Looking like a home opener for Ravens
There are continuing indications that the Ravens will open up the 2009 regular season at M&T Bank Stadium.
Because the Ravens play their final two preseason games on the road (the preseason schedule was announced Monday), the NFL will likely give the Ravens a home opener in order to avoid them playing three straight weeks on the road.
The Ravens would be able to play Week 1 of the regular season at M&T Bank Stadium because the Orioles are away on Sept. 13.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears scheduled for the NFL’s kickoff weekend, the Ravens’ possible season-opening opponent at home could be: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Denver, Kansas City or Indianapolis.
The NFL traditionally announces its regular-season schedule in early April.
The Ravens, who opened the 2008 season at home against Cincinnati, have not kicked off consecutive seasons at home since they moved to their downtown stadium in 1998.
Based on the Orioles' schedule, the Ravens could play home Sunday games in Weeks 1 and 3 and would have to play road Sunday games in Week 2 and 4.
Comments
Cool --- a 5 in 6 chance of starting out the season 1-0 ...
Posted by: Brent | March 30, 2009 4:00 PM
The absence of ANY possibility of the Orioles "Post Season" schedule conflicting with the Raven's regular season is a good thing, I suppose...
Just trying to point out the silver lining of the Orioles and Ravens co-existance in Baltimore.
Posted by: Steve From Bel Air | March 30, 2009 4:09 PM
Looks like we have a pretty good schedule coming out. Granted the NFL teams change so fast in this area of the NFL, but based on last season, it looks like we have a pretty easy schedule compared to last years.
Posted by: Wolfe | March 30, 2009 4:38 PM
Please let it be the Colts. That will be a good test to start the season. Also, we better get the perfect bye week (WEEK 9) this year. Goddell owes us!
Posted by: SC_Ravens_Fan | March 30, 2009 4:48 PM
I'd like to see the Colts come to our house early in the season, before Manning cranks it up!
Posted by: kathleen ashby | March 30, 2009 5:37 PM
why do you guys have to monitor everything ? Are you afraid to have honest communication ? I am on ESPN as well as several othe blogs and no one does it this way. Is it so you can assure you get all the "homers " on record and have complete agreement on all things baltimore ?
Posted by: kevin | March 30, 2009 6:20 PM
Kevin:
We do it to keep morons like you off of our blog.
Posted by: cmr | March 30, 2009 8:24 PM
Kevin, Kevin, Kevin:
You sound just a little bit paranoid, don't you think?
What motivates anti-Baltimoreans, such as yourself (clearly) to read and contribute (I am being generous, using the word "contribute") to Baltimore Sports commentary?
If you have something to say regarding the subject matter, fine, please feel free to do so but please don't waste our collective time in posting such rubbish. If you follow this blog, you will see opposing views, which are always welcome (and posted).
I just can't help but wonder what motivates fans from other cities to take on the antagonist role, no more than I can understand why hackers waste their time creating viruses, etc., to muck it up for everyone.
In short, get a life, or become a hacker yourself. Don't think you have the smarts to develop anything too serious so the rest of us have nothing to worry about...
Posted by: Steve From Bel Air | March 30, 2009 11:02 PM
Peyton Manning and Co. have owned us for the past 3 years so maybe we should not hope for the Colts, but maybe we need to ask for them so the Ravens will end the losing streak. I'm sure the whole organization is sick of losing to the Colts and something's gotta give. Fresh new CBs should help, cuz they can't run on us. Although Dominique Rhodes had a long run last time we played them. During that run, everybody and their mothers misstackled him. Other than that we should be alright.
Posted by: A V | March 31, 2009 2:55 AM
Who cares about the Orioles? They don't deserve any special considerations from the NFL, Ravens or the city.
Posted by: Bob S | March 31, 2009 7:14 AM
Re: Kevin: why do you guys have to monitor everything?
Um Kevin, when you post on ESPN, you are already signed in and your identity is verified. If you break an ESPN rule, they already have your data and can ban you. There is not a blog owner on earth who is going to let every "idiot" rant without protecting their forum first. Nothing to do with amendments, just common sense.
Posted by: Kurt | March 31, 2009 8:40 AM
I honestly wouldn't mind if it was the Colts, they can be slow starters and they'd get one of the toughest opponents out of the way.
Posted by: Marcus | March 31, 2009 2:10 PM
Or, the Ravens can open the season at home, have a bye in week 2, and then play 18 straight games without a break of any kind!
Posted by: Dan | March 31, 2009 10:04 PM
I have never seen a more bunch of whining fans as Ravens fans. The one idiotic comment about the bye week because "Goddell owes us" is ridiculous. Only a Ravens fan would think that the NFL caused a hurricane to hit Texas just so the Ravens miss their bye week. Last I looked with all those consecutive games without a bye they still made the AFC Championship game. Stop the whining already.
Posted by: John | April 1, 2009 8:59 AM
I think Indy would he a great season opener. It would give us a chance to pull off a victory while Peyton is still trying to shake off the cobwebs. Not to mention the momentum we would get after finally beating the Colts, at home, on the season opener.
Posted by: Curtis C. | April 1, 2009 12:35 PM
Doesn't occur to this "john" guy that Goodell owes us not because we believe he caused a hurricane, but rather because it would've been just as easy to move the game to a different location. Therefore not having to change the bye week to week 2. I swear, some people are to quick to hate on fans of other teams.
Posted by: Curtis C. | April 1, 2009 1:17 PM
I would like this schedule, good mix of home/away and a nice amount of home prime time games.
Week 1: vs IND (home)
Week 2: vs Raiders (away)
Week 3: vs Lions (home)
Week 4 vs Steelers (away) sun night
Week 5 vs Browns (away)
Week 6 vs Bears (home)
Week 7 vs Chargers (away) mon night
Week 8 Bye
Week 9 vs Steelers (home)
4:15 game
Week 10 vs Bengals (away)
Week 11 vs Chiefs (home)
Week 12 vs Patriots(away)
mon night
Week 13 vs Browns (home)
Week 14 vs Vikings (away)
Week 15 vs Chiefs (home)
Week 16 vs Packers (away)
Week 17 vs Browns (home)
sat night
Posted by: Kenny | April 1, 2009 3:27 PM
First off, no way Indy's in Week 1. They'll save that for the second half of the season as a possible flex candidate. Indy will likely open against either Jacksonville or Houston.
As for us, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the Browns or Bengals.
Oh, and to Bob S, the reason they schedule around the Orioles is to not irritate the fans as much. Less traffic to go through (yes, O's games are far from sellouts, but this is still Baltimore traffic), far more organization, and they don't have to try and compete for attention (especially since the two stadiums are literally right across the street from each other). The other NFL cities do it as well, we just never hear about it.
Posted by: Matthew | April 1, 2009 10:27 PM