Predicting the 2017 season opening game

[Minitron]

Here are our home opponents for the 2017 season:

• Chiefs
• Falcons
• Panthers
• Chargers
• Texans
• Bills
• Jets
• Dolphins

So if we look at some of the last opening games we see that there are mostly games where the Champions play a conference rival who also played in the playoffs, or its a rematch of the Super Bowl. So if we take that into account, that leaves us with the Falcons, the Chiefs, the Fins and the Texans. Now i think we can take the Fins of the Mix cause they are in our division. Also i don't think they match us up against the Texans again, especially if they are still stuck with Osweiler at QB, because the NFL tries to make the games competitive. That leaves the Falcons and the Chiefs. This season we already had the Super Bowl rematch for opening night. So my prediction is that we play the Kansas City Chiefs for our first game of the 2017 season. This would mean it's kinda the same situation as in 2015, when we played the Steelers (a playoff team in the same conference.)

 

[FCB02062]

Heard some media talking head discussing this question. He said Carolina put up a a HUGE stink last year about having to go to Denver on opening night this season. This guy, can't remember his name, cast a ton of doubt on Atlanta as the opener...for what it's worth

 

[ViperGTS]

Having the loser SB have to be there for the banner raising and all that crap?

Yeah not a fan. Not fair to that team.

 

[irishfanatic]

My money would be on Kansas to be (sacrificial lamb), I mean opponent.

 

[qbno12]

It would be unfair to ATL. Ron Riviera is still bitter about starting the season on the road against Broncos this past season. If ATL loses that game, they'll have a hard time recovering getting back in the playoffs. Same thing happened to Panthers. They had a bad start and couldn't recover.

I would want to play Chiefs. Better play them in the beginning of the year and get it over with. That team is unpredicatable. we generally do well on opening weekend. Should be a good game.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Still much could change in the offseason. Could see someone like Romo or another big name QB end up in our division or on one of those other teams. As of right now, though, Atlanta-NE is the easy call here; who cares about having the loser needing to watch? These guys are millionaire football players. That would easily be the best game for obvious reasons after an epic championship match. Kansas City would "technically" be a good game considering their record the last two years, but no one would get excited about the matchup.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

It would be unfair to ATL. Ron Riviera is still bitter about starting the season on the road against Broncos this past season. If ATL loses that game, they'll have a hard time recovering getting back in the playoffs. Same thing happened to Panthers. They had a bad start and couldn't recover.

Are you kidding? Could you imagine Bill Belichick crying to the press that they need to open the season on the road against a big, tough team that scares them? And that somehow cost them their season? WTF!! Can't believe Ron Rivera is a two time COTY. What a whiny fraud.

 

[Joey007]

Having the loser SB have to be there for the banner raising and all that crap?

Yeah not a fan. Not fair to that team.

They did it to Carolina last year, so I wouldn't doubt that they do it again this year.

95% chance it's a SB rematch, IMO.

 

[Joey007]

The only other teams I could see playing are KC and Miami. Mayyybe Houston if Jimmy G landed there somehow.

 

[qbno12]

Are you kidding? Could you imagine Bill Belichick crying to the press that they need to open the season on the road against a big, tough team that scares them? And that somehow cost them their season? WTF!! Can't believe Ron Rivera is a two time COTY. What a whiny fraud.

BB would never ever complain. Infact I am willing to bet we win the opening night game if we lost the SB that season. Ron riviera kept mentioning that almost every week for the first few weeks of the season. I don't care about SB losing team to play on the road but to play an opponent that you just lost to in the SB has to stink. It's really tough in my opinion.

 

[pwes]

Atlanta has a new stadium opening. I would Imagine the League would want their first game to be a home game for the opening. It will probably be the Chiefs or Texans.

I also dont understand this concerns bout the SB losers having to play the SB winners on opening night. Who cares? I mean is it really going to make a difference if they played week 3 as opposed to week 1? And Carolina didn't have a losing season becasue they played in Denver opening night. They had a losing season becasue they were a bad team. Playing Denver in week 3 as opposed to week 1 was not going to change that.

 

[patsfanincleveland]

Having the loser SB have to be there for the banner raising and all that crap?

Yeah not a fan. Not fair to that team.

A Blank was a Goddell Dflate defender who also make flippant comments on Mr Kraft's relationship with the President.......................so it's doubtful that the league would humiliate him.

The Falcons will open their new house so look for that to be the Sunday night game.......probably against New Orleans or Carolina. Both QB's have marquee status.

Most importantly, Atlanta visiting is a prime game that really belongs on Sunday night during November sweeps.

Opening night is a big night but they want a good game. That makes Houston and Kansas City the logical suspects to provide an entertaining game.

Miami would be the logical division opponent.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Here are our home opponents for the 2017 season:

• Chiefs
• Falcons
• Panthers
• Chargers
• Texans
• Bills
• Jets
• Dolphins

So if we look at some of the last opening games we see that there are mostly games where the Champions play a conference rival who also played in the playoffs, or its a rematch of the Super Bowl. So if we take that into account, that leaves us with the Falcons, the Chiefs, the Fins and the Texans. Now i think we can take the Fins of the Mix cause they are in our division. Also i don't think they match us up against the Texans again, especially if they are still stuck with Osweiler at QB, because the NFL tries to make the games competitive. That leaves the Falcons and the Chiefs. This season we already had the Super Bowl rematch for opening night. So my prediction is that we play the Kansas City Chiefs for our first game of the 2017 season. This would mean it's kinda the same situation as in 2015, when we played the Steelers (a playoff team in the same conference.)

 

[Minitron]

Would be a great game to bring the throwbacks out.

 

[PatsBoy12]

After that game, how could it be any team but ATL? They had CAR vs DEN to open last season after their snoozer of a SB after all.