Opening Game Next Fall

[sportscurmudgeon]

beg8878:

I think you hit this one on the head. My guess is that the league does not want to show the same team two years in a row on its national opening game.

On the other hand, the league NEVER wants to show a team like the Cardinals with 70% of the seats empty.

I don't know if Carolina and New England are scheduled next year - and I'm too lazy at the moment to go and check it out - but if they are scheduled to meet in 2004, I'd put that "re-run" of the Super Bowl on for my opening game. But I don't run the NFL...