Arizona Cardinals: Top five cool facts about 2015 schedule

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Jan 10, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates after the Ravens

2. The Cardinals bye week comes later this year.

In 2014, the Cardinals experienced a very early bye week in week four. After jumping out to a 3-0 start to the season, the Cardinals had to take a week off before having to go face the Denver Broncos in Denver and losing by two touchdowns, not to mention the loss of Drew Stanton to a concussion.

This year the bye week comes much later in week nine. That’s more like it. The bye week comes just after the halfway point of the season. This is a perfect time to give a battered team a week of rest. This may help the Cardinals better prepare for the home stretch where they arguably face the toughest part of their schedule.

1. The Baltimore Ravens visit University of Phoenix Stadium for the first time.

Since opening in 2006, the Ravens have not played a preseason, regular season, or postseason game in Arizona. The Cardinals have visited Baltimore twice since then in 2007 and 2011.

This game is not only their first visit but also is on Monday Night Football. Make no bones about it, this game is marked on all of our schedules as I’m sure it is for many of you. ESPN’s Ray Lewis, a former Raven, will be there for pre and post game. Nothing like being able to beat his former team on our field in front of the whole nation.

No matter how you look at it, the schedule is tough all around. Tougher than 2014 anyway when you look at home vs. away games. The schedule does set up nicer though for the Cardinals in terms of when the home games are. After the Ravens visit, that leaves only the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets as the only teams to have not played a game in UOP Stadium.

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