Kraft requests primetime games to come on road

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

Patriots likely to open at home
Posted by Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff
April 1, 2008 06:23 PM

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Patriots are likely to open the 2008 season at home with a 1 p.m. game.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said today at the NFL annual meeting that the team has requested that it be scheduled for a 1 p.m. home opener. The Patriots played the maximum of six prime-time games last regular season, two of which were home games. Three of the team's eight regular-season home games were 1 p.m. starts.

"We get a chance every year to put in requests for the scheduling and everything and one of the things I've said was that last year was a rough year on our fans, so if we could get some 1 o'clock Sunday games at home that would be good," said Kraft. "I'm hoping that our first game will be 1 o'clock Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Let's hope that comes through."

The Patriots' eight home opponents for 2008 are the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs.

The league is slated to release the schedule this month.

Kraft said the Patriots will still be a fixture in prime time, but out of deference to the team's fans he also has asked that most of those appearances come on the road.

"I know that we'll be in a lot of prime-time games," Kraft said. "We said, 'If you're going to put us in prime time, do as much as you can of it on the road."

The Patriots are likely to open the 2008 season at home with a 1 p.m. game.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Good lookin' for Kraft if your living in MA.

 

[pats1]

Good lookin' for Kraft if your living in MA.

Meh, there's something special about the atmosphere of a "big" night game.

 

[BelichickFan]

I prefer prime time at home as they're night games and the travel back would seem to interfere even more with the following week's game.

 

[BadMoFo]

Kraft should have told the league, "I don't care where we play or who we play, bring them on."

 

[JoePats]

I prefer prime time at home as they're night games and the travel back would seem to interfere even more with the following week's game.

Agree 100%..

 

[ScottieC]

Kraft should have told the league, "I don't care where we play or who we play, bring them on."

Well said. Perhaps he's leaving that line for Randy or Tom.

 

[richpats]

Considering the team openly admitted to being dog-tired after 3 straight night games, I'm not too sure about this.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I rather at least a couple of games at home at night..


Sure at San Diego , at Seattle, at Oakland at Indy at NYJ at miami all at night.. Come on Bob , I know its a pain and all, but playing at night at home adds a little something to the game.

I dont want to give the other team more of a advantage.

 

[Zeke_Mowatt]

The Patriots' eight home opponents for 2008 are the (1)New York Jets, (2)Miami Dolphins, (3)Buffalo Bills, (4)Pittsburgh Steelers, (5)Arizona Cardinals, (6)St. Louis Rams, and (7)Kansas City Chiefs.

Did the league screw us out of a home game too?

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Did the league screw us out of a home game too?

Denver is at home

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Going to guess now ...

NYJ vs Pats 100 pm sun

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Oh also can we let the 2 moron's at espn in the am, that Kraft did request not to be on prime time in week 1... Please email them and let them know that it has nothing to do with the nonsense spy gate...

 

[DefenseRules]

Oh also can we let the 2 moron's at espn in the am, that Kraft did request not to be on prime time in week 1... Please email them and let them know that it has nothing to do with the nonsense spy gate...

Why bother? They won't listen to us anyway.

 

[miDeuce]

This could put a serious damper on my attempt to make at least 3 of the 4 West Coast games this year. At least San Diego won't be week one as my wife is due to give birth on 9/3 with our first kid. It could be week 2 though... is 9 days old too young to take a baby to game?

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Denver is at home

Yes.

However, quite apart from this reporter's astounding math abilities, the Denver game was/is the rumored "home game" in Edmonton (Calgary?).

Don't know if there's anything to it, tho....

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

This could put a serious damper on my attempt to make at least 3 of the 4 West Coast games this year. At least San Diego won't be week one as my wife is due to give birth on 9/3 with our first kid. It could be week 2 though... is 9 days old too young to take a baby to game?

If you can swing it past the wife, anything is possible...

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Kraft should have told the league, "I don't care where we play or who we play, bring them on."

Good One!!!!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Yes.

However, quite apart from this reporter's astounding math abilities, the Denver game was/is the rumored "home game" in Edmonton (Calgary?).

Don't know if there's anything to it, tho....

I'm going to assume it isn't until and unless it's announced to be so. It just doesn't make any sense to me, since the Pats already have four cross-country trips this year.

 

[blackglass3]

Maybe he's trying reverse psychology. Now we will have 6 night games all at home.

I was actually hoping that one of our West Coast games would start the season. It's a shame...getting one of those out of the way would have been great.