout. Record: 2-2
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, vs. Arizona
Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
The Cardinals have owned the Niners in recent seasons, but
there have been some major changes in the desert this offseason, including at
head coach. Expect the 49ers to get back on the winning side here. Record: 3-2
Week 6: Monday, Oct. 15, at Green Bay
Packers, 8:15 p.m. ET
Aaron Rodgers vs.
Garoppolo on Monday Night Football at Lambeau Field? Yeah, this one should be
fun. Assuming Rodgers is healthy and at his usual powers, this is a tough ask
for a young 49ers defense. Record: 3-3
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, vs. Los Angeles
Rams, 8:20 p.m. ET
A year ago, these two teams played one of the most
entertaining prime-time games of the 2017 season on a Thursday night. All you
need to know about how far both franchises have come in a year is that this
matchup is being featured on a Sunday night. The Rams escaped with a win last
year in prime time, but the Niners were without Garoppolo. This atmosphere
should be tough to beat as the once-fierce rivalry regains its mojo. Record: 4-3
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, at Arizona Cardinals,
4:25 p.m. ET
The Cardinals shouldn't be completely counted out, as some
are doing, after they went through so much change. But the Niners look the part
of an ascending team while Arizona still has major questions at quarterback.
The Niners complete the sweep. Record: 5-3
Week 9: Thursday, Nov. 1, vs. Oakland
Raiders, 8:20 p.m. ET
For the final time, these two Bay Area rivals will meet and
they'll do so in prime time. The traffic battle to get to Levi's Stadium
figures to be hotly contested, but so, too, should the on-field matchup. The
Raiders should be finding their groove under new coach Jon Gruden by this time,
but former pupil Kyle Shanahan outduels him. Record: 6-3
Week 10: Monday, Nov. 12, vs. New York
Giants, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Niners got their first win against the Giants after
losing nine straight to open the 2017 season. That New York team won't be the
same as the one the Niners get here, but a long trip across the country and a
roster transition won't be enough to get past San Francisco. Record: 7-3
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, at Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET
On paper, this is a game the 49ers should win. But one thing
this team still must prove is that it can handle business when traveling to the
Eastern time zone. That has been a major struggle in recent seasons and every
team is susceptible to an unexpected loss. The Bucs give the Niners one of
those here after a long layoff between games. Record: 7-4
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Seattle
Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET
Ah, yes, the Richard
Sherman bowl. This rivalry kicks back into high gear as Sherman
returns as a member of his former nemesis. The 49ers haven't beaten Seattle in
their past nine attempts and though the Seahawks might be on the decline, they
still have Russell
Wilson, some excellent defensive pieces and a rousing home-field
advantage. Record: 7-5
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, vs. Denver
Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET
The Niners begin a manageable three-game home stretch, which
should give them a realistic chance to make a playoff push. It begins here as
John Elway's Broncos take on former protege John Lynch and the Niners. These
49ers should be able to get the job done. Record: 8-5
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, vs. Seattle Seahawks,
4:05 p.m. ET
The second meeting in three weeks means these teams will
have little they can hide from one another. But the chance to return home and
take care of business gives the Niners a leg up this time and end Seattle's
reign of dominance against them. Record: 9-5
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Chicago Bears,
4:05 p.m. ET
Niners kicker Robbie Gould helped
the Niners knock off the Bears late last season, but this Chicago team should
be much better after some strong offseason additions and a well-designed
coaching change. While Chicago should be improved, it will likely be out of the
playoff race at this point, and the Niners will be making a final push as they
wrap up a perfect home record. Record: 10-5
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Los Angeles Rams,
4:25 p.m. ET
Could the NFC West be on the line in this game? It's
possible. If it is, this should be the best atmosphere yet for a Rams game
since their return to the City of Angels. The Niners are improved, but the Rams
are positioned to make a deep postseason run. In this burgeoning rivalry, it
only seems right the Rams and Niners split the season series. Record: 10-6
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
The Seattle
Seahawks are going to have a hard enough time making it back to
the playoffs with a roster that lost a considerable amount of talent this
offseason. Their schedule won't make it any easier. Seattle's is tied for the
fifth-toughest in terms of their opponents' 2017 winning percentages, and it
starts off with a pair of road games, albeit against teams that each went 5-11
last season. Here's a game-by-game predictions for the Seahawks' 2018 season:
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Denver
Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET
It's never easy playing in Denver, and the Seahawks will be
facing a Broncos team that upgraded at quarterback by signing Case Keenum.
They'll start off with a loss. Record: 0-1
Week 2: Monday, Sept. 17, at Chicago Bears,
8:15 p.m. ET
The Seahawks catch a bit of a break here with this game
coming early in the season as opposed to, say, late December, when Soldier
Field will be an ice box. They're an incredible 22-4-1 in prime-time games
under Pete Carroll. They'll improve that record in the first of their five
prime-time games in 2018. Record: 1-1
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. Dallas
Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET
The Seahawks forced three turnovers against Dak Prescott and
the Cowboys in a Christmas Eve win in Dallas last season. Assuming Earl Thomas'
is still patrolling the back end for Seattle's defense in this game and not for
Dallas, the Seahawks will take care of business at home. Record: 2-1
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, at Arizona
Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET
The Seahawks will return to the place where their 2017
season -- and arguably the course of their entire franchise -- was drastically
altered. They beat the Cardinals in that game but lost Richard
Sherman and Kam
Chancellor to season-ending -- and in Chancellor's case,
perhaps career-ending -- injuries. They'll continue their winning ways at
University of Phoenix Stadium, where they haven't lost since Russell
Wilson's first career start in 2012. Record: 3-1
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, vs. Los Angeles
Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET
The last time the Rams came to Seattle, they whupped the
Seahawks by 35 points in what marked the most lopsided loss of the Carroll era.
You can bet the Seahawks will be as motivated as ever in this game, but that
won't be enough to overcome the gap in talent between the two teams that was
exposed in December and only widened this offseason. Record: 3-2
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Oakland
Raiders, 1 p.m. ET
The Seahawks head to London for their first regular-season
game outside of North America. Facing Marshawn
Lynch -- one of the most important players in franchise history
-- will add another level of intrigue. The Seahawks will get the best of Beast
Mode and Jon Gruden. Record: 4-2
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, at Detroit Lions, 1
p.m. ET
We're accounting for the possibility of one of those
out-of-nowhere clunker performances in which the Seahawks lose to a team they
probably should beat. Think 2016 against the Buccaneers and last season against
Washington. This will be the 2018 version even though the Seahawks will be
coming off a bye. Record: 4-3
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, vs. Los Angeles
Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET
This will mark the second week of what clearly looks like
the toughest stretch on the Seahawks' schedule. The Chargers have excellent
pass-rushers, but the Seahawks' offensive line under new coach Mike Solari will
have had two months to settle in. Record: 5-3
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Los Angeles Rams,
4:25 p.m. ET
It took five takeaways and a pass that went off of Cooper Kupp's
fingertips in the end zone for the Seahawks to escape Los Angeles with a
six-point win early last season. Don't expect that to happen again. Record: 5-4
Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 15, vs. Green Bay
Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET
The Seahawks have won their last three matchups against the
Packers at CenturyLink Field, including the NFC Championship Game during the
2014 season. But a healthy Aaron Rodgers and
a Seahawks defense that isn't as formidable as it was means that streak will
end here. Record: 5-5
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, at Carolina
Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
The Seahawks haven't lost three straight games in a row
since 2011, the year before Wilson arrived. But they've got a cross-country
trip to face Cam Newtonand
the Panthers in an early kickoff, which is a tough combo. Record: 5-6
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, vs. San Francisco
49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET
Sherman's first game against his former team comes in prime
time, just like it should be. Get your popcorn ready and watch the Seahawks
continue to have the 49ers' number, at least for now. Record: 6-6
Week 14: Monday, Dec. 10, vs. Minnesota
Vikings, 8:15 p.m. ET
Kirk Cousins engineered a game-winning drive to help
Washington beat the Seahawks last season in one of Seattle's sloppier games in
recent memory. The Vikings won 13 games last season Cousins will have had more
than three months by this point to get acquainted to a new offense, so this is
a rare home loss in prime time for the Seahawks. Record: 6-7
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at San Francisco
49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET
Assuming a victory in the first meeting, the Seahawks will
have won 10 straight games over the 49ers dating back to the NFC Championship
Game during the 2013 season. But Jimmy
Garoppolo will help end that streak here. Record: 6-8
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Kansas City
Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET
Facing first-year starter Patrick
Mahomes at home in their final prime-time game, the Seahawks
will end their two-game losing streak to begin another strong finish. Record: 7-8
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, vs. Arizona Cardinals,
4:25 p.m. ET
The Seahawks close out the regular season at home against
Arizona for the second straight season. They lost last year when Blair Walsh missed
a 48-yard field goal with under a minute left. How about Sebastian Janikowski boots
the winning kick for Seattle this time? Record: 8-8
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