NFL announces opening weekend prime-time games
Believe it or not, the 2009 NFL season is less than six months away, and we already know some of your WagerWeb.com betting options for the league’s opening weekend.
The traditional Thursday night opener will again feature the reigning Super Bowl champs (a tradition since 2004), as the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, Sept. 10 on NBC. The Titans, remember, had the NFL’s best record and beat the Steelers 31-14 in Week 16 of the season; several Titans players stomped on Steelers’ “Terrible Towels” afterward. However, Tennessee was deprived a rematch in the AFC title game when it lost at home to Baltimore.
The NFL had coveted the Ravens for the opener against the Steelers, but Baltimore reportedly did not want to play another night game in Pittsburgh. The Ravens have visited the Steelers for prime-time games in each of the past two years.
The league’s oldest rivalry is the first Sunday night game, with the Bears visiting the Packers on Sept. 13. Bears coach Lovie Smith is 4-1 at Lambeau Field, and the Bears hold a 91-80-6 advantage in the all-time series, dating back to 1921. Smith’s lone loss at Lambeau was a 37-3 defeat last season that remains his most lopsided loss as Bears coach.
The Bears also opened the 2008 season on Sunday Night Football, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 29-13 last Sept. 7 in the inaugural game at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Bears will open the regular season on the road for the fifth straight year and the eighth time in the last 10 years.
The Monday night doubleheader on ESPN on Sept. 14 will be a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the American Football League. The doubleheader will feature Buffalo, with Terrell Owens, at New England in Tom Brady’s expected return. That game will be followed by San Diego at Oakland. All four teams are original AFL franchises.
The Cowboys and Lions get to keep their traditional Thanksgiving hosting slots.
The Lions go back to meeting the Packers that day, a matchup that occurred every year from 1951-63 and will happen for the 19th time. The Raiders will be at the Cowboys following that, and the NFL Network night game will feature the New York Giants at Denver.
The league will release the entire regular-season schedule in April, although the Cowboys are expected to host the Week 2 Sunday night game to showcase their new stadium.
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