King not expecting Pats/Colts opener...

[richpats]

...which now that I think about it is probably for the best. My money's on November 4th:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/02/18/mmqb/1.html

 

[ChoWZa]

Week 1 isn't really as meaningful as both teams are trying to capture a rhythm and develop an identity.

November sounds about right.

Is this a home game? I forget the schedule.

 

[brdmaverick]

Week 1 isn't really as meaningful as both teams are trying to capture a rhythm and develop an identity.

November sounds about right.

Is this a home game? I forget the schedule.

It's a home game for the Colts, which is the only reason why it is possible to have a season opener in Indy.

 

[DefenseRules]

...which now that I think about it is probably for the best. My money's on November 4th:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/peter_king/02/18/mmqb/1.html

I agree with you.

 

[brdmaverick]

While I agree that......

A.)why display a marquee matchup for the season opener when it will garner big ratings no matter what?

B.)it would not seem right to have big matchups in Week 1 that could decide playoff seedings when both teams are still finding their identities

BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED THE NFL IN RECENT HISTORY note.......

2002 : Week 1: Steelers at Pats (rematch of the AFC Championship Game)
2003: Week 1: Bucs at Eagles (rematch of the NFC CHampionship Game)
2004: Week 1: Colts at Pats (rematch of the AFC Championship Game)
2005: Week 1: Eagles at Falcons (rematch of the NFC Championship Game)
2006: Week 1: Colts at Giants (Manning Bowl, would have gotten ratings regardless of place in the schedule)


so you can see that the NFL has never shied away from the marquee or 'sexy' matchups in the first week of the season

 

[patfanken]

I think the reason that the league WON'T open the season with the Pats at Indy, is the Pats will be coming back from China. It would be a lot, even for the NFL to ask the Pats to fly back from China and start the season early. The Pats are going to need all the time they can to recover from that kind of road trip. It would be a grear opener, but...

 

[DefenseRules]

I think the reason that the league WON'T open the season with the Pats at Indy, is the Pats will be coming back from China. It would be a lot, even for the NFL to ask the Pats to fly back from China and start the season early. The Pats are going to need all the time they can to recover from that kind of road trip. It would be a grear opener, but...

Good point.

 

[richpats]

I think the reason that the league WON'T open the season with the Pats at Indy, is the Pats will be coming back from China. It would be a lot, even for the NFL to ask the Pats to fly back from China and start the season early. The Pats are going to need all the time they can to recover from that kind of road trip. It would be a grear opener, but...

This is the same league that sent the Pats to Carolina, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Denver in the span of 5 weeks. The same league that re-emphasized rules to neutralize the Pats' style of play.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if it happened.

 

[pats1]

Good point.

The parrotheads will be at Gillette on Sunday, Sept. 2 and Saturday, Sept. 8 - I don't think they'll have a game at the razor the day after.

 

[DefenseRules]

The parrotheads will be at Gillette on Sunday, Sept. 2 and Saturday, Sept. 8 - I don't think they'll have a game at the razor the day after.

I didn't know that. You're right, I doubt it too. So, if not the Colts to start the season, then Who? Do you think that we might start the year on the road against a divisional opponent?

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

While I agree that......

A.)why display a marquee matchup for the season opener when it will garner big ratings no matter what?

B.)it would not seem right to have big matchups in Week 1 that could decide playoff seedings when both teams are still finding their identities

BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED THE NFL IN RECENT HISTORY note.......

2002 : Week 1: Steelers at Pats (rematch of the AFC Championship Game)
2003: Week 1: Bucs at Eagles (rematch of the NFC CHampionship Game)
2004: Week 1: Colts at Pats (rematch of the AFC Championship Game)
2005: Week 1: Eagles at Falcons (rematch of the NFC Championship Game)
2006: Week 1: Colts at Giants (Manning Bowl, would have gotten ratings regardless of place in the schedule)


so you can see that the NFL has never shied away from the marquee or 'sexy' matchups in the first week of the season

Big difference here, this would be a Thursday game, the games you list for 05 and 06 were not Thursday games. This game would have to be a Thursday game as the Super Bowl Champion gets the honor of opening on Thursday night.

After the Colts complained about playing in Foxboro in week 1 of 2004, essentially ending the race for HFA in week 1, the NFL more or less said that they would not aim for a game that prior to the season looks as if it could go a long way in determining HFA. Hence you get the Pats-Raiders in 05 and Steelers-Phins in 06.

The Pats could still have a marquee match up in week 1, it just won't be the Colts. They could play on MNF or Sunday Night. There are plenty of big games they could play (Cincy, Baltimore, SD, Philly, etc).

 

[Ghost of Ben Dreith]

I think the reason that the league WON'T open the season with the Pats at Indy, is the Pats will be coming back from China. It would be a lot, even for the NFL to ask the Pats to fly back from China and start the season early. The Pats are going to need all the time they can to recover from that kind of road trip. It would be a grear opener, but...

This is the perfect reason why the NFL will have the Pats open the year at Indy.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

This is the same league that sent the Pats to Carolina, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Denver in the span of 5 weeks. The same league that re-emphasized rules to neutralize the Pats' style of play.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if it happened.

I kind of wish I could agree with you, but I don't think the league has it in any more for the Patriots. They didn't want a threepeat and gave us that "murderer's row" of games two years ago, I agree. And, they would have preferred that we didn't win four in six to match the Steelers. But it's been two years since we were in the SB and I also think that we are one of the more well-branded franchises in the league and it's not in the league's interest to disadvantage us any more.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Two, the league is already pissing off Bill Belichick by putting the China game (New England vs. Seattle in Beijing, Aug. 8) halfway around the world in the middle of training camp. The Pats likely won't be fed to the lions (or Colts) in this made-for-Indy game.

Why didn't they take two West Coast teams? That would piss me off too if I were Pats management. I watched a little of the 49ers - Cardinals exhibition game from Mexico City last year, or was it the year before, and to tell you the truth, you could tell almost none of the fans knew WTF was going on. And that was a neighboring country! I can understand investigating going international with the NFL, but China?

 

[pats1]

Two, the league is already pissing off Bill Belichick by putting the China game (New England vs. Seattle in Beijing, Aug. 8) halfway around the world in the middle of training camp. The Pats likely won't be fed to the lions (or Colts) in this made-for-Indy game.

Why didn't they take two West Coast teams? That would piss me off too if I were Pats management. I watched a little of the 49ers - Cardinals exhibition game from Mexico City last year, or was it the year before, and to tell you the truth, you could tell almost none of the fans knew WTF was going on. And that was a neighboring country! I can understand investigating going international with the NFL, but China?

I'd have to think Kraft actually wanted to go, for the publicity overseas.

 

[nescott]

Yes it will be a mid season game now the NFL does not like to do what they did early off with SB champ playing the team they beat better ratings in midseason

 

[Fanfrom1960]

I'd have to think Kraft actually wanted to go, for the publicity overseas.

You think so? I used to go to Japan on business and it left me f'd up for a few days, on both sides of the pond. Kraft would know that kind of thing happens and I'd hope he wouldn't push for such a trip. But, whatever.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Peter King is wrong anymore so I think its still possible we are playing Sept 6th at Indy.. But We will be on the road week 1...

Possiblities

at Jets
at Giants
at Balt
at Cincy

Those would be week 1 attractive games and I think we will be on Sunday nite or Monday nite, which will have a double header...

 

[MoLewisrocks]

My gut says the league wants to recreate the SB than wasn't with New Orleans @ Indy Thursday night, and they find a re-match for Da Bears like @ Seattle Sunday night, and we host SD on Monday night.

I don't think we'll start on the road with a 5 game pre season schedule that includes our little week long road trip to China via Seattle - who will also open at home as a result.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Big difference here, this would be a Thursday game, the games you list for 05 and 06 were not Thursday games. This game would have to be a Thursday game as the Super Bowl Champion gets the honor of opening on Thursday night.

After the Colts complained about playing in Foxboro in week 1 of 2004, essentially ending the race for HFA in week 1, the NFL more or less said that they would not aim for a game that prior to the season looks as if it could go a long way in determining HFA. Hence you get the Pats-Raiders in 05 and Steelers-Phins in 06.

The Pats could still have a marquee match up in week 1, it just won't be the Colts. They could play on MNF or Sunday Night. There are plenty of big games they could play (Cincy, Baltimore, SD, Philly, etc).

The Colts and Pats were a Thursday nite game....