Load Up the Nest: 2016 Schedule Released

Arizona Sports News online

Thursday evening the Arizona Cardinals were given their official 2016 road map back to the NFC Championship game and perhaps one step beyond to Houston for Super Bowl LI.

The schedule features four primetime games, three of them at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale and open hosting Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football September 11th.

Arizona will host five of their first eight opponents before entering a well-placed Week 9 bye.

Their other primetime games are at San Francisco October 6th, followed by back-to-back home games against the Jets (October 17th) and rival Seattle Seahawks (October 23rd).

The Bird Gang will get an NFC title game rematch against the Panthers in Charlotte October 30th and finish the regular season on the road with a pair of divisional match-ups against the Seahawks and Rams.

Here is a look at the week-by-week breakdown.

September 11 vs. New England Patriots

September 18 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

September 25 at Buffalo Bills

October 2 vs. Los Angeles Rams

October 6 at San Francisco 49ers

October 17 vs. New York Jets

October 23 vs. Seattle Seahawks

October 30 at Carolina Panthers

November 13 vs. San Francisco 49ers

November 20 at Minnesota Vikings

November 27 at Atlanta Falcons

December 4 vs. Washington Redskins

December 11 at Miami Dolphins

December 18 vs. New Orleans Saints

December 24 at Seattle Seahawks

January 1 at Los Angeles Rams 

The defending NFC West Champions finished the 2015 regular season 13-3 which included a late-season, nine-game win streak.

Many believe Bruce Arians’ team could be poised to repeat the same success this fall.