Black and Gold X's and O's| A Way Too Early Game-By-Game Preview

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The 2009 NFL schedule was released Tuesday evening. As a Saints fan, I, of course, was most interested in what the Saints schedule looked like. 

And at first sight, it looks pretty good. I will discuss it in more depth as we go along here, but I do have one beef.

I seriously think that NBC has something against the Saints. Just look at the schedule: no Sunday Night games. That’s okay with me, because I usually go to church in the evening during football season. But still, what the heck?

Furthermore, my monthly conspiracy theory is devoted to this.

If we go back to when ABC did Monday Night Football, it was rare for the Saints to play in that game. When the whole TV situation changed a few years ago, Sunday Night became the more glamorous game because it is done by the former Monday Night Crew.

So who is to blame?

One thing I know is that there is at least one constant throughout; Al Michaels. I have no clue if he is powerful enough to have that kind of clout, but the lack of Sunday Night games since the new deal (which coincided with the new era of Saints football with Payton and Brees), is astonishing.

The team was not originally scheduled to be featured on NBC in 2006 despite adding Drew Brees and Reggie Bush. It was only because Sean Payton and the Saints heading back to Dallas was a nice story, that the Saints were flexed into Primetime in ’06.

In ’07, they actually made two appearances on NBC. First they played in the Kenny Chesney Fan Bowl (Sean Payton and Peyton Manning have both appeared onstage at Kenny Chesney concerts) in the NFL Season Opener.

That had more to do with Indianapolis hoisting their championship banner. Then they were scheduled for Seattle in Week Five, which still makes no sense. NBC is probably still wondering how that happened.

The next two seasons (the upcoming season included), zero scheduled, and zero flexed in ’08, despite having the most explosive offense in the entire league, and possibly a new passing yardage champion.

I could go on, but I fear losing an entire subsection of readers who don’t share the passion for the Saints that I have. Let’s take a look at the 2009 Schedule, shall we.

Week 1

Detroit @ New Orleans 1:00 ET 

I’m going to go out on a limb early here and predict that Daunte Culpepper will be playing quarterback for the Lions in this game.

The fact the Saints get to start the season at home is exciting. The fact they get to start it against the worst team in the history of the NFL is like winning the lottery.

Atlanta

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