What we learned from the 2016 schedules:
-- Let’s start at the top. Some people complained Carolina at Denver (Super Bowl 50.1) wasn’t a good way to start season. We disagree. We like it.
-- Other nice touches in the schedule we liked:
-- Pete Carroll, who spent nine season at USC, will be the opposing coach when the Los Angeles Rams play their first home game at The Coliseum.
-- Green Bay will be the opponent when Minnesota plays its first game in the new stadium. Good choice.
-- Making sure one of the New York teams is home on Sunday, Sept. 11. It will be the Jets.
-- And then there is the quirky schedule given to Green Bay:
-- The Packers have a stretch where they don't leave Lambeau Field for five straight weeks starting Week 3. (home game, bye, then three straight home games) and end the year with three NFC North games.
-- This comes after the Packers open with two games on the road for the first time since 1924. We’re just guessing, but we bet the catch rule made sense back then.
-- And, finally, the Packers are the only team handed the dreaded three-game road trip – at Tennessee, at Washington and at Philadelphia – in Weeks 10-12.
-- So, yeah, the Packers get a four-game home-stand and a three-game road trip. Ewww. (Coaches like neither of those).
-- The Amtrak road trip: Baltimore plays back-to-back games at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. – the Giants in Week 6, the Jets in Week 7. It will be John Harbaugh’s own little satellite camp.
-- Arguably the toughest two-week travel stretch on this year's schedule? The Rams — now based in L.A., travel to Detroit to face the Lions on Oct. 16, and then head over to London for their game against Giants just seven days later. Makes the most sense for the Rams to keep heading east after their game against Detroit.
-- Once again, Rex Ryan may have the chance to keep his former team out of the playoffs. For the second season in a row, the Bills face the Jets in Week 17. Last year, the Jets controlled their own destiny, but a disappointing loss in Buffalo in the final game of the year kept them out of the postseason.
-- But the Jets must survive a treacherous opening six weeks to even think about playoff contention. Four of the first six on the road and the two home games are against 2015 playoff teams (Cincinnati at Seattle).
-- Of all the new head coaches, Ben McAdoo of the Giants has the easiest strength of schedule (.461). And once again, New York opens the season on the road, against the Cowboys.
-- It's going to be weird Dec. 18, when we see a Tom Brady-led Patriots team travel to Denver to face the Broncos and ... Peyton Manning won’t be on the other sideline.
-- Five NFL teams get no Sunday night or Monday games: Miami, Jacksonville, Tennessee, San Diego and Cleveland.
-- Buffalo plays on Monday night, but not Sunday. It has been nine seasons since the Bills appeared on a Sunday night game.
-- It’s an interesting start to October for Washington when they host RG3 and Cleveland on Oct. 2 and then their “neighbor” Baltimore the following week.
-- There will be no easing into the season for Miami and new head coach Adam Gase: at Seattle, followed by a trip to play New England in Foxborough. Not only are those two long trips, but against two 2015 playoff teams.
-- Speaking of New England. They play in Cleveland on Week 5. We note that just in case it is the first time we see Tom Brady. (No, the commissioner didn’t make us put that in).
-- The Pittsburgh Steelers drew an interesting holiday double, with games on both Thanksgiving (at Indianapolis) and Christmas (home against Baltimore). The Steelers are a great national television draw, and both games should be compelling, but that one might not go over well with players’ families.
-- And Arizona is on the road both Dec. 24 and Jan. 1. Bruce Arians probably said only the moms will complain about that.
-- Typically, teams that travel for a game in London are rewarded with a bye week the following week. Not so this year for Indianapolis, which will host Chicago on Oct. 9 a week after playing the Jacksonville in London. The Jags will be off on Oct. 9.
-- Another new head coach with a tough start to the season is Hue Jackson, whose Cleveland Browns will play five road games in the first seven weeks.
-- Nobody, coaches or players, really like Thursday night games. But the Eagles and Giants caught a break with theirs landing on Dec. 22. They got Christmas weekend off.
-- The Rams play only two games at the Coliseum before Nov. 6.
-- We’re disappointed one of the Steelers-Bengals games was scheduled during Vontaze Burfict’s suspension. And we know that sentiment is not shared in Pittsburgh.
-- San Diego’s first home game is Week 2, same for Oakland. You know, the two teams who did not want to play in San Diego and Oakland anymore.
-- Here’s a tip: At this point, worry about how your team will do in the first 3-4 weeks, not the final 3-4 weeks. Good starts are vital and who knows what the situation will be with your team, or the opponent, late in the season. It’s not who you play, it’s when you play them.
-- And with that said, we studied every team’s schedule and concluded all 32 are going 16-0. Good to end on a happy note.
