NFL '13 schedule released...

The 2013 NFL schedule was released for all teams last night, and the Atlanta Falcons have a tough journey ahead of them which puts them in the lime light for five prime time games this upcoming season.The Falcons open up the season traveling to New Orleans to play the Saints as New Orleans welcomes back Head Coach Sean Peyton. I really like this matchup and hopefully the Falcons can get a head start and knock off the Saints in the Superdome. You know as well as I do that the media is drooling over this matchup, and the week prior to this game is all going to be about Sean Peyton and the poor Saints. This will be the fourth straight season that the Falcons have opened the season on the road. I believe that someone at the NFL offices needs to have a little more coffee and give the Falcons a home opener. The Falcons open up their home schedule the following week as the Steven Jackson-less St. Louis Rams come to the Georgia Dome.

The one thing I like about this schedule unlike last season is the Falcons have back to back home and away games. Last year from start to finish, the games were away, home, away, home. The one thing I dislike is the bye week is week six. The Falcons will have a short first half and a long second half. The Falcons are going to have to stay healthy if they want to compete as they play back to back frigid December games at Buffalo (in Toronto) and at Green Bay. Is it time for football yet? I'm ready!!!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

The Falcons prime time games are:

 Week 4   vs New England   NBC
 Week 5   vs NY Jets           ESPN
 Week 12 vs New Orleans   NFLN
 Week 14 @ Green Bay       NBC
 Week 16 @ San Francisco  ESPN

Falcons full schedule:

Preseason

vs Cincinnati      8:00pm    ESPN
@Baltimore         7:30pm     CBS (Atlanta)
@Tennessee        8:00pm     CBS (Atlanta)
vs Jacksonville  7:30pm    CBS (Atlanta)

Regular

@ New Orleans    1:00pm    FOX
vs St. Louis         1:00pm    FOX
@ Miami              4:05pm     FOX
vs New England  8:30pm   NBC
vs NY Jets          8:40pm    ESPN
BYE
vs Tampa Bay      1:00pm   FOX
@ Arizona             4:25pm    FOX
@ Carolina            1:00pm    FOX
vs Seattle             1:00pm   FOX
@Tampa Bay        1:00pm    FOX
vs New Orleans   8:25pm   NFLN
@ Buffalo              4:05pm    FOX (in Toronto, On)
@ Green Bay        8:30pm    NBC
vs Washington     1:00pm   FOX
@ San Francisco   8:40pm    ESPN
vs Carolina          1:00pm    FOX

(home games in red)

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley