With all of talk about NFL lockouts and its threat to the 2011 season, it can be difficult to find ways to get motivated for a season that may not exist. Just when you thought all hope was lost, a guiding light shows through the dark clouds and helps us set our anticipation back on track.
On Tuesday, the league announced the preseason its 2011 preseason schedule. This helps fans, who have become disenchanted by all of the courtroom talks, put their focus on the 2011 season, wetting their appitite just weeks before the full season schedule is set to be released.
The Broncos will take on three NFC teams in the preseason, along with an AFC team they will see again in the regular season.
While we were given speculative dates upon which these games might occur, Exact pre-dates will not be finalized until next week. Even then, until there’s a new CBA, all preseason games are subject to change. It is important to note that according to a league source, it would likely require a minimum of three weeks to get everything underway for preseason games, so come late July, if there is no CBA in place, there may be no preseason. This would be a huge loss, as teams find the preseason an invaluable tool to a successful season.
“The preseason is an important time for us to evaluate our roster and get a better feel for our players,” head coach John Fox said. “It plays a big role in our regular-season preparation in terms of our timing and execution in all phases of the game.”
If all goes as scheduled, the Broncos hit the road in Week 1 (Aug. 11-15) to play the Dallas Cowboys. This is a familiar matchup for the Broncos, as the Cowboys are the third most played team for them in the preseason.
The Buffalo Bills will open up the 2011 football season at INVESCO Field at Mile High when they travel to Denver in Week 2 of the preseason(Aug. 18-22). The Broncos will return the favor and fly to Buffalo at some point during the regular season. With the preseason game in August, expect the Broncos to play in Buffalo in December. Also expect that game to be so cold, you will feel it through your Television.
The other preseason home game comes in Week 3 (Aug. 25-29) against the Seattle Seahawks, and then it is off to Arizona in week 4 (Sept. 1-2) to play the Cardinals, the team’s second-most common preseason opponent.
“We are looking forward to competing against four quality opponents and getting the season started,” Said Fox.
While the NFL and the NFLPA are still hashing out the details of a new CBA while going head to head in court, this preseason schedule gives fans a small reprieve and can, at lest for today, help them see the light at the end of the tunnel.
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