New England Patriots 2015 Schedule Released

The New England Patriots’ 2015 schedule was released Tuesday night.

As the defending Super Bowl champions, the team will host the first game of the year. New England will kick off the season on Thursday, Sept. 10 when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Including the season-opener, the Patriots are scheduled to play in five nationally-televised games during the regular season, including three at Gillette Stadium. After opening in prime time against Pittsburgh, the Patriots next prime-time game at home will be on Thurs., Oct. 29 when they host the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFL Network (8:25 p.m.), followed by a Monday Night Football game against AFC East rival Buffalo on Monday, Nov. 23 on ESPN (8:30 p.m.).

The Patriots are scheduled to appear in two other prime-time games on the road with Sunday Night Football games at Indianapolis on Oct. 18 and at Denver on Nov. 29 on NBC (8:30 p.m.). The Patriots have faced both teams in the AFC Championship Game in the last two seasons.

The Patriots and Colts will face off for the 13th consecutive year, including the postseason. The two teams have met at least once in the regular season or postseason since 2003, playing 16 games (11 regular season and five postseason games) over that span. The Patriots faced the Colts on Sunday Night Football last season, a 42-20 Patriots win on Nov. 16. The Patriots then faced the Colts in the AFC Championship Game, advancing to Super Bowl XLIX with a 45-7 win at Gillette Stadium on Sun., Jan. 18.

The Patriots will play each AFC East rival twice and will play one game against each of the AFC South and NFC East teams. As the AFC East Champions, the Patriots will play the 2014 division winners of the AFC North (Pittsburgh) and the AFC West (Denver).

New England will travel to the Denver Broncos for the first time since losing the 2013 AFC Championship Game. Last season, the Patriots got revenge from that game with a 43-21 win at Gillette Stadium on Nov. 2. Patriots QB Tom Brady and Broncos QB Peyton Manning have had many epic battles over the years, facing each other 16 times overall, with Brady leading the Patriots to wins in nine of the 12 regular season games. Brady and Manning are tied at 2-2 in postseason matchups.

Below are the schedules for the 2015 preseason and regular season:

2015 PATRIOTS PRESEASON

1. Thursday, Aug, 13: vs. Green Bay, 7:30 p.m. on WBZ
2. Saturday, Aug. 22: at New Orleans, Time TBD on WBZ
3. Friday, Aug. 28: at Carolina, 7:30 p.m. on WBZ
4. Thursday, Sept. 3: vs. New York Giants, 7:30 p.m. on WBZ

2015 PATRIOTS REGULAR SEASON

1. Thursday, Sept. 10: vs. Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m. on NBC
2. Sunday, Sept. 20: at Buffalo,1:00 p.m. on CBS
3. Sunday, Sept. 27: vs. Jacksonville at 1:00 p.m. on CBS
4. Sunday, Oct. 4: BYE WEEK
5. Sunday, Oct. 11: at Dallas, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
6. Sunday, Oct. 18: at Indianapolis, 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC
7. Sunday, Oct. 25: vs. New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. on CBS
8. Thursday, Oct. 29: vs. Miami, 8:25 p.m. on CBS/NFL Network
9. Sunday, Nov. 8: vs. Washington, 1:00 p.m. on FOX
10. Sunday, Nov. 15: at New York Giants, 4:25 p.m. on CBS
11. Monday, Nov. 23: vs. Buffalo, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
12. Sunday, Nov. 29: at Denver, 8:30 p.m. on NBC
13. Sunday, Dec. 6: vs. Philadelphia, 4:25 p.m. on FOX
14. Sunday, Dec. 13, at Houston, 1:00 p.m. on CBS
15. Sunday, Dec. 20 vs. Tennessee, 1:00 p.m. on CBS
16. Sunday, Dec. 27, at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
17. Sunday, Jan. 3: at Miami, 1:00 p.m. on CBS