The reigning Super Bowl champions New England Patriots entertain the most successful team of the Super Bowl era, Pittsburgh Steelers on the opening night of this years NFL season on Thursday, September 10th.
Tradition dictates that the reigning champions begin the season with a home opener, and the Steelers will have the honour of playing Bill Belichick's side on the opening weekend.
#Patriots open the 2015 season at @GilletteStadium vs. the Steelers on 9/10. Full schedule: http://t.co/jEQpr01EMY pic.twitter.com/2czF3A9aPK
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 22, 2015
The Sunday of opening week sees 13 games being played. Green Bay are away to Chicago. The Chiefs are at home to the Houston Texans. The Cleveland Browns travel to New York to face the Jets. Rex Ryan's tenure in Buffalo starts with a home game against the Colts. Miami go to Washington. Jacksonville entertain Carolina. Super Bowl runners up Seattle face the Rams in St. Louis.
In Sunday's later games, Arizona welcome New Orleans to the desert. San Diego face Detroit. Tampa Bay are at home to Tennessee. The Bengals head to California to face the Oakland Raiders. Peyton Manning's quest for a second Super Bowl ring begins at home as his Denver Broncos face Baltimore.
Sunday's late game sees the NFC East divisional tie between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in Texas.
The opening weekend concludes with a Monday night double header with Chip Kelly's entertaining Philadelphia Eagles travelling to Georgia to face the Atlanta Falcons. Minnesota travel east to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers and their new coach Jim Tomsula.
Super Bowl 50 takes place in the home of the 49ers in California on February 7th next year.
