The opponents for all 2011 regular-season games have been determined and a complete list of each team's home and away matchups was issued today by the NFL.
The scheduling formula implemented in 2002 with realignment guarantees that all teams play each other on a regular, rotating basis. After the 2008 season, a decision was made to continue with the same rotation in 2011.
Under the formula, every team within a division plays 16 games as follows:
» Home and away against its three division opponents (six games).
» The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).
» The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games).
» Two intraconference games based on the prior year's standings (two games). These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.
Beginning in 2010, a change was made to how teams are paired in the schedule rotation to ensure that teams playing the AFC and NFC West divisions would not be required to make two west coast trips (e.g. at San Francisco and at Seattle), while other teams in their division had none (e.g. at St. Louis and at Arizona). The pairings of teams are listed in the 2010 NFL Record and Fact Book (pages 16-19).
The official 2011 schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced in the spring.
NFL Kickoff 2011 Weekend will begin on Thursday night, September 8, and the regular season will conclude on January 1.
Wild Card Weekend will be Saturday and Sunday, January 7-8; Divisional Playoff games on the weekend of January 14-15; and the AFC and NFC Championship Games on Sunday, January 22.
The 2012 Pro Bowl will be played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on Sunday, January 29.
Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana will be played on Sunday, February 5.
2011 Opponents
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Home: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Oakland, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Washington
Away: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Kansas City, San Diego, Cincinnati, Dallas, N.Y. Giants
Miami Dolphins
Home: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Oakland, Houston, Philadelphia. Washington
Away: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Kansas City, San Diego, Cleveland, Dallas, N.Y. Giants
New England Patriots
Home: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Kansas City, San Diego, Indianapolis, Dallas, N.Y. Giants
Away: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington
New York Jets
Home: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Kansas City, San Diego, Jacksonville, Dallas, N.Y. Giants
Away: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Denver, Oakland, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Home: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, N.Y. Jets, Arizona, San Francisco
Away: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tennessee, San Diego, St. Louis, Seattle
Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Arizona, San Francisco
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Denver, St. Louis, Seattle
Cleveland Browns
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Miami, St. Louis, Seattle
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis, Oakland, Arizona, San Francisco
Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Tennessee, New England, St. Louis, Seattle
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Arizona, San Francisco
AFC South
Houston Texans
Home: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Atlanta, Carolina
Away: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay
Indianapolis Colts
Home: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Atlanta, Carolina
Away: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Cincinnati, New England, New Orleans, Tampa Bay
Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Cincinnati, San Diego, New Orleans, Tampa Bay
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina
Tennessee Titans
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, New Orleans, Tampa Bay
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Atlanta, Carolina
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Home: Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego, New England, N.Y. Jets, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit
Away: Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo, Miami, Tennessee, Greeen Bay, Minnesota
Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Denver, Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo, Miami, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Minnesota
Away: Denver, Oakland, San Diego, New England, N.Y. Jets, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit
Oakland Raiders
Home: Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, New England, N.Y. Jets, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit
Away: Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Buffalo, Miami, Houston, Green Bay, Minnesota
San Diego Chargers
Home: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, Buffalo, Miami, Baltimore, Green Bay, Minnesota
Away: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, New England, N.Y. Jets, Jacksonville, Chicago, Detroit
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Home: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, St. Louis, Seattle, Detroit, Buffalo, Miami
Away: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, New England, N.Y. Jets
New York Giants
Home: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, St. Louis, Seattle, Green Bay, Buffalo, Miami
Away: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, San Francisco, New Orleans, New England, N.Y. Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Arizona, San Francisco, Chicago, New England, N.Y. Jets
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, St. Louis, Seattle, Atlanta, Buffalo, Miami
Washington Redskins
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Arizona, San Francisco, Minnesota, New England, N.Y. Jets
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, Carolina, Buffalo, Miami
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Home: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Kansas City, San Diego
Away: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Denver, Oakland
Detroit Lions
Home: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Falcons, Carolina, San Francisco, Kansas City, San Diego
Away: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Denver, Oakland
Green Bay Packers
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Denver, Oakland
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Carolina, N.Y. Giants, Kansas City, San Diego
Minnesota Vikings
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Denver, Oakland
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Atlanta, Carolina, Washington, Kansas City, San Diego
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Home: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Tennessee
Away: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, Houston, Indianapolis
Carolina Panthers
Home: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, Washington, Jacksonville, Tennessee
Away: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, Houston, Indianapolis
New Orleans Saints
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, N.Y. Giants, Houston, Indianapolis
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Green Bay, Minnesota, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Tennessee
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Green Bay, Minnesota, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Tennessee
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Home: St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Carolina, Cleveland, Pittsburgh
Away: St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, Minnesota, Baltimore, Cincinnati
San Francisco 49ers
Home: Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Pittsburgh
Away: Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, Baltimore, Cincinnati
Seattle Seahawks
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, St. Louis, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh
St. Louis Rams
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, New Orleans, Baltimore, Cincinnati
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Green Bay, Cleveland, Pittsburgh