Despite the current lockout in the NFL and pending mediation and litigation, the league released its preseason schedule and prime time games for the preseason. As far as scheduling goes, the NFL is handling things as if there will be a season, despite the fact that it is the league that is locking out the players.
The Arizona Cardinals will, as always, play four preseason games. The first two will be on the road and will close their preseason with two home games. Here is how the Arizona preseason schedule pans out:
Week 1: Arizona Cardinals @ Oakland Raiders, Saturday, Aug 13
Week 2: Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Aug 20
Week 3: San Diego Chargers @ Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, Aug 27
Week 4: Denver Broncos @ Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Sept 1
No times have been announced yet for games other than the ones that are to be televised nationally. As can be expected, the Cardinals will not be featured in any of those games.
At a first glance, there are a couple of positive for the schedule. First of all, no worries of the terrible Raiders fans here in town for a game. Likewise, a trip to Wisconsin is much better in August than in December.
The negatives? To attend the Cardinals/Raiders game, you have to go there and risk life and limb among the Raiders fans. Another negative is that there is no built in reason to take a weekend road trip to San Diego in the heat of the Arizona summer. The Chargers come here.
Now that the preseason is set, all that is left to get set is an agreement to allow football to be played. Let's hope that happens.