New Schedule Previews: Part Three - NFL

This is the final part of my three-part column detailing the best games of the newly released schedules in the NHL, College Football, and now, the NFL. I hope you enjoyed the previews.

All this talk of a full fall sports slate is making me want to skip the rest of summer just so I can watch football all weekend, every weekend. But training camps open in a little over a week, so I guess I can wait until then to start getting excited (who am I kidding, I'm already stoked). Without waiting any longer, here are my picks for the five best games of the 2009-10 NFL schedule.

5. Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers (September 10, 2009)

I'm giving this a spot on the list mostly because it is the Opening Kickoff game featuring the teams most AFC fans wanted to see meet in the playoffs last year: the best record in the AFC during the 2008 regular season (Titans) against the now-Super Bowl Champions (Steelers). Sure, this game has the potential to be great, as many do, but I don't think it really will be. Pittsburgh has won five straight season openers and is great at Heinz Field, cold weather or not. Hometown biases to the curb, the Steelers aren't about to start the season 0-1.

4. My sleepers have important stretches: Houston Texans (weeks 9 through 13), Kansas City Chiefs (weeks 13 through 17)

I've been quite vocal since the schedules were released that I thought two AFC teams were poised for breakout 2009 campaigns: the Texans and Chiefs. Taking a closer look at each teams' schedule, both teams have a five week stretch that will prove critical to their playoff hopes. From my point of view, if Houston can stay healthy and finish 4-2 in the AFC South they will have a great chance to play deep into January. The big stretch for the Texans is: week 9 - at Indy, week 10 - bye, week 11 - vs. Tennessee, week 12 - vs. Indy, week 13 - at Jacksonville.

For Kansas City, the schedule sets up less favorably, as the AFC West will play the AFC North and NFC East (they play all four NFCE teams in a row from weeks 3 through 6), but they can really capitalize on the second half schedule, where they could legitimately finish 6-2. They might even be able to run the table in the last five, when they host Denver, Buffalo, and Cleveland in weeks 13-15, and then travel to Cincinnati and Denver to finish the season.

Wow, that was quite the word count for two teams that have the potential to combine for 10 wins.

3. Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys (November 1)

This match-up interests me mostly because of what these teams records could be entering November; Seattle could be 4-2, whereas the 'Boys could be 2-4 and Jerry Jones would be wanting to press his Dr. Evil fiery trap door button on Wade Phillips. A healthy Matt Hasselbeck and a new coaching staff will have the Seahawks back to NFC relevance in 2009 (mark it down, 11-12 wins). I think this could be the turning point in the season for both teams as you'll see a desperate Cowboys team trying to save its season and a calm Seattle squad coming into its own. That makes for great football, no doubt.

2. Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals (September 27)

I wavered between this and my #1 game because of the potential stratospheric amount of points that could be scored, but no matter, this will be a great early-season treat for football fans. Peyton Manning has been called "too old" recently, but, like LaDanian Tomlinson, he's a HOF'er, he'll be fine. Indy's schedule is so soft that, with the reemergence of a running game, they could finish 12-4. Arizona, like Indy, has no problem putting up points, and lacks somewhat on the defensive side of the ball, so contrasting styles be damned, this has "shootout" written all over it.

1. Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (December 27)

Continue to eat leftover Christmas ham and enjoy the best NFL game of the season from the (hopefully snowy) Meadowlands, where the epitome of great American football may, once again, decide the top seed in the NFC. Don't expect another 34-28 showdown, but both teams play fantastic defense and run the ball extremely well. The teams combined for seven touchdowns and over 400 yards rushing in one of the best games of 2008. Don't expect this one to be much different.

Buy another TV, get a cable splitter, and enjoy the best seasons in sports. Thanks for reading.

New Schedule Previews: Part Two - College Football

This is part two of my three-part series about the best match-ups of the wonderful sports season that starts this fall...my NHL preview came first, and now I'll follow with college football. NFL - coming soon.

My favorite aspect of watching an entire season of college football is not having to wait until half way through the season to watch legitimately entertaining games (hello, college basketball?). As a fan, you get your money's worth from early September through the regular season and into early January. The 2009 schedule is no different; seemingly every week is packed with meaningful games. All the usual conference powerhouse games are there -LSU/Florida, Penn State/Ohio State, Alabama/Auburn, Texas/Oklahoma, etc. - but I'm much more interested in what games are scheduled out-of-conference. So, in honor of the start of the fall season, here are my picks for the best five non-conference games.

5. Oklahoma at Miami (FL) (October 3)

All kidding aside, who schedules games for Miami? The 'Canes start the season at Florida State, host Georgia Tech, travel to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech, and welcome Sam Bradford and company to Florida in the most brutal four-game stretch I've ever seen. Miami is much improved under Randy Shannon, but can you see them finishing any better than 2-2 in the first four? I can't, and I can easily see a possible 1-3 start. Look for Oklahoma's offense to roll through Miami (like they did last year in Norman, 51-13) while they anxiously await the arrival of Texas two weeks later.

4. Georgia at Oklahoma State (September 5)

We know coach Mike Gundy is a man (he's now 42), but his program has seen a huge rise since that rant. The Cowboys hung tough in an awfully competitive Big 12 South, went 9-4, beat then-3rd-ranked Missouri, and then played Texas to the wire before faltering against a rough schedule down the stretch. The 'Boys return their three top playmakers in quarterback Zac Robinson (25 TD passes in 2008), running back Kendall Hunter (1,555 yards and 16 TD's), and wide receiver Dez Bryant (1,480 yards and 19 TD's). Meanwhile, Georgia is a program in prime position to rebuild in '09. The Bulldogs lost Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno to the NFL, but Georgia has always recruited well, so expect those spots to be filled with talent quickly. Unfortunately for Mark Richt, that talent probably won't develop quick enough to succeed in the ultra-tough SEC, and starting the season at Oklahoma State isn't going to help.

3. Oregon at Boise State (September 3), Utah at Oregon (September 19)

These two games take the title of "Most Intriguing" for me, for a few reasons. I'd like to see just how good Oregon is under all that ugliness (secretly, I love UO's uniforms, I love that they're different, I love that they're neon). They have serious athletes on that team (as opposed to lazy athletes, I guess) and I'd love to see how fast they can score 40. However, neither small-conference team is a pushover, as they've demonstrated in year's past. I'm crazy about story lines like Boise and Utah, but I'm just hoping for great games.

2. Southern California at Ohio State (September 12)

I like one other game better, but, on paper, there is no better match-up. USC won't have too much trouble repairing the pieces lost to the NFL in the long term, but expect there to be a definite learning curve which makes this game more evenly-matched, because with a fully experienced roster, USC would stomp on the Buckeyes. However, that isn't the case, and I'm interested to see what Terrelle Pryor can do on such a big stage in his second year. If he has improved his passing (I trust he has), this could be a huge win for OSU and the Big Ten.

1. Alabama at Virginia Tech (September 5)

I love the potential of this game to be a fantastic start to the first Saturday of college football. Both teams are ranked inside the top ten in many preseason polls, and both hope to contend for conference titles and the national championship, so this is a huge statement game for the team who wins. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the Hokies in this one: they rarely lose at home, and Beamerball works magic in seemingly every meaningful game. Highly entertaining, highly defensive, and a highly wonderful atmosphere (as always) in Blacksburg. Needless to say, I'm high on this game.

Honorable mention: TCU at Clemson (9.26), Auburn at West Virginia (9.19), Florida State at Brigham Young (9.19), USC at Notre Dame (9.17), BYU @ Oklahoma (9.5)

New Schedule Previews: Part One - NHL

This is part one of a three-part column detailing the key games in the 2009 NFL, NHL, and College Football schedules. I'll start in the NHL.

After the 2008-2009 season, which ended with the arguably the most exciting postseason in NHL history, the league may be making a comeback. In honor of what I sincerely hope is a schedule that will result in much more respect for the game I have fallen in love with here in Pittsburgh, here are the top five stories of the 2009 NHL regular season.

5. The Defense Begins: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (October 2, 2009)

The defending champs raise the franchise's third Stanley Cup Champion banner to Mellon Arena's rafters when they host the new-look Rangers to open the season. This will be the last opener played at the 49-year-old Igloo, as the Pens will move just down the street to the Consol Energy Center (cool nickname undetermined; my favorite so far is The Fusebox). The Rangers, fresh off their acquisition of often-injured star Marian Gaborik, once again hope to be anything but disappointing. At least their jersey's are sweet.

4. Marian Hossa Returns (II): Chicago Blackhawks at Pittsburgh (December 5), Chicago at Detroit Red Wings (October 8)

Once again, Marian Hossa will return to Pittsburgh as a member of another team, but this time, it won't be the team who's roster is similar to the Soviet teams of decade's past. Think Marian won't get the Jaromir Jagr-booed-every-time-he-touches-the-puck-treatment? Think again. But before he returns to face Crosby and Malkin, he has to play in Detroit, the team he most recently abandoned for another city. I really don't have anything against the guy (seriously), but can't wait to hear what kind of...umm...ovation he gets at the Joe. Chicago, prepare for twelve years of "Bridesmaid" status.

3. More Hockey! February 14, 2010

This is the last day before a 16-day layoff for the Olympics in Vancouver. With all the great talent in the NHL today, this Olympic tournament should be one of the best in recent memory. Canada will obviously be the favorite, but look out for Russia, led by Alexander Ovechkin (Washington) and Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose), and defending gold-medalist Sweden. Team USA's chances of winning gold? 20-to-1 would be my guess. What's the best result of the layoff? The NHL playoffs will run into late June, which will give us Pittsburgh'ers more time to forget we have a baseball team.

2. Another rematch? Detroit/Pittsburgh (at Pittsburgh: January 31, at Detroit: March 22)

The two best teams in hockey (clearly) for the past two years will play a home-and-home in 2010, and it's not a coincidence they played for the Cup in 2008 and 2009. Do you need a refresher? Here you go. And here's another. And another. That's all. Seriously. I'm done.

1. Winter Classic: Philadelphia Flyers at Boston Bruins (January 1, 2010)

The NHL cannot lose with the Classic. It has already become a premier New Years Day event and now, with the game at prestigious Fenway Park in Boston, it can only get bigger as the sport continues to dig itself out of the hole it created with the lost season in 2004-05. Nay-sayers complain that Ovechkin and the Capitals weren't chosen for this game, but I don't think it matters. The only thing the NHL needs now is a big-time television deal. Hello, ESPN? Bring back Gary Thorne (and another - he's just pure gold) and Darren Pang to announce the game and I'll love you forever.

Kick back, have a buddy punch you in the jaw to get into the spirit, and enjoy the most exciting game in sports.