Super Bowl champions New Orleans Saints will kick off the 2010 NFL season at home to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, September 9 in a re-match of last season's NFC title game.
The Superdome clash opens a 17-week, 256-game regular season that will feature more divisional meetings in the closing weeks in an effort to create an exciting play-off race.The regular season concludes Sunday, January 2 with all 16 contests being division games.
New stadium
The opening weekend will also see the Dallas Cowboys travel to the Washington Redskins on Sunday (Sep 12) night as well as two matches at the new Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford.
On Sunday (Sep 12), the New York Giants face the Carolina Panthers in the first regular-season game at the stadium.
A day later, the New York Jets will meet the Baltimore Ravens in the first Monday nighter.
The first Monday night will also feature a second game with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the San Diego Chargers, showcasing the renovation of Arrowhead Stadium.
In the final three weeks of the season, there will be a total of 28 division match-ups, an increase of 15 on last year.
Wembley date
The NFL also has two games scheduled for outside of the United States, including one at Wembley in London between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos on October 31.On November 7, the Buffalo Bills will venture north to Canada for the third consecutive season when they host the Chicago Bears in Toronto's Rogers Centre.
Thanksgiving Day will feature a triple-header, with the early game sending the New England Patriots to Detroit to face the Lions, followed by the Saints visiting the Cowboys.
The holiday feast concludes with the Jets welcoming the Cincinnati Bengals.