NEW YORK -- The NFL's Thursday night season opener will match the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants and the Washington Redskins, with the game possibly starting an hour-and-a-half earlier to avoid clashing with the Republican National Convention.
» Team-by-team 2008 opponents
The game is now scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EDT on Sept. 4 -- the concluding night of the Republican convention -- and will be televised by NBC. League spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday that the NFL is talking with the network about changing the game's starting time to 7 p.m.
The Super Bowl winner traditionally hosts the game. The Redskins' participation was confirmed by a person familiar with the NFL schedule who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has not announced it. The Washington Post earlier reported that the Redskins will be facing the Giants in the season opener.
The highlight games of the NFL's first weekend will be announced Monday during league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The rest of the schedule will be announced later next month.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
