ARIZONA CARDINALS

ESPN’s John Clayton: Cardinals got some of NFL’s worst scheduling problems

Apr 21, 2017, 11:13 AM | Updated: 8:25 pm

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, left, general manager Steve Keim, right, and president M...

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, left, general manager Steve Keim, right, and president Michael Bidwill, center, watch workouts during NFL football training camp, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

(AP Photo/Matt York)

LISTEN: John Clayton, ESPN NFL insider

If you’re a fan of the Arizona Cardinals, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer than fans of other teams will to see your favorite team play its first home game.

That’s because the Cardinals are one of three teams in 2017 to open their schedule with back-to-back road games. That’s just one of several problems that the Cardinals have to deal with, as Arizona’s newly-announced slate of games has a few quagmires.

ESPN analyst John Clayton was asked by Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Friday if the Cardinals got “screwed” by the NFL schedule-makers.

“I think so, yeah,” he said. “There’s always going to be complaints from just about every team, but everything worked against the Cardinals in this one.”

Clayton pointed out that the Cardinals have six starts before noon MST, open with two straight road games and have two cold weather games in December (Washington and Seattle).

On the other hand, Seattle — which finished 10-5-1 in 2016 as the top team in the NFC West — gets just one road game to start their schedule, doesn’t play back-to-back road games in consecutive weeks (but does with a bye in between) and plays in Jacksonville and Dallas in December.

“So it looks like just about every element that a team can complain about is there for the Cardinals,” Clayton said. “They did not get a break. In fact, I think this is really going to hurt their chances next year to try and stay with Seattle.”

The Cardinals also have just two primetime games in 2017, one on Monday, Sept. 25 against the Cowboys, which is also Arizona’s home opener, and one on Thursday, Nov. 9 against none other than the Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Those Seahawks, however, have four primetime games.

“It looks as though the schedule-makers or the networks do not have a belief in the Cardinals,” Clayton said.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Monti Ossenfort looks on...

Vincent DeAngelis

PFF’s Spielberger grades Cardinals’ free agent class among worst in NFL

PFF's Brad Spielberger gave the Cardinals' free agent class a "C" grade in his latest rankings. It was the worst grade among all 32 teams.

4 hours ago

Jonah Williams pressure Sam Darnold...

Tyler Drake

Report: Free agent DL Jonah Williams visiting Arizona Cardinals this week

Defensive lineman Jonah Williams is visiting the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings this week, according to Aaron Wilson.

12 hours ago

Casita seating at the Arizona Cardinals' State Farm Stadium...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals’ new suite options at State Farm Stadium include casitas

The Arizona Cardinals on Monday announced new luxury seating options for 2024, including custom casita suites at State Farm Stadium.

16 hours ago

Justin Fields...

Associated Press

Quarterback carousel: Bears trade Justin Fields to Steelers to clear way for top pick

The Chicago Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night for draft compensation.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray...

Arizona Sports

Report: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray’s 2025 guarantees kick in

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray had nearly $30 million guaranteed for the 2025 season kick in by remaining on Arizona's roster by Saturday.

2 days ago

Paris Johnson Jr. celebrates with Kyler Murray...

Tyler Drake

Which side of the line will Cardinals’ Paris Johnson Jr. command in 2024?

Even before the Cardinals released D.J. Humphries, there was already talk of Paris Johnson Jr. making the switch from right to left.

3 days ago

ESPN’s John Clayton: Cardinals got some of NFL’s worst scheduling problems