Patriots vs. Falcons On Sunday Night Football: Kickoff Time, How To Watch, And More

FOXBORUGH, MA — The New England Patriots will host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football in a

rematch of their historic come-from-behind Super Bowl LI overtime victory last February. The rematch marks just the eighth time in NFL history that two teams will meet in the regular season following a Super Bowl matchup the year prior, with the most recent such matchup coming in Week 1 of the 2016 season when the Denver Broncos hosted the Carolina Pan- thers in a rematch of Super Bowl 50.

In the previous seven Super Bowl rematches, the Super Bowl victor has hosted the regular season meeting five times, winning four of the five contests, with the lone loss coming in a rematch of Super Bowl XXVII when the Buffalo Bills defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 of the 1993 season at Texas Stadium.

Here's what you need to know about Sunday's game:

Kickoff

You'll be waiting all day for Sunday night because this one isn't starting until 8:30 p.m.

Broadcast Information

TELEVISION: This week’s game will be broadcast by NBC and can be seen on NBC Boston-10. Al Michaels will handle play-by-play duties with Cris Collinsworth as the color analyst. Michele Tafoya will work from the sidelines. The game will be produced by Fred Gaudelli and directed by Drew Esocoff.

NATIONAL RADIO: This week’s game will be broadcast to a national audience on Westwood One. Kevin Kugler and Mike Mayock will call the game.

LOCAL RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis. The games are produced by Marc Cappello.

The Betting Line
Here's what the odds makers have to say about Sunday night's game via ESPN.com:

• Westgate - New England by 3 points
• Caesar's - New England by 3 points
• William Hill - New England by 3 points
• Wynn - New England by 3 points
• GG Technology - New England by 3 points
• Unibet - New England by 3.5 points

What The Experts Say

• ESPN.com - Nine of 10 expects pick Patriots
• CBSSports.com - Five of eight experts pick Patriots
• Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports - Patriots
• Benjamin Hoffman, New York Times - Patriots
• Sports Illustrated - Four of six experts pick Patriots
• FiveThirtyEight - New England favored by 68 percent

Parking Information

Stadium parking lots open at 4:30 p.m. Parking is $40 for cars and motorcycles and $150 for buses, RVs and limos. For more parking information, visit the Gillette Stadium parking FAQ.

Allow for Plenty of Time Around the Stadium

With a capacity crowd expected, fans are encouraged to arrive early to allow for plenty of time when traveling near the stadium. The usual traffic restrictions will be in place on local roads before and after the show. Fans must use Interstate 95, Interstate 495 or Route 140 to access Route 1 and Gillette Stadium.

Clear Bag Policy In Effect

Fans attending the game are reminded that bags larger than a small wristlet or handheld wallet will not be allowed inside Gillette Stadium, per the venue’s clear bag policy, which is in effect at all ticketed events. If carrying a bag into the stadium is necessary, there are two options: a clear plastic bag the size of a 1- gallon Ziploc bag or a small wristlet or handheld wallet not exceeding 8” x 5” x 2” (approximately the size of a hand).

Please note that bags larger than the permitted size, including purses, shoulder bags, diaper bags and backpacks, will not be allowed inside Gillette Stadium on event day. Further, bags exceeding the permitted size will not be held or stored by the venue and must be returned to a vehicle before entering the stadium. For more information on the clear bag policy, click here.

Banned Items

Prohibited items at Gillette Stadium include, but are not limited to: selfie sticks, GoPro cameras, camera bags, umbrellas, coolers, fanny packs, outside food and beverage, balloons or beach balls, noisemakers, signs larger than 11 x 17 and any other items deemed dangerous and/or inappropriate by stadium management. For more information on prohibited items, check the stadium security protocol.

If You Need Help

Guest service booths located on the 100- and 300-level concourses at midfield/50-yard line for all stadium events. If you need immediate assistance during the event, please contact the stadium hotline at 508-384-9205.

If you require anonymous assistance during the event for behavioral or conduct related matters, please send security operations a text message at 508-928-3838 or text the word, CONDUCT to 78247 followed by all the relevant details.

Some information in this article was provided by Patriots Media Relations.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun