What I Liked (and Didn't Like) About the 2019 NFL Schedule

The NFL schedule is out for the 2019 season. While the schedule has gained traction in terms of hype over the past years, it's essentially just seeing who's got which (and how many) prime time game(s). On a side note, here's a look at who has the easiest (and hardest) schedules heading into the 2019 season.

The NFL schedule releases tonight, but we already know the opponents. Here is 2019 Strength of Schedule based on current rosters (not 2018 records): pic.twitter.com/fU78e0KfU2

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) April 17, 2019

So what was there to like about the 2019 schedule? What was disappointing about the 2019 schedule?

• Like: The Cleveland Browns' Schedule: As mentioned in the tweet above, the Browns have the fifth-easiest schedule in the 2019 NFL season. That's paired with four tame prime time games, including two Monday night games. We also averted disaster with the rumored Cleveland-Arizona tilt in late November, which presumably would've been a Thanksgiving game.
• Didn't Like: The Thanksgiving Slate: It's basically just last year's Thanksgiving games copied and pasted into this year's schedule. Granted, New Orleans and Atlanta is a great rivalry in the NFL. But the only change was swapping out one crappy franchise (Washington) for another (Buffalo) in the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving tilt.
• Like: The Opening Game: Instead of having to be subjected to Tom Brady in the opener (which is a delight to people in the New England area), we're given the gift of the NFL's oldest rivalry for the opening game. The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears will go at it in honor of the NFL's 100th season. The Patriots will open their championship defense against their bitter rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Sunday night.
  
• Didn't Like: The New York Teams Getting Two Monday Night Games Apiece: I get that one of the New York teams made a splash this off-season and deserve some love. However, both teams getting two Monday night games each? Especially when both teams finished last in their divisions the year before? C'mon, man.
• Like: FOX's Thursday Night Football Slate: FOX has stated its commitment to providing quality games for its Thursday night time slots: The match-ups don't disappoint: Colts vs. Texans, Packers vs. Eagles, and Steelers vs. Browns are all match-ups you should watch.
• Didn't Like: Saints vs. Rams Not Being a Prime Time Game: Considering last year's NFC Championship fiasco, how can you not have this in a prime time match-up? The drama is there along with the grudge!