I suppose you could say that I’ve changed my tune over the years when it comes to schedule release. Just a year ago, I compared it to a pizzeria revealing its menu (surprise: pizza). But as I’ve learned over the years, having talked to many coaches and players, that the order in which known games are placed, how far those games are from a growing slate of international games and which international games the team is chosen for matters a great deal. In fact, it can be largely predictive of how the coming season will play out, as I wrote more about this week.
What hasn’t changed is the way I look at “great” games. I could simply write a post about the “best” games of the upcoming season and just list the prime-time participants in some order. This is essentially what the networks do as the clamor for successful and reliable television programming hits a fever pitch. But my definition of “great” can carry many different connotations. What is at stake, both locally and globally? Whose success and failure does this matchup really boil down to? Writing about the NFL has given me a wonderful opportunity to view even the worst football at its highest stakes. I hope by taking a look at my best 11 games of the season (listed here in chronological order), you’ll agree.
