With BC-FBN–Preseason In Review
AP Photo OHMD115
By BARRY WILNER
AP Football Writer
NFL coaches consistently spout the party line that every game is dangerous, no opponent is a pushover, on any given Sunday, etc.
Well, these days it’s hard to deny there are chunks of teams’ 16-game schedule that simply are hellacious.
Some clubs face big obstacles from the start of this season. Others close out the schedule with rough stretches. These are some of the toughest portions of the 2010 season:
– Chicago: The Bears save the best – as in quality of opponent – for last. Their final four games are at home against the Patriots, at the Vikings, home for the Jets and at the Packers. All four of those teams made the playoffs in 2009 and two went to conference championship games.
– Cleveland: A team that can’t afford a bad start has two decent chances to win with games against Tampa Bay and Kansas City. After that? Don’t look, Browns fans: at Baltimore, home for Cincinnati and Atlanta, at Pittsburgh and New Orleans. A bye – likely well-deserved – follows, then come home match ups with the Patriots and Jets.
– Green Bay: Midway through the season, the Pack gets tested, first in a visit by the Vikings and that No. 4 guy. Then they visit the Jets, host the Cowboys, take off a week, then go to Minnesota and Atlanta. If Green Bay is atop the NFC North after that, it deserves such success.
– Indianapolis: Not that the Colts are intimidated by any matchups these days. Still, a stretch in November and December against seven teams that had at least a .500 record last year is imposing. Indy gets Houston at home, goes to Philadelphia, hosts Cincinnati, visits New England, is home for San Diego and Dallas, then travels to Tennessee.
– Miami: Early-season day games in Miami always are troublesome for visitors because of the heat. So the league schedules the Dolphins for no Sunday afternoon home games until Oct. 24. From Week 3 through Week 10, Miami faces six playoff teams from last season, plus the Steelers, who were 9-7.
– Minnesota: The Vikings have five successive games against 2009 playoff clubs, starting with a trip to the Jets on a Monday night. Dallas then comes to the Metrodome, followed by games at Green Bay and New England, capped by a home game against Arizona.
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