2010 Scheduling Breaks for Falcons [I had too much time during the offseason]

[HolyDuckett!]

Today, Peyton mentioned the break we have playing the Saints on a short week after a west coast trip. So I tracked this down from the OMB . . .

Week 1: We play the Steelers 1) w/o Ben 2) during fair weather in Pittsburgh and 3) Polamalu . . . . well, we don't really know whether his knee will be stronger as the season goes on so we are catching a break, or he will re-injure it and be out by the time the Steelers play the Saints week 8.

Week 2: Cardinals at home. 1) Good to catch Leinart (or whoever) early 2) The Cardinals play in KC the week before which is not a bad road trip for them, but it still limits their recovery a little going from Central time zone, to west, then back to east.

Week 3: Saints in N.O.: The single biggest scheduling break of the season is that the Saints play in San Francisco on MNF in Week 2. Playing on a short week after MNF is always tough, but it's a lot tougher when you are flying back from the West Coast. The Falcons will be in their homes early Sunday evening. The Saints will be in their homes . . . . Tuesday mid morning? Even playing in N.O. I love the day and a half additional recovery.

Week 4: 49'ers in Atlanta. No big deal except that, like the Cardinals in Week 2, the 49'ers will be coming off a road trip to Kansas City. Lots of travel for them.

Week 5: @ Browns . . . If you have to go to Cleveland, probably better to do it October 10 than Nov. or Dec.10th.

Week 6: @ Eagles: SECOND biggest break of the season: The Eagles play on SUNDAY Night Football in . . . SAN FRANCISCO WEEK 5. LOTS of travel, slightly shortened week. It can't be fun to get on a cross country flight around midnight after a football game.

Week 7: Bengles at home: After their bye week so that's not good. But probably better than the Saints going to Cincinnati in December.

Week 8: Bye . . . nice to have it later this year.

Week 9: Bucs at home after our bye, plus the Bucs play a 4pm game in St. Louis week 8. So that helps a little maybe.

Week 10: Ravens at home on Thursday.

Week 11: @Rams, We shouldn't need help, but for the third time, we play a team that played in San Francisco the week before! And we'll have the extra rest from playing Thursday night.

Week 12: Packers at home: Except for the obvious home field advantage, no edge or very slight disadvantage because our Rams game is at 4:

Week 13: @ Bucs No edge either way

Week 14: @ Panthers: Once again, we play a team coming off a west coast trip. Panthers play in Seattle week 12 (4pm of course)

Week 15: @ Seahawks. Super long flight for us . . . Once again (this is 4), we face a team after they play in San Francisco, but obviously this time it doesn't help us.

Week 16: Saints at home ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: So the Saints get us after OUR long west coast trip . . . except the sting is taken off the trip because of the extra day (for both teams) I think that's a pretty good break versus playing a Sunday afternoon game after a west coast trip.

Week 17: Panthers at home: This is our biggest screw job of the season. We have a short week after MNF, the Panthers have a week and a half after a Thursday night game. they won't have anything to play for (or we've already locked up home field advantage throughout the playoffs!


Obviously, the travel aspect is not that big of a deal. But they say that it takes one day to recover for every time zone you cross.

OK . . . playing the Steelers without Ben R is obviously the biggest break we have over the Saints and Panthers . . . . but I don't think the travel edge we get playing in Philly and N.O. should be overlooked.