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2016 Schedule Speculation, Rumors, and Predictions


kleese

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I've pretty much switched into full basketball mode already and I find the NFL off-season interests me much less than it used to--- I used to go gaga for the draft...now, I'm "meh." Not minimizing importance, just my own personal interest. Call me when we're on the clock and I'll pay attention. Anyway, my favorite off-season activity is schedule speculation. It's always been my favorite day of the NFL off-season and I can distinctly remember checking the newspaper every morning starting in mid-March to see if it would be released--- this ages me-- well before the internet and well before they announced WHEN THEY'D ANNOUNCE. It's later now than it used to be which stinks, but oh well.

For me, I like guaranteed enjoyable weekends. While winning Thursday night or early Sunday makes for a fun and stress-free remainder of the weekend, I much prefer being the late/last game to ensure that nothing gets ruined early. SNF is my favorite slot because it's the last game of the day, but it is still SUNDAY so it's one big awesome day of anticipation watching the early games, etc. I also love the late Sunday slot and while MNF isn't what is used to be in terms of prominence, I still like it. The early Sunday starts are not my favorite and I HATE Thursday games. Hate them.

So each season I root for later games.

2015 was the first year since 1978 that the Redskins did not start a game in the late Sunday afternoon timeslot. It was a bummer for me. Of course, that's when we played our playoff game, but no late starts in regular season and no SNF games either. That will change in 2016, book it.

Looking ahead to 2016, there is little we know at this point, but here is what we do know:

--We play a "road game" in London vs. the Bengals on Sunday, Oct. 30th (which I believe is a 1:00 start)

--Unless the NFL breaks from recent tradition, our bye week will be the following weekend (first weekend in November)

--We cannot play the Giants the weekend of Oct. 23rd as they will be in London to play Los Angeles

--Assuming the NFL sticks to the plan, the SB winner will open at home on the first Thursday night of the season. The only possibility there for us would be if the Cardinals win the SB. And if they do, I seriously doubt we would be the opponent that night-- a team like the Seahawks would be much more fitting.

--The NFL doesn't get too cute or into predictions with their scheduling. They generally stick the previous seasons winning teams in the prime spots along with the stalwarts that draw well like the Cowboys and Steelers. The return of TRomo will give them a good reason to brush aside the 4-12 results from last season. The flex scheduling procedures make it even more likely the schedule is full of the previous year's winning teams in prime spots because they know they can move one out if it's a dud.

--Entering this year I do not think the Redskins will be viewed as a top prime scheduling candidate, but they will get more love than they got this past season and our schedule of opponents almost ensures it-- playing the two North divisions provides a lot of big ratings draws in terms of our opponents.

A mock schedule is kind of silly to create prior to the end of the SB, draft, and FA as all of those results always impact scheduling. However, I'm going to give it a whirl anyway. I did this last year and I think I got one right-- I had us closing the season at Dallas. I think I also had us in a primetime game vs. the Giants, but it was not on Thursday.

Here goes:

9-11-16 (Sun 4:25) vs. Dallas

9-18-16 (Sun 1:00) at Detroit

9-22-16 (Thu. 8:25) at Philadelphia

10-1-16 (Sun. 7:25) vs. Carolina

10-9-16 (Sun. 1:00) at Baltimore

10-17-16 (Mon. 8:25) vs. Minnesota

10-23-16 (Sun. 1:00) vs. Cleveland

10-30-16 (Sun 1:00) at Cincinnati (London)

BYE

11-13-16 (Sun 7:25) at Dallas

11-20-16 (Sun 1:00) vs. New York Giants

11-27-16 (Sun 4:25) at Arizona

12-5-16 (Mon 8:25) vs. Pittsburgh

12-11-16 (Sun 1:00) at Chicago

12-18-16 (Sun 4:25) vs. Green Bay

12-24-16 (Sat 1:00) vs. Philadelphia

1-1-17 (Sun 1:00) at New York Giants

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The Thursday games are all Divisional games to start the season. I believe it lasted until at least week 14 when Arizona and Minny played.

You know, I knew they were making that a priority but didn't really realize how staked it was until you pointed it out. I'll be interested to see if that continues or if they go back to the more random match ups they had in the past.

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Ed, this team has won TWO Monday night games in the 19 seasons we've been in Landover, and you're going to subject us to two MNF home dates in 2016?  I doubt this team could even beat Cleveland if they came in here on a Monday night!

 

I really wish the league would look at scheduling so that the teams that play on Thursday night have their bye week right before their Thursday game. You could also stipulate that the teams that have to go to London are exempt from Thursday games that season. Of course, it would mean the Cowboys and Lions would have the same bye week every season, but it might be time to do away with the "Detroit and Dallas play every Thanksgiving" tradition as well.

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Ed, this team has won TWO Monday night games in the 19 seasons we've been in Landover, and you're going to subject us to two MNF home dates in 2016? I doubt this team could even beat Cleveland if they came in here on a Monday night!

I really wish the league would look at scheduling so that the teams that play on Thursday night have their bye week right before their Thursday game. You could also stipulate that the teams that have to go to London are exempt from Thursday games that season. Of course, it would mean the Cowboys and Lions would have the same bye week every season, but it might be time to do away with the "Detroit and Dallas play every Thanksgiving" tradition as well.

I'll predict us as a lock for two MNF games. I also have us with two SNF games--- that could easily just be one, but with our opponents I think it is a strong possibility we get two. Now, whether both of those MNF games are at home? Well, let's cross our fingers they aren't :)

I also edited it based on the glitch Huv pointed out...

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If Griffin goes to Dallas, I could see us playing @ Dallas thanksgiving day. Also, after noticing that the first Sunday of the season is 9/11, I could see us facing the Giants (like they did the last time it started on 9/11 in 2011). Either @ Giants or @ redskins. Two teams from places that were really hurt by 9/11.

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If Griffin goes to Dallas, I could see us playing @ Dallas thanksgiving day. Also, after noticing that the first Sunday of the season is 9/11, I could see us facing the Giants (like they did the last time it started on 9/11 in 2011). Either @ Giants or @ redskins. Two teams from places that were really hurt by 9/11.

If RG3 goes to Dallas, he will be holding a clipboard-- just like here. Although I guess he'd actually be in uniform there.

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Kleese ... I hope you are right with your prediction for the Stealers on a Monday night.  I'm not going to any Monday or Thursday night games this season and, after the horrible behavior from their fans in 2008, I would love nothing more than to have them here on MNF again (so I can not worry about adding a potential Sunday game to one I would not attend).

 

Seriously, those were some of the nastiest, obnoxious, and rudest fans we encountered that night.  No, they didn't openly urinate inside the stadium like some fans did in Cincinnati (wild card game) but they probably would have.

 

Do we know if the team has said absolutely no to hosting a Thanksgiving night game?  If it is on the table, that Stealer game *could* go right there.

 

I do agree with a 9-11 home opener against the Giants; perhaps on Sunday Night Football, depending on who the Jets host (assuming they get the 9-11 home game at MetLife).

 

Another game that could find itself on Monday night is the game at M&T: Battle of the Beltways.

 

And I definitely see some 1625 home kickoffs this year.

 

 

cheers

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kleese writes:

 

--We play a "road game" in London vs. the Bengals on Sunday, Oct. 30th (which I believe is a 1:00 start)

 

 

If I remember, though, one of those London games this season, (Bills vs. Jets, I believe), started at 9:30 am Eastern time.

 

We could have a VERY early game come October 30th. :)

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also, the good thing about facing the AFC North next season is that Gruden was in that division for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 season. so he should know the Ravens, Browns, Bengals and Steelers defenses pretty well. maybe not the Browns, cause they have a new head coach now (hue jackson) and should have a new defensive coordinator...but that should be interesting seeing how our offense does against their defenses


 

 

If I remember, though, one of those London games this season, (Bills vs. Jets, I believe), started at 9:30 am Eastern time.

 

We could have a VERY early game come October 30th. :)

all 3 London games started at 9:30 AM this season. but I do remember there being a rumor that one of the London games next season is going to start at the normal 1 PM time slot. pretty sure its the skins vs bengals game, but could be wrong

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I think we'll get a Sunday Night game this year. Probably just one, but being that we did make the playoffs, we'll get one. My guess is its against the Cowboys.

 

Thursday Night games are always between division rivals. Since we've played the Giants the last couple of years on TNF, my guess is they'll schedule us against someone else. Probably the Eagles, since the Cowboys designated Thursday game(I believe every team has to have at least one)will be Thanksgiving.

 

The season finale has to be vs. a division rival. Since that was instituted, the only matchup we haven't had in Week 17 is the Eagles at home. Every other possible matchup(home/away)has occured at least once.

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I think we'll get a Sunday Night game this year. Probably just one, but being that we did make the playoffs, we'll get one. My guess is its against the Cowboys.

 

Thursday Night games are always between division rivals. Since we've played the Giants the last couple of years on TNF, my guess is they'll schedule us against someone else. Probably the Eagles, since the Cowboys designated Thursday game(I believe every team has to have at least one)will be Thanksgiving.

 

The season finale has to be vs. a division rival. Since that was instituted, the only matchup we haven't had in Week 17 is the Eagles at home. Every other possible matchup(home/away)has occured at least once.

 

the cowboys can have more than just the Thursday thanksgiving day game, since that's not technically a Thursday NIGHT game, and they've had that game for as long as I can remember, so its already built into their schedule. in 2014 they had a Thursday night game against the bears, and they won 41-28, that was exactly a week after their thanksgiving day game against the eagles. this season that didn't happen, and it didn't happen in the 2013 season either, but the 2014 season did show that it can happen.

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I'm predicting we go to Detroit on Thanksgiving day. Not sure why, but it always seems like the NFC East has another team (besides Dallas) playing on Thanksgiving recently.

 

Also, Sunday night Football starts at 725 ET now? That doesnt make any sense since most games that start at 425 ET dont wrap up until close to 8pm

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It's my day off from work, so I'll give it a try myself KLeese. I hope I got it right and didnt miss one of your scheduling "loopholes"

 

9-11-16 (Sun 8:30) at NY Giants
9-18-16 (Sun 1:00) Cleveland
9-25-16 (Sun 1:00) at Chicago
10-2-16 (Sun 4:25) vs. Green Bay
10-9-16 (Sun 1:00) at Philadelphia
10-17-16 (Mon 8:25) vs Dallas
10-23-16 (Sun. 1:00) at Baltimore
10-30-16 (Sun 1:00) at Cincinnati (London)
BYE
11-13-16 (Sun 4:25) vs. Carolina
11-20-16 (Sun 1:00) vs. NY Giants
11-24-16 (Thurs 12:30) at Detroit
12-5-16 (Mon 8:25) vs. Pittsburgh
12-11-16 (Sun 1:00) at Dallas
12-18-16 (Sun 1:00) vs Minnesota
12-24-16 (Sat 4:25) at Arizona
1-1-17 (Sun 1:00) vs Philadelphia

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God that schedule is brutal. Absolutely brutal. At the very least we'll know a lot more about this by the end of next year. The only "easy" non-division games are Cleveland and kinda Detroit. Downside of winning a division before your team is ready to compete for a title.

 

Chicago and Baltimore are road games I can see us having a chance to win as well. Fortunately we have alot of the top teams at home.

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God that schedule is brutal. Absolutely brutal. At the very least we'll know a lot more about this by the end of next year. The only "easy" non-division games are Cleveland and kinda Detroit. Downside of winning a division before your team is ready to compete for a title.

Again, this schedule was decided six years ago-- only two games were determined by us finishing first. Dallas finished last and plays 14 of the same games (swapping us out for them of course). Every team in the East plays the eight teams in the two North divisions.

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