Who Opens 2019 against the Super Bowl Winner?

[Wallyhorse 623]

We know whoever wins the Super Bowl also opens the following season at home on Thursday night.  With that in mind:

If the Rams win, I can see the Ravens being sent out west to start the season to face the Rams.  It would be much easier on the NFL to have the Rams open against the Ravens because as they are an AFC team, it makes scheduling easier for the NFL, especially since the Chargers can then also potentially open at home against an NFC opponent.

If the Patriots win, I can see the Jets heading right back to where they finished last season since it also makes it easier for scheduling purposes since the NFL can then have the Giants open at home against the Dolphins or Bills (Jets are the "home" team in their meeting with the Giants next season).  It also would be Adam Gase's coaching debut for the Jets and the Jets have a ton to spend in free agency and could easily have Le'von Bell and/or Antonio Brown if they want next year for example.   Also allows the NFL not to have to use one of the more desirable prime time opponents for the Pats in the opener. 

UPDATE: Only becoming known Sunday 2/3, the NFL is also looking at possibly having Packers-Bears as the opener because of next season being the 100th for the NFL with the SB champs possibly opening Sunday night AND possibly on the road. 

[pisceschica 2,627]

rams vs aints (not sure if saints play them at home)

patriots vs giants

[Wallyhorse 623]

Just now, pisceschica said:

rams vs aints (not sure if saints play them at home)

patriots vs giants

Saints go to LA next season.  That one will likely be saved for one of the weeks where the NFL has to avoid a stadium conflict with Major League Baseball in October or it is saved for the "November Sweeps."

Don't see the Giants in that spot because the Pats and Giants usually play the Week 4 preseason game against each other.  Doubt either team would want to play Week 4 of the preseason with the Giants then going to Foxboro a week later. 

[CaliEagle 6,651]

Bears at Rams or Chiefs at Patriots

 

[UK_EaglesFan89 9,307]

Rematch the championship games? Both were close and exciting. 

[PoconoDon 11,531]

8 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Rematch the championship games? Both were close and exciting. 

That's the logical approach.

[Wallyhorse 623]

3 hours ago, PoconoDon said:

That's the logical approach.

Those will be saved for later in the season.  You don't need to do that right off the bat.

In the case of the Pats, it doesn't matter who they open against, and the Jets does give you the New York market (while the Giants does as well, I don't see the Giants or Pats wanting to have to play back-to-back weeks since they play each other in Week 4 of the preseason most years).

In the case of the Rams, the Ravens make the most sense for scheduling reasons beyond that game.  That allows the NFL to also have the Chargers open at home against an NFC team (Packers or Vikings) on FOX and with Bengals-Rams already scheduled for London, it would leave the NFL with only having to in this scenario schedule one other interconference game in LA for the Chargers.  That would be a major consideration in having the Rams open against the Ravens. 

[xzmattzx 875]

20 hours ago, Wallyhorse said:

Saints go to LA next season.  That one will likely be saved for one of the weeks where the NFL has to avoid a stadium conflict with Major League Baseball in October or it is saved for the "November Sweeps."

Don't see the Giants in that spot because the Pats and Giants usually play the Week 4 preseason game against each other.  Doubt either team would want to play Week 4 of the preseason with the Giants then going to Foxboro a week later. 

???

Why would they save Saints at Rams to avoid a stadium conflict?  Neither the Rams nor Saints share a stadium with a baseball team.  I don't see any reason for not playing that in September.

[TheGodfather 3,339]

That's easy. Same team they beat in the championship games

[toolg 3,971]

I have two choices for each:

Rams - Saints #1. Bears #2.
Patriots - Chiefs #1. Cowboys #2.

[Wallyhorse 623]

20 hours ago, xzmattzx said:

???

Why would they save Saints at Rams to avoid a stadium conflict?  Neither the Rams nor Saints share a stadium with a baseball team.  I don't see any reason for not playing that in September.

There are certain teams the NFL won't schedule a big national game at during October because some teams share parking facilities, etc. with the baseball team and the baseball team needs it for the World Series,  Also, the NFL knows opening night they don't need to schedule a big marquee matchup when those can be saved for during the season when such bring in more casual viewers who only otherwise watch the playoffs, Thanksgiving Day, the season opener, etc. 

Also, in the case of the Rams, being able to have them open against the Ravens as noted also allows the Chargers to open at home against the Vikings or Packers.  That is a BIG factor as it clears out two interconference matchups in LA right off the bat. 

[Wallyhorse 623]

Updating this:

Now it's possible the NFL might put Packers-Bears as the opener to commemorate the NFL's 100th anniversary, with if so the Super Bowl champs opening on Sunday night, possibly on the road.

[skippyx 3,414]

First Choice:  Dallas

Second Choice: Pittsburgh

Third Choice: Whoever goes to New England between KC and Houston

[Shocker54 4,005]

Cowboys are a ratings grab for whatever reason and the league would find it a good way to get casual fans pulled into the product for the season if they can see this week 1

[Wallyhorse 623]

6 hours ago, Shocker54 said:

Cowboys are a ratings grab for whatever reason and the league would find it a good way to get casual fans pulled into the product for the season if they can see this week 1

That will likely be saved for FOX.  I'm sure FOX will lobby it to be either the second game of a DH or for the week-after-Thanksgiving Thursday nighter on FOX/NFL Network (with if so the Pats likely also playing Thanksgiving night at home). 

The NFL might want to have a championship rematch but I think even NBC will tell them to save those for later in the year.   I'd open with the Jets for reasons already noted from a scheduling standpoint.  Only reason they might go for a "name" team is because it does air opposite the women's semifinals of the US Open Tennis Championships on ESPN that night and NBC might need a "name" team to hold off losing viewers in key demos to Venus and/or Serena Williams making the US Open Semifinals.