TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Cardinals could get off to a fast start in 2012 with a slew of games at home, including three of their first four and just their fourth home opener in their 25-year history.
The NFL released its 2012 regular season schedule Tuesday afternoon, and it starts favorably for the Cardinals. They open the season at University of Phoenix Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9 before going on the road to New England (Sept. 16). They then return home for games against the Philadelphia Eagles (Sept. 23) and Miami Dolphins (Sept. 30).
The last time the Cardinals started with three of four games at home was 2009, when they finished 10-6, the best record in franchise history since moving to Arizona.
"We've talked about trying to carry the momentum that we built at the end of last season into next season and you'd like to think that playing at home (early) would give us a better chance to do that," Whisenhunt said. "Our fans have been tremendous for us. Sixty-three straight home sellouts. Obviously they've created a home field advantage for us."
The schedule also features two nationally televised primetime games, the first a Thursday night matchup in St. Louis on Oct. 4 (NFL Network). They host recent rival San Francisco for a Monday night ESPN game Oct. 29.
"I'm excited that we've got a Monday night game," Whisenhunt said. "It's always a little difficult as far as the short week afterwards, but you like to play on the national stage like that."
Eight of the Cardinals' opponents this season finished .500 or better in 2011 and five won 10 games or more. The most difficult stretch might come in weeks 8-11 when the Cardinals host the 49ers and travel to Green Bay before taking a week off ahead of a game in Atlanta.
But of course, it's much too early to tell how opponents -- or the Cardinals -- will fare in the season ahead. Accordingly, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt isn't getting caught up in what could be a pretty challenging schedule.
"You never know how it's going to be," Whisenhunt said Tuesday. "I think the way we finished last season, winning seven of our last nine, nobody would've said that after we were sitting at 1-6. So you just don't know. I don't think that you look that far ahead and try to predict or say it's going to be a certain way."
Whisenhunt met the media Tuesday afternoon to discuss a number of other trends in the schedule:
• The bye week comes later in the year than the Cardinals are used to. While it typically comes within the first five weeks, it comes this year in week 10, after the team will have been practicing and playing for perhaps 17 weeks.
"That's different," Whisenhunt said. "I think maybe the bye coming later could help us as far as getting our legs back underneath us later in the season. … I really don't know when the for us is."
• With an Aug. 10 game in New England and a Nov. 4 game in Green Bay, the Cardinals may have caught a couple breaks weather wise. Chances are lower they'll have to play in bitter cold or snowy conditions those weeks, but Whisenhunt isn't so sure.
"It's been kind of a weird winter/spring weather wise all over the country, so the minute you say that we'll have snow in the second week," Whisenhunt joked. "I would say our chances are pretty good of not having to face the conditions (in New England) we faced the last time we were there (in 2008). Hopefully the outcome will be a little better too."
• Should the Cardinals be in position to make the playoffs late in the year, they might have a few tough tuneups before the postseason. They close the season with games at home against the Detroit Lions and Chicago bears and a road game against the 49ers. Still, Whisenhunt isn't looking that far ahead.
"We'll take it one game at a time and hopefully we'll be in a position where having two of those last three at home will be significant games for us," Whisenhunt said.
• The Cardinals play back-to-back road games just once: Dec. 2 in New York (Jets) and Dec. 9 in Seattle. Their road games in week 9 and 11 are split up by the bye.
