Arizona Cardinals’ 2019 schedule includes Halloween TNF clash

The Arizona Cardinals’ schedule for the 2019 season was released Wednesday and includes opening the season at home against the Detroit Lions and a Thursday Night Football showdown on Halloween against the San Francisco 49ers.

Like every season, Arizona will face its NFC West rivals twice each. The Cardinals are also scheduled to play the NFC South and AFC North, in addition to the last-place teams in each of the NFC North (Detroit) and NFC East (New York) because they finished last in the NFC West with a 3-13 overall record last season.

It’s the second year in a row for Arizona to reset. Following the retirement of Bruce Arians, the Cardinals went 3-13 in 2018 under head coach Steve Wilks, whose first NFL head coaching gig went downhill behind offensive coordinator turnover, quarterback struggles and injuries that depleting an already-thin roster.

Arizona made a sharp turn by firing Wilks and hiring former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury, an offensive guru. General manager Steve Keim and president Michael Bidwill paired him alongside defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, the former Denver Broncos head coach.

What challenges stand ahead for a refurbished coaching staff and roster? Here’s the full 2019 schedule for the Cardinals.

Preseason Week 1

Aug. 8 – vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 7 p.m.,

Preseason Week 2

Aug. 15 – vs. Oakland Raiders, 5 p.m.

Preseason Week 3

Aug. 24 – at Minnesota Vikings, 10 a.m.

Preseason Week 4

Aug. 29 – at Denver Broncos, 6:05 p.m.

Week 1

Sept. 8 – vs. Detroit Lions, 1:25 p.m., FOX

Week 2

Sept. 15 – at Baltimore Ravens, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 3

Sept. 22 – vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Week 4

Sept. 29 – vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Week 5

Oct. 6 – at Cincinnati Bengals, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 6

Oct. 13 – vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Week 7

Oct. 20 – at New York Giants, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 8

Oct. 27 – at New Orleans Saints, 10 a.m., CBS

Week 9

Oct. 31 – vs. San Francisco 49ers, 5:20 p.m., FOX

Week 10

Nov. 10 – at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11:00 a.m., FOX

Week 11

Nov. 17 – at San Francisco 49ers, 2:05 p.m., FOX

Week 12

BYE

Week 13

Dec. 1 – vs. Los Angeles Rams, 2:05 p.m., FOX

Week 14

Dec. 8 – vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 2:25 p.m., CBS

Week 15

Dec. 15 – vs. Cleveland Browns, 2:05 p.m., CBS

Week 16

Dec. 22 – at Seattle Seahawks, 2:25 p.m., FOX

Week 17

Dec. 29 – at Los Angeles Rams, 2:25 p.m., FOX

Follow @AZSports