Getting my feet wet

So for about 3 days now I've been itching to write here again. Figured I'd start doing it without informing the 5 people who ever read this blog and if I began doing it again "consistently" (something this blog could never really claim) I'd let them back in on my little secret. But, as it were, the wheels are in motion for a new cardinals blog, this time with a little more focus and a little more assistance. Most likely a lot of this will be one of the first few entries in the new blog (assuming we can get it up in time) thus the title. Time to get my feet wet again before we plunge head first into some birds blogging. Lots to discuss with yesterday's release of the schedule (im not doing the "if there is a season prefaces." Fuck that.) and next weeks Draft. Its been mentioned here before, but the NFL draft is my favorite sports day of the entire year. Many awful humans will be "celebrating" today as some retarded holiday but thats what ill be doing next week on draft day. God, i cant wait!

First, the schedule. Now its common practice among NFL fans (er, at least "mildly obsessed one") to pour over the schedule and attempt to assign Ws and Ls. Its a fun exercise in futility, kinda like mock drafts (more on that in a bit). The difference being this year with the lockout, this is the first bit of actual real information we've had in over 2 months. I mean lets be honest, Im addicted to this shit. The NFL is heroin to me, i just dont have to hide the track marks. Usually the off season is bustling enough to act as my methadone. Keeps me going till i get the real shit in the fall (note: i know thats not what methadone is used for). Anyways, with the lockout this year and no free agency fun, things like the schedule being released feel so much more important. Here is a link to the actual schedule. Im not going to break down each game, but just point out a few ones that feel like they could be season swingers. Obviously without knowing who is on our team, who is on opponents teams etc its impossible to predict outcomes. Like i said, exercise in futility. That said, assuming the cards can put together a competitive roster (something that is very debatable right now) these are some of the games to keep an eye on as season swingers:

Week 1 vs. Carolina: Now, no matter how good or bad a team looks on paper going into the season, its completely foolish to call a week 1 game a "must win." That said, Carolina is a bad team that will be starting either Cam Newton (in what would be his first career start) or Jimmy Clausen who blows. Its not a must win, but with road games in weeks 2 and 3, this would be a tough loss to swallow.

Week 5 @ Minn: Another team with an unsettled QB position. Could be Joe Webb who is awful, could be McNabb who too is old, fat and awful or one of the many rookies from the draft (or another veteran i guess. did i mention it was "unsettled"?) The importance of this game is less about the opponent and more about where it falls on the schedule. It comes on the heels of a Giants game (tough opponent) and before the bye week. Following the bye week, the cards are at home against the steelers and then @ baltimore. Its very likely we lose both of those games and very possibly the giants game too. Minn is the respite needed. 4 game losing streak with your bye sandwiched in between would more than likely end any potential playoff chances.

Week 9 vs. Rams: First home division game of the season. Must at least split the division games this season and a home game against many pundits 2011 NFC West favorite would be an important trend setter going forward.

Draft talk: Actually, no. Lets table this. If we get the real blog running that can be what we tackle next week. I might even do a full first round mock draft. Its utterly pointless as 1) its just guess work and 2) one single trade changes everything, but it seems like fun. And if we dont get the real blog going, well then the grand total of none of you will have missed out on this.