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Falcons kick off 2018 against Super Bowl champs on 11Alive

The 2018 schedule also feature the Dirty Birds against arch-rival New Orleans on Thanksgiving night, also on NBC.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 06: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons prepares to pass to running back Devonta Freeman #24 in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons kick off their 2018 schedule with a rematch against the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on 11Alive and NBC.

The team's 2018 schedule was released Thursday.

In what is arguably the NFL's bitterest rivalry, the Falcons play the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving night, also on 11Alive and NBC.

Here are some other takeaways from the Falcons schedule:

The Falcons open on the road against the Eagles, winners of Super Bowl LII. While three of Atlanta’s next four games are at home, three will be against playoff teams from a year ago – the Panthers, Saints and Steelers.

  • Thurs., Sept. 6 at Philadelphia, 8:15 pm ET
  • Sun., Sept. 16 vs. Carolina, 1 pm ET
  • Sun., Sept. 23 vs. New Orleans, 1 pm ET
  • Sun., Sept. 30 vs. Cincinnati, 1 pm ET
  • Sun., Oct. 10 at Pittsburgh, 1 pm ET

Thanksgiving in the Big Easy: This will mark the third time the Falcons will play on Thanksgiving. The Falcons beat the Lions 27-7 in 2005 and then lost to the Colts 31-13 in 2007.

Monday night at Mercedes-Benz: The Falcons played two prime-time games in their new home stadium last season, on Sunday and Thursday nights. This season they’ll play their first one in their new digs on a Monday night game when they host the Giants on Oct. 22.

Here's the full lineup:

  • Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 6 at Eagles, 8:20 pm (NBC)
  • Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16 vs. Panthers, 1 pm
  • Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23 vs. Saints, 1 pm
  • Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30 vs. Bengals, 1 pm
  • Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7 at Steelers, 1 pm
  • Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14 vs. Buccaneers, 1 pm
  • Week 7: Monday, Oct. 22 vs. Giants, 8:15 pm
  • Week 8: Bye
  • Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4 at Redskins, 1 pm
  • Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11 at Browns, 1 pm
  • Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18 vs. Cowboys, 1 pm
  • Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22 at Saints, 8:20 pm (NBC)
  • Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2 vs. Ravens, 1 pm
  • Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9 at Packers, 1 pm
  • Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16 vs. Cardinals, 1 pm
  • Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23 at Panthers, 1 pm
  • Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30 at Buccaneers, 1 pm

Atlanta Falcons preseason schedule announced

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