Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Here is each team and their home and away opponents for next season...

http://www.fbschedules.com/nfl/2017-nfl ... edules.php

As for this year's SB-participants, other than their own division rivals, the Patriots have Chiefs, Chargers, Falcons, Panthers, and Texans at home. The Falcons, outside their division, host Packers, Vikings, Bills, Dolphins and...Dallas. What Opening Thursday Night matchup would you most like to see if New England wins in two weeks? Who would you like Atlanta to open their new stadium against if they win? I predict they will have the two conference runner-ups square off on the first Sunday Night...Packers at Steelers. The LA Chargers will likely host one of the two bleh opening Monday Nighters (I really, really wish it would go back to just one MNF game for Week #1 - and a good matchup).

What other 2017 matchups intrigue you?

If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, the Thursday Night kickoff game might very well be a replay of the Super Bowl, or Patriots-Chiefs. If Atlanta wins, it could be Falcons-Packers or Falcons-Cowboys.

Rupert Patrick wrote:If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, the Thursday Night kickoff game might very well be a replay of the Super Bowl, or Patriots-Chiefs. If Atlanta wins, it could be Falcons-Packers or Falcons-Cowboys.

Yep. The league chose this match up for the 2016 Kickoff Game, Carolina at Denver. I have reason to believe this is the leading option right now.

Regular season Super Bowl rematches never really intrigued me all that much. I mean at that point we're all just happy to have real football back after a month of pre-season, but I'd rather lead the season off with two different teams than we just saw play in the last game we all watched.

The Patriots earned the right to host the game, but I would be more intrigued by Chiefs at Patriots. Or Panthers at Patriots.

Assuming the two best teams played in the previous Super Bowl having them start off the season guarantees one of said best teams an early loss and drastically reduces the chances of an undefeated season.

I'd much rather see a rematch when both teams are 10-0 and something for this season is on the line.

In the late 70s up to the mid-80s usually the Dallas Cowboys played the opening week's Monday Night contest.

1978: vs. Baltimore
1980: at Washington
1982: vs. Pittsburgh
1983: at Washington
1984: at L.A. Rams
1985: vs. Washington
1986: vs. N.Y. Giants

Teo wrote:In the late 70s up to the mid-80s usually the Dallas Cowboys played the opening week's Monday Night contest.

1978: vs. Baltimore
1980: at Washington
1982: vs. Pittsburgh
1983: at Washington
1984: at L.A. Rams
1985: vs. Washington
1986: vs. N.Y. Giants

By design I'm sure as they were, and are the NFL's biggest ratings bonanza.