NFL Determines 2008 Opponents
December 31, 2007 by David Kindervater
Filed under NFL - NFL
Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL
With the playoffs starting this coming weekend, next year’s regular season schedule is the furthest thing from my mind. But for the fans whose teams didn’t make the postseason, this is exciting news. The opponents for all 2008 regular season games have been determined and a complete list of each team’s home and away matchups was issued today by the NFL. The scheduling formula implemented in 2002 with realignment guarantees that all teams play each other on a regular, rotating basis. Under the formula, every team within a division plays 16 games as follows:
- Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games).
- The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games).
- The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games).
- Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (2 games). These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.
The official 2008 schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced in the spring. NFL Kickoff 2008 Weekend will begin on Thursday night, September 4, and the regular season will conclude on December 28. Wild Card Weekend will be Saturday and Sunday, January 3-4; Divisional Playoff games on the weekend of January 10-11; and the AFC and NFC Championship Games on Sunday, January 18. Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida will be played on Sunday, February 1.
Here are the home and away opponents for each team, arranged by Divisions starting with the AFC East:
New England Patriots
Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Buffalo Bills
Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams
New York Jets
Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Baltimore Ravens
Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Indianapolis Colts
Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh
San Diego Chargers
Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Denver Broncos
Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Oakland Raiders
Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dallas Cowboys
Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants
Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Washington Redskins
Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Green Bay Packers
Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings
Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions
Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Chicago Bears
Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs
Carolina Panthers
Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs
Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
New Orleans Saints
Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs
Atlanta Falcons
Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs
Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
Seattle Seahawks
Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Arizona Cardinals
Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers
Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
St. Louis Rams
Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets
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How do the Pats end up with what appears to be a very easy schedule (considering they went 16-0). In addition the unavoiidable 2 games each against the Jet and Dolphins, they get the Chiefs, Raiders, Cardinals, Rams, 49ers and Broncos??? Looks like they’re already starting 10-0. Jeez…
the pats might play in an easy conf. but they still have to play the chargers, colts, the steelers, and a few other teams that have the ability to suprise, such as the bronco’s (if healthy) and the seahawks
I could look at just about any other teams schedule and say they have just as many easy games as well so the Pats isn’t really any easier and as someone already pointed out they do have to face 3 of the best teams in the league, two of which are away games.
Besides you can’t really say how some of those teams will be next year, even the Pats themselves though I doubt they will be a horrible team next year all of sudden.
VIKINGS desirve a easy schedule look what you guy put them throgh this year, 49ers need the easiest schedule and you give them one of the toufest
The bills are going to the playoffs this year!!! Weve got an easyer schedule this year so look out Pats LETS GO BUFFALO
I am pretty sure thet the 2008 season will be special and at the end we will see the Jets in Tampa
Remember my words.
Bye Frank
I wouldn’t worry about what appears to be an easy schedule for the Pats as of yet. It may appear to be weak but I suspect there will be some surprise teams that NE plays this year.. The Bills should be improved.. Though the Steelers may deprove..but I think the Cardinals could be a challenging game for them. It’s still anyone’s guess how next season will turn out.. They will have a tougher time next year because more teams will know how to stop them.. They will follow what the Giants did which was to take the way that the Cleveland Browns played them earlier in the season which was closer than what the final score shown.. But this is why they always play every game.
First of all ~ Hannah…every city says the same thing about their fans and team ~ ask them. Second, if the Jets are going anywhere they need to get rid of Mangini, his main concern is to beat one coach ~ this has brought him down with the rest of the coaches. Every team has their year of easy teams to play, it should be New Englands time, they played all rough teams the second half of the season. Look at the teams that the Giants played in the last half of the season, the only rough one they had was New England. No wonder they went into the Super Bowl with no major injuries.
I hate it so bad because all the players on the Patriots are really free agents. They are my favorite team. It bumbed me out when they lost the super bowl. They had a bad game. I wonder why the patriots always have to go to the colts because they are a better team. Go PATS!
I feel that the Dolphins will surprise a lot of people this year, with the big Tuna in control and Tony Sparano calling the shots, the AFC east better watch out. And the NFL needs to suspend Bill Belicheat for cheating last season. GO FINS!!!
Eric,
The Pats get an easy schedule because aside from the Bolts, the AFC West is GARBAGE. Sorry Chiefs Broncos and Raiders, but did ANY of you have a winning record last year? Also the Pats play in THE worst division in the NFL (AFC East) and will probably win the division again for the 6th straight year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bills get in as a Wild Card.
Linda,
What the hell are you talking about, “the Giants had an easy second half of the season”? They played two division rivals, (and by the way, the NFC East is the NASTIEST division in all of professional sports), as well as a dangerous Bills team which they were in a 14-0 hole against, and the Bears (which even though nobody gave them credit, they still possess a great defense). Oh yeah, and they only ALMOST prevented 16-0 from happening, while getting a couple of key players hurt (i.e. Kawika Mitchell and Shaun O’Hara). But I guess the three division winners they played in the NFC Playoffs (Tampa, DALLAS, and Green Bay) were just “easy” opponents, right? As for it being New England’s time, I say that time has passed. Everyone wrote them down as this year being “their time”, and you know what? The New York Giants said “No, it’s OUR time”. The Pats blew it. Their dynasty is over. It’s the NFC’s turn to come back.
The PATS will be back and ready for 2008. Forget records, it is superbowl time. I would like to see a Cowboys vs. Pats superbowl. The giants got hot at the right time and that carried over. Yes, they did out play the PATS, but this is a new season and rumors are the PATS are possibly trading up in the draft for a running back from Arkansas, Mcfadden and Moss. Oh no.. Good luck to the NFC, you will need it in 2008. GO PATS, hard to be a PATS fan in St. Louis, however we know how their seasson went last year…..
Two things come to mind here about scheduling. First of all if a team has to play 3-5 of the best teams sometimes they are mostly on the east side of the country and they don’t have to travel as much to get there,,and that matters,,a lot. Second,if a team gets a lot of games scattered all over the country but only a couple of the top teams to play then the travel time makes it just as hard to play. Any way you look at it the NFL always seems to try and make all of the teams even and that’s a hard task today.
I don’t know about you guys but when you are young it’s hard to get onto a plane and go to the other side of the country for few weeks , lose a game or two and come home happy and then play another game soon after. So jet lag etc.,plays a big role in a teams schedule and performance and the coaches,players and the NFL know all about it!
My self I would rather do what the Pats did last year and play the tough teams and they never went west of Dallas all season. No jet lag but they took a royal beating all season long and ended up in the superbowl with a real tired and bruised team and with the “spygate” bull**** hanging over them it was a amazing they got that far.
Lets see how the Giants do this year ,,,I wonder if they will be a one year wonder like the Steelers ?
Another thing,,,When will the New York Jets ” FIRE ” Eric Mangini ?? Are they just plain stupid or what ? He is not only the worst coach ever but he is the biggest “RAT” in the history of the NFL and his team won’t play for him now and they don’t trust him not to fink on them !! I mean Jeeeess what’s going on there ???
**************** GO PATS GO **********
Nate
You must be the biggest loser on this site if you think the Patriots have blown it and not a dynasty anymore. You must be a youngster . Most older mature men don’t say stupid things like you.
If you think the Pats won’t be as big or bigger this year then maybe you should watch figure skating and leave football with the men.
By the way I will bet that B.B.,will take a tight end as his first choice in the draft.
God,,,kids these days ???
For all u pat fans yall r never goin to win again, and i am a jet fan to. We suck but hopefully we will be better this yr ,500 at least. I won 285 bucks off yall. I knew yall was going to lose because yall throught that is was going to be easy, and got hit in the mouth.
Easy ???? I was predicting that the Giants were the only team that the Pats would lose to and they did ,but not by much!
The Jets suck and they are going nowhere untill they unload that FAT RAT Mangini !!
More of the same for the Pats this year !!!!!!!!!!
Fans, of the PATS, yall be talkin that crazy mess. U really think the PATS r going to be like last yr u r crazy they loss some key players. I am older than u. The PATS we will c this yr roy how good yall do.
Only the Seahawks, Chargers, and Colts look like they can stop the Patriots. But i wont count on the Seahawks and the Chargers are to unstable at times. So i guess that leaves the Colts. They will be at home for that one, but i think Pats will pull that one out as well. My prediction Patriots 15-1. I think a sleeper team like the Cardinals may beat them in the regular season in a very close game. Guys…just their offense will still be amazing. Stallworth didn’t do much anyway. The defense is the key to there success in ‘08.
Victor r u serious how bout 10-6 0r 11-5. 15-1 never, every year teams r different, u can’t look at last year. It will be some surprizes. Every body is goin to play the PATS like the giants did in the superbowl.
What I don’t get is why they have the AFC East vs AFC west and NFC West. Lots of east to west coast trips while teams like the Browns don’t travel far at all. Seems like they would split it up so an east team doesn’t have to go to both western divisions in the same year and vice versa
what determines home and away games in the rotating schedule?