Arizona Cardinals 2018 schedule prediction

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 08: Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates an interception by teammate Antoine Bethea #41 (not pictured) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on October 8, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 08: Patrick Peterson #21 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates an interception by teammate Antoine Bethea #41 (not pictured) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on October 8, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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The Arizona Cardinals will know in a couple of weeks just how the 2018 schedule will lay out for them

The annual April tradition of predicting the Arizona Cardinals schedule is upon us.  With likely just a couple of weeks away from the release of the 2018 schedule, it is time to predict how it will play out.

Of course it is never spot on but it always fun to see just how close the prediction comes as far as to when they play.  We already know who the Cardinals will play this season.

As a reminder, the Cardinals will play the AFC West this season.  They also play the entire NFC North.  They also play the second-place teams from the NFC South (Atlanta Falcons), and NFC East (Washington Redskins) along with the six NFC West games.

September 9 – San Francisco 49ers

September 16 – @Green Bay Packers

September 23 – @Atlanta Falcons

September 30 – Los Angeles Rams

October 7 – @Los Angeles Chargers

October 14 – Denver Broncos

October 21 – Bye

October 29 (Monday) – @Minnesota Vikings

November 4 – Seattle Seahawks

November 11 – @Kansas City Chiefs

November 15 (Thursday) – @San Francisco 49ers

November 25 – Detroit Lions

December 2 – Chicago Bears

December 9 – @Seattle Seahawks

December 16 – Oakland Raiders

December 23 – Washington Redskins

December 30 – @Los Angeles Rams

This prediction is really a mix of what the NFL has done to the Cardinals schedule-wise over the last couple of seasons.  They’ve had a backload of home games in December, on the road more the first-half of the season.

Last season the Cardinals were the last team to have a home game, spending the first two weeks on the road before opening at home in week three on Monday Night Football. That likely won’t happen again in 2018.

They could flip flop the prediction of starting the season on the road, but I don’t believe they will force the Cardinals to travel on the road for the first two weeks of the season with a new head coach.  It is the NFL though, so stranger things have happened.

Next: 5 quarterbacks that could play for Arizona Cardinals

After finishing 8-8 in 2017 and bringing in a new coaching staff I don’t see too many national game opportunities.  They likely do get one Monday night and one Thursday night (everyone gets one of those), even if it doesn’t play out as predicted here.