2009 Opponents

[HPF Bob]

Isn't it in the contract that we have to play the Raiders and Browns every year, usually on the road? Sure seems that way.

There have been rumblings that Goodell wants to expand the season to 18 games and mix up the schedules. Personally, I love it the way it is because you can tell when the regular season is over who all your opponents will be and you are guaranteed to see every team at least once every four years. Unless you play a 31-game round robin every season, there is no way to make the schedules entirely fair but the way they do it now is, at least, transparent.

Just on first blush:

Wins: 49ers, Seahawks, Jets (if no Favre), Titans (H), AFC West, Rams, Bills, Browns, Jaguars (A), Dolphins (our bitch).

Losses: Patriots, Jets (with Favre), Titans (A), Colts (H), Colts (A), Jaguars (H), Cardinals.

That's 10-6 or 9-7 depending on whether Favre plays another year. Of course, the four-game win streak may make me overly optimistic but that's how I see it. I could see us going 10-6 and still finishing third in our own division.