The defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots have another very favorable schedule for 2017, and stop me if you've heard this before: 16-0 could happen. It will also be interesting to see what kind of Super Bowl hangover the Falcons may have at the time with five games (plus a bye week) under their belt.
Overall, the Patriots are set to play in five nationally-televised games during the regular season, including two at home.
The Steelers weren't particularly competitive in the AFC championship game at New England. The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs faced the NFC East in consecutive weeks (weeks 3-6); the 2012 Atlanta Falcons faced all four AFC West opponents by week 6; and the 2013 Seattle Seahawks faced the AFC South in consecutive weeks (weeks 3-6).
But there's no backing out of this trip. Commissioner Roger Goodell will be there for his first visit to Gillette Stadium since the whole Deflategate debacle. In prime time, the Redskins will be home for the Giants.
The Patriots will travel to Mexico City to face the defending AFC West Champion Oakland Raiders on November 19 as part of the NFL's International Series. But even seven weeks into the regular season, this promises to be a marquee game, as evidenced by its placement as that week's Sunday Night Football offering.
Five games will be held overseas, beginning with Baltimore vs. Jacksonville in London on September 24.
Tennessee has a marquee matchup as well, with the Raiders visiting Nashville at noon. The Patriots beat the Steelers twice last season, the last time coming in the AFC Championship. Also, two of the five Sunday night matchups in Weeks 5 through 9 can be flexed.
Sunday, Oct. 22: Atlanta, 8:30 p.m.
Paris attacker who killed officer left note supporting ISIS
The two police officers injured in the attack are out of danger, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said. President Barack Obama spoke with a different French candidate, Emmanuel Macron, a pro-EU centrist.
LA's mettle as a two-team National Football League town will be tested immediately, because 20 minutes after the Chargers-Dolphins game kicks off, the Rams will play Washington 12½ miles away in the LA Coliseum.
The team plays three home games in their first four contests.
Sunday, Dec. 24: Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 15: New England at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. Let's see if the Falcons run the ball this time if they're trying to protect a late lead.
The Thanksgiving Day tripleheader begins with Minnesota at Detroit (for the second year in a row on Thanksgiving) at 11:30 a.m. on FOX. The Chargers play at Dallas at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
Thursday, Sept. 7: New England vs. Kansas City, 8:30 p.m.
The Jets defense was stout at the line, stopping opposing rushers at or behind the line of scrimmage 27 percent of the time, the second-highest stuff rate in the league last season. Two Saturday matches have Indianapolis at Baltimore in late afternoon, Minnesota at Green Bay at night on December 23. And two games that Monday on Christmas (Pittsburgh at Houston and Oakland at Philadelphia).
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