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2014 NFL schedule: Four teams set up for success
By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...et-up-for-success?campaign=Twitter_atl_hanzus
Super Bowls aren't won in September, but they can certainly be lost.
Every week is precious. Each NFL game is the equivalent of 10 games of a Major League Baseball season. A stumble out of the gate can quickly turn deadly.
With that in mind, here are four teams who appear to be set up well for early-season success thanks to the league's schedule makers.
St. Louis Rams
September schedule: Vikings, @ Buccaneers, Cowboys, bye
Playing in the rugged NFC West is no treat, making a fast start for the Rams' especially important. Home matchups against the middling Vikings and Cowboys sandwich a road trip to the retooled but unproven Bucs. The Rams stand a decent chance of getting to their early bye with at least two wins. If they don't ... look out.
New England Patriots
September schedule: @ Dolphins, @ Vikings, Raiders, at Chiefs
Nobody knows how to get off to a fast start like the Patriots. The team hasn't posted a losing record in September since 2001. That includes a 4-0 run to start 2013. Can they pull that feat off again? Winning in Arrowhead will be a challenge, but New England's first three opponents had a combined record of 17-30-1 a season ago.
Carolina Panthers
September schedule: @ Buccaneers, Lions, Steelers, @ Ravens
No team has ever repeated as NFC South champions since the division came into existence in 2002. The Panthers are trying to make history and they have a decent shot of getting out of the box nicely. Road challenges against the Bucs and Ravens are sandwiched by winnable home games against a pair of non-playoff teams from a season ago.
Houston Texans
September schedule: Redskins, @ Raiders, @ Giants, Bills
The Texans were an outlier last season, winning their first two games and still managing to end up as the worst team in football (14-game losing streaks are strange like that.) We hesitate to do too much prognostication for a team whose starting QB might not be the roster right now, but Houston starts the season against four teams that were out of playoff contention by Thanksgiving last year.