Blackout Lifted

1 For 2....So Far

Written by Synergy Legal, Inc. on 3:07 PM

I was correct in predicting that the Opening Night game on Thursday September 10 will feature the Tennessee Titans visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to NFL.com:

In a tradition that began in 2004, the Super Bowl champion annually hosts the NFL Thursday night season kickoff the following year. This Sept. 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC, the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers will host the AFC South champion Tennessee Titans, who had an NFL-best 13-3 record last season.

I missed on my second prediction that the first Sunday Night Football game would feature the Indianapolis Colts visiting the Arizona Cardinals.

The Sunday night primetime game (8:30 p.m. ET) on NBC will feature a division matchup as the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears. Green Bay and Chicago have won seven of the past eight NFC North titles.

Also, the NFL will continue a recently begun tradition of a double-header on the opening Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN.

On Monday, Sept. 14, ESPN will host a "Monday Night Football" doubleheader that will be part of the NFL's celebration of the 50th anniversary season of the American Football League. The four clubs competing that night began playing in the inaugural 1960 AFL season. The first game (7:00 p.m. ET) will send the Buffalo Bills to Foxboro to visit the New England Patriots, the decade's winningest team (102-42 since 2000). The MNF nightcap (10:15 p.m. ET) will be an AFC West battle as the Oakland Raiders host the three-time defending AFC West champion San Diego Chargers.

The league also announced it's Thanksgiving Day matchups. Sticking with tradition, the daytime games will be hosted by the Detroit Lions, who will play the Green Bay Packers starting at 1pm ET on Fox; and the Dallas Cowboys, who will host the Oakland Raiders beginning at 4:15pm ET on CBS. And for the fourth straight season, the NFL Network will air a prime time game on Thanksgiving, when the New York Giants travel to Denver to face the Broncos starting at 8:20pm ET.

No word on any other Opening Week or primetime games. The full season schedule should be released before the NFL Draft on April 25-26. I still stand by my Opening Week pick for the 4:15 national broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants. Come back soon and I will reveal my predicted matchups for all of Week 1.