The NFL announced the 2004 schedule on Wednesday, and as defending Superbowl Champions the Patriots will certainly be getting plenty of national exposure.
While it had already been announced that New England will open the season on Thursday night, September 9th at Gillette Stadium in a prime time match-up against the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC Championship rematch, they will also have three other prime-time match-ups as well. They have a Sunday night game in Buffalo against Drew Bledsoe and the Bills, and will also travel to Kansas City and Miami for Monday night games on Nov. 22nd and Dec. 20th.
While there had been speculation that the Patriots were potential candidates for a Christmas day match-up against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, it didn't come to pass. The NFL instead pitted Kansas City against Oakland in the afternoon game followed by Tennessee at Denver.
New England will have their bye week in week 3.
Here is the entire 2004 Patriots schedule:
Sept. 9 Indianapolis 9:00 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Arizona 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 26 Open Date
Oct. 3 at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 10 Miami 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 17 Seattle 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 24 New York Jets 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 31 at Pittsburgh 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 7 at St. Louis 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 14 Buffalo 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Kansas City 9:00 p.m.
Nov. 28 Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 5 at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 12 Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 20 at Miami 9:00 p.m.
Dec. 26 at New York Jets 4:05 p.m.
Jan. 2 San Francisco 1:00 p.m.
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