NFL schedule leaks: Patriots host Falcons in Week 7

As schedule leaks run rampant today, the Super Bowl rematch that fans were looking for between the Patriots and Falcons finally found a home in the schedule.

The highly anticipated rematch of the historic Super Bowl 51 between the Patriots and Falcons now has a time and a place.

The two teams will battle at Gillette Stadium in Week 7 of the NFL season on October 22, in the primetime slot on Sunday Night Football on NBC.

Many had hoped the two teams would face off in the season opener in Week 1, as the Patriots raise their Super Bowl banner on national television in the first game of the year. However, the Panthers were reportedly not happy with their Super Bowl rematch with the Broncos opening the year last season, and the Patriots-Falcons matchup was placed in the middle of the season.

New England will reportedly open up their season with their banner raising at Gillette against the Chiefs. The matchup gives the league the chance to pit two AFC playoff contenders from last season against each other, similar to New England’s opener against the Steelers in 2015.

The Falcons last played the Patriots in the regular season in 2013, in a 30-23 loss to New England in Atlanta. Their last visit to Foxboro came back in September of 2009 in a 26-10 loss.

The game will give Matt Ryan the chance to return to his stomping grounds as a Boston College alum, and will surely bring in huge ratings for NBC in the primetime, Super Bowl rematch.

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The two teams have been historically pretty even in their matchups, with the Patriots taking the last five games against the Falcons. New England currently leads their “series” 8-6, and were 3-6 before the arrival of Tom Brady as their quarterback.

The official schedule will be released Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST, where each of these games will be confirmed. Until then, stay tuned for more schedule leaks.