The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants, marquee teams, storied rivalries and the NFL's most dynamic players highlight the "NBC Sunday Night Football" schedule as the league today announced its 2008 slate of games. NBC will open the season on Thursday, Sept. 4 with the Giants hosting their NFC East rival the Washington Redskins and end the season on Feb. 1 with Super Bowl XLIII from Tampa Bay, the network's first since 1998.
Fourteen of NBC's 16 scheduled games involve at least one playoff team from last season; 11 of 16 include two playoff teams; four of the 16 games are playoff rematches from last season. Three appearances from the Super Bowl champion Giants (Redskins, Eagles, Cowboys). A rematch of last year's highest rated NFL regular season game between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, which earned a 20.1. The Colts will also meet the Bears and Chargers on Sunday Night Football.
("NBC Sunday Night Football" kickoff, 8:15 p.m. ET preceded by "Football Night in America," 7 p.m. ET)
Thursday, Sept. 4 Washington Redskins at New York Giants*
Sunday, Sept. 7 Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, Sept. 14 Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
Sunday, Sept. 21 Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
Sunday, Sept. 28 Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears
Sunday, Oct. 5 Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, Oct. 12 New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
Sunday, Oct. 19 Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday, Oct. 26 No game scheduled due to World Series Game 4 (FNIA airs 7-8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 2 New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts
Sunday, Nov. 9 New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, Nov. 16 Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 23 Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 30 Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 7 New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 14 New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 21 San Diego at Tampa Bay (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 28 (Flex Week, Teams TBA)
*7 p.m. ET start due to Republican National Convention
THURSDAY, SEPT. 4 - NFL KICKOFF 2008
Washington Redskins at New York Giants (Giants Stadium, E. Rutherford, N.J.)
