FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-194          12/29/03

2004 OPPONENTS DETERMINED

The opponents for all 2004 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 format takes each team through a cycle of games – home and away – against every other team in the league.  Every team will play every other team at least twice – once home and once away -- between 2002 and 2009.  After the 2009 season, a decision will be made on whether to continue with the same rotation or modify it.

The scheduling format includes the following elements:

·         There is an increased common-opponent emphasis with every team in a division playing against 14 common opponents.

·         All teams play each other on a regular basis, home and away, for a more consistent presentation of attractive games, eliminating the many schedule aberrations of the past.

·         Teams are guaranteed to play all non-division opponents in their conference at least once every three years, and at home at least once every six years.

·         Every AFC team plays every NFC team once every four years, and at home once every eight years.

·         A team’s record from the previous year has less of a bearing on its schedule, with only two (rather than four) opponents being based on the previous year’s standing.  Thus, the so-called “easy” fifth-place schedules have been eliminated.

·         The division in which a team resides is less of a factor in a team’s won-loss record with 10 of 16 games each year being against non-division teams.

The official 2004 schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced in the spring.

NFL Kickoff 2004 Weekend will begin on Thursday night, September 9, and the regular season will conclude on January 2. 

Wild Card Weekend will be Saturday and Sunday, January 8-9; Divisional Playoff games on the weekend of January 15-16; and the AFC and NFC Championship Games on Sunday, January 23.

Super Bowl XXXIX at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida will be played on Sunday, February 6.

The Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, featuring the AFC and NFC All-Stars, is set for Sunday, February 13.
 

2004 SCHEDULING ROTATION BY DIVISION

2004 OPPONENTS

AFC EAST

1.  New England Patriots  Home:            Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

                                                Away:             Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

2.  Miami Dolphins           Home:            Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

                                                Away:             Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

3.  Buffalo Bills                Home:            Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

                                                Away:             Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

4.  New York Jets            Home:            Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

                                                Away:             Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams

2004 OPPONENTS

AFC NORTH

1.  Baltimore Ravens       Home:            Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

                                                Away:             Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

2.  Cincinnati Bengals      Home:            Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

                                                Away:             Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

3.  Pittsburgh Steelers     Home:            Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

                                                Away:             Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

4.  Cleveland Browns       Home:            Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

                                                Away:             Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

2004 OPPONENTS

AFC SOUTH

1.  Indianapolis Colts       Home:            Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

                                                Away:             Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

2.  Tennessee Titans        Home:            Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

                                                Away:             Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

3.  Jacksonville Jaguars   Home:            Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

                                                Away:             Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

4.  Houston Texans          Home:            Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

                                                Away:             Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

2004 OPPONENTS

AFC WEST

1.  Kansas City Chiefs      Home:            Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

                                                Away:             Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2.  Denver Broncos          Home:            Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

                                                Away:             Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3.  Oakland Raiders         Home:            Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

                                                Away:             Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

4.  San Diego Chargers    Home:            Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

                                                Away:             Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers

2004 OPPONENTS

NFC EAST

1.  Philadelphia Eagles     Home:            Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

                                                Away:             Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

2.  Dallas Cowboys          Home:            New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

                                                Away:             New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

3.  Washington Redskins  Home:            Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

                                                Away:             Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

4.  New York Giants         Home:            Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

                                                Away:             Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals

2004 OPPONENTS

NFC NORTH

1.  Green Bay Packers      Home:            Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

                                                Away:             Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

2.  Minnesota Vikings       Home:            Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

                                                Away:             Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

3.  Chicago Bears             Home:            Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

                                                Away:             Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

4.  Detroit Lions              Home:            Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

                                                Away:             Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans

2004 OPPONENTS

NFC SOUTH

1.  Carolina Panthers       Home:            Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

                                                Away:             Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

2.  New Orleans Saints    Home:            Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

                                                Away:             Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Home:            Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

                                                Away:             Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

4.  Atlanta Falcons           Home:            Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers

                                                Away:             Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs

2004 OPPONENTS

NFC WEST

1.  St. Louis Rams            Home:            Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, New York Jets

                                                Away:             Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

2.  Seattle Seahawks       Home:            Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

                                                Away:             Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets

3.  San Francisco 49ers   Home:            Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

                                                Away:             Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, New York Jets

4.  Arizona Cardinals       Home:            St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets

                                                Away:             St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins