Next Season's Opener

The Rams actually did the NFL a big favor by losing the NFC Championship Game.  They're scheduled to open next season in Australia, but it's also a longstanding NFL tradition that the Super Bowl champion plays in the season-opening Thursday night game.  While it would've been interesting to see how they figured it out had the Rams won the Super Bowl (just playing the Australia game on Thursday night here/Friday afternoon there?), they no longer have to worry about it.  Instead, either the Seahawks or Patriots will get the honor of opening at home on Thursday night.

Of course, the Rams have been eliminated as a potential opponent for the Seahawks should they win.  Which, frankly, isn't as big a deal.  Sure, a rematch of the NFC Championship Game (which is also a rivalry game) would've been a great option.  But it wasn't the only one available to Seattle.  In fact, with the Rams out of the equation, there are still five worthwhile choices should the Seahawks earn the honor...

Patriots: Let's start with the most obvious.  The NFC has the extra home game next season, and the AFC East is the NFC West's 17th opponent.  So, we'll have a Super Bowl rematch in Seattle.  It would be totally understandable if the NFL wants to hold this one off until later in the year (perhaps as a standalone doubleheader game in the 4:25 window at some point), but I can also see them having it open the season.  Although, they can only play it in Week 1 if the Seahawks win, so it'll be Option B if the Patriots win.

Chiefs: I know, I know.  But there's no denying that the Chiefs will still be a draw and will still be prominently featured on national broadcasts next season.  Even if Kelce retires, this would still presumably be Mahomes' grand return, and you know Cris Collinsworth would like that.  I don't think this one is likely, but I don't think it's completely inconceivable either.

Bears: It wouldn't surprise me at all if they went with this one.  Had overtime gone the Bears' way, this would've been an NFC Championship Game rematch.  And the NFL loves putting the Bears in primetime.  So, this seems like a very realistic possibility.  Unless they want to give it to FOX as the national game on one of their doubleheader weekends.

Cowboys: Dallas was Philadelphia's opponent in this year's Thursday night opener.  Would they really have it be the Cowboys two years in a row?  While it's probably not likely, it certainly seems possible.  Yes, a lot of people hate the Cowboys.  But they're also a TV draw whenever they're on.  That's why they always max out on their primetime appearances no matter how good they were the previous season.  Still, I think the only way the same team gets to play in the opener two years in a row would be to win back-to-back Super Bowls, which the Cowboys, of course, haven't done since the early 90s.

49ers: If they wanted to go with a division game and the Rams are out, that leaves San Francisco.  Of course, there's also the possibility that they're considering the 49ers for the Rams' opponent in Australia, which would eliminate this option.  (The Seahawks also want in on the Australia game, so could the NFC Championship Game rematch be headed Down Under if New England wins the Super Bowl?)  Although, 49ers at Seahawks was also a Week 1 game this season, so do you really want to go there two years in a row?  Especially when this is an easy one to make a Thursday night game later in the season?

For New England, there aren't as many options.  The Patriots play one fewer home game than the Seahawks, and the schedule rotation has the AFC East playing the AFC West and NFC North.  Which is fine until you look at the home/road split and see that the Patriots' more attractive matchups are mostly on the road.  Still, there are four that I can see...

Broncos: A rematch of the AFC Championship Game could certainly work.  I'm not sure how much Denver will end up being featured in primetime games next season, but you know there will be at least a few.  And it wouldn't surprise me if they're frontloaded.  Either way, you'd have to think this one is headed for national TV no matter what.  So why not on Thursday night in Week 1?

Bills: Buffalo's opening a new stadium, so it would make sense for the Bills to get a home primetime window in Week 1.  That would mean either Sunday or Monday night.  Which would, theoretically, remove Week 1 at New England as a possibility.  Although, they could also have the Bills visit the Patriots in Week 1 and still open the new stadium on Monday night in Week 2.

Steelers: This one really depends on if Aaron Rodgers comes back next season or not.  Pittsburgh's still an attractive team for primetime without him.  Attractive enough for the standalone season opener?  Questionable.  With Rodgers, I can absolutely see it.  Without him, I doubt it.

Packers: Finally, there's Green Bay.  This is, admittedly, a bit of an off-the-wall suggestion.  And it's probably as likely as Seattle-Dallas would be.  I still think it'll be considered, though, even it seems like a stretch that it'll be ultimately chosen.  The Packers are like the Bears in that the NFL likes to feature them in national games a lot, sometimes against pretty random opponents.  New England would definitely qualify as a random opponent.  The Packers and Patriots don't play each other very often.

They obviously need to actually play the Super Bowl first.  But you know the NFL's schedule-makers are already looking at the possibilities and look at all of their options for which game would be the best one to feature on September 10.  You know NBC will have input, too.  And things could certainly change based on what happens during the offseason, which could make certain teams either more or less appealing.

Either way, I think there's a good chance we'll see the Patriots on that opening Thursday night next season.  If the Seahawks win, I can certainly see them going with the Super Bowl rematch.  Especially since both games will be on NBC.  If New England wins, meanwhile, I'll say they host the Broncos after unveiling their first post-Bradicheck Super Bowl banner.