Saints open with 2 road games; 4 night TV games on schedule

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NFL regular season schedules released Wednesday have the New Orleans Saints playing in four prime-time television night games, including the season opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts.

The Saints will be featured in the traditional kickoff of the entire NFL slate on Thursday, Sept. 6 when they visit the Colts in a game to be aired on NBC at 7:30 p.m.

The Saints travel to play South division rival Tampa Bay the following week on Sept. 16.

The Saints’ home opener will be against the Tennessee Titans on ESPN “Monday Night Football” on Sept. 24, followed by a bye week.

New Orleans will take on its second divisional opponent Oct. 7 at the Louisiana Superdome when Carolina arrives for a noon contest. The Saints then make their second appearance in prime time on Oct. 14 at Seattle, facing the Seahawks on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”

Then it is back to the Superdome to host the Atlanta Falcons at noon on Oct. 21.

The club’s next four games: at former NFC West rival San Francisco, Oct. 28; against Jacksonville at the Superdome, Nov. 4; against former NFC West foe St. Louis Nov. 11 in the Superdome; at the Houston Texans, Nov. 18.

After rematches against NFC South opponents Carolina (Nov. 25, at Bank of America Stadium) and at home against Tampa Bay (Dec. 2), the Saints take on their third straight division foe in a Monday night game at Atlanta, Dec. 10. It will mark the second straight year New Orleans faces the Falcons on “Monday Night Football,” including last year’s 2006 clash at the newly reopened Superdome, a 23-3 Saints victory.

The Saints will close with three straight, non-division NFC opponents: hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 16, and the Philadelphia Eagles (Dec. 23), then traveling to Chicago to face the Bears in a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game.