The National Football League is prepared to announce its schedule for the 2017 regular season Thursday at 8 p.m. on NFL Network. NFL.com confirmed the release details Tuesday. The league will reveal the dates, times and television information for all 17 weeks of action during a two-hour special.As is customary, the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots are expected to host the season-opening game Sept. 7 for Thursday Night Football. Other info about the 2017 schedule won't be known until the slate is public.A list of opponents each team will face during the upcoming campaign is already available, however. Let's check out a table with all of those matchups before diving into some of the most intriguing storylines ahead of the 2017 schedule announcement.Team-by-Team OpponentsKey Matchups and StorylinesAtlanta Falcons at New England PatriotsIt wouldn't be a surprise to see a Super Bowl LI rematch to open the new season. That's what the NFL opted to do in 2016, when the Denver Broncos welcomed the Carolina Panthers to Colorado and repeated their Super Bowl 50 victory with another win in Week 1.Getting another chance at New England would probably be a welcome opportunity for the Falcons. They are going to enter the new campaign with a sour taste in their mouths after blowing a 28-3 lead in the big game, and that would give them a chance to wash it right away.Both teams figure to find themselves right back in the championship mix. That said, the number of changes New England has made after winning the title is interesting, and it shows the importance of not remaining content in a league where things change so fast.Perhaps the roster moves probably shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, one day after winning the Lombardi Trophy, head coach Bill Belichick sounded disappointed other teams had an extra month to prepare for the offseason, per Jim McBride of the Boston Globe."The NFL season, the calendar is what it is," Belichick said. "As of today, and as great as today feels and as great as today is, in all honesty, we're five weeks behind in the 2017 season."His lack of scouting time didn't prevent the team from making a splash. The Pats quickly added cornerback Stephon Gilmore and defensive lineman Lawrence Guy through free agency while trading for tight end Dwayne Allen, defensive lineman Kony Ealy and wide receiver Brandin Cooks.It's no surprise OddsShark notes they are the clear favorite heading into the new season. The Falcons are among the second wave of contenders, meaning their matchup will be labeled as a "potential Super Bowl preview" whenever they face off.Green Bay Packers at Dallas CowboysDak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott formed one of the most exciting rookie duos in recent memory to carry the Cowboys back to prominence last season. They posted the best record in the NFC at 13-3 while ranking fifth in the NFL in total offense.Dallas' playoff run came to an abrupt end in the divisional round when the Packers went into AT&T Stadium and emerged with a 34-31 victory, though. Just like the Falcons against the Patriots, the Cowboys would surely love to exact some measure of revenge.The question is whether these teams will be among the best in the NFC again. Ross Tucker of SiriusXM NFL Radio isn't so sure based on their offseason transactions:That said, the Packers have never been major proponents of spending huge money in free agency in order to fill short-term voids. And they are still one of the model franchises in all of sports, so winning the offseason doesn't directly relate to championships.The Cowboys and Packers still have a lot of talent, so they could remain firmly in the NFC mix in 2017. In fact, their head-to-head meeting could end up having a key impact when it comes to seeding for the postseason, especially if it comes late.Los Angeles Chargers' Home OpenerThe Chargers made the journey from San Diego to Los Angeles to join the Rams for 2017. So the nation's second-largest media market went from having no NFL teams to welcoming a new one in successive offseasons, making for a pair of grand arrivals.While the decisions are understandable on paper, the biggest question moving forward will be whether there's enough fan support to keep both teams in good shape for the long haul. If so, it could be a financial boon for the NFL, but it's far from a guarantee.Fox Sports San Diego showcased some disgruntled fans with no interest in supporting the team in its new home:The Chargers will play in Carson at the StubHub Centerthe home of MLS' LA Galaxyuntil their new stadium is ready in a couple of years. It will create a different atmosphere since the seating capacity is only 30,000, whereas most NFL stadiums can hold at least 60,000.Although the home opener is going to generate a lot of attention and rightfully so, it won't be the most important thing in the grand scheme of the move. How the crowds look late in the year, especially if the Chargers aren't in the playoff race, will be the first key indicator.
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