Vikings-Saints Could Open 2010 Regular Season

Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune wouldn’t be surprised to see the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints open the NFL’s 2010 regular season on September 9th at the Superdome.

Since 2002, the NFL has opened it’s schedule on a Thursday night game, and the defending Super Bowl champion has hosted the event since 2004.

"The Vikings would appear to be the likely opponent given the fact they played the Saints for the conference title and also the fact that game would kick off Minnesota’s 50th season in the NFL," Zulgad writes. "If Brett Favre decides to play a 20th season that would make the matchup that much more attractive."

Favre and the 2009 NFC Conference Championship re-match make the Vikings the most likely opponent to open the 2010 regular season. Here are the other possibilities:

NFC South rivals Atlanta, Carolin, and Tampa Bay are unlikely to be scheduled for the season-opener, as the NFL has only scheduled a divisional game once (Washington Redskins at New York Giants, 2008) in the eight seasons they’ve opened on a Thursday night.

2010 non-conference home games for the Saints are the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers could be an option, as their fans travel well and are always a good draw on national television.

Aside from the Vikings, 2010 non-division conference opponents that will visit the Superdome are the St. Louis Rams, who’ll have the 1st overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft on its team, and Seattle Seahawks, whose hiring of Pete Carroll as head coach this off-season has them as a team that would be interested in signing Reggie Bush, should the Saints release him this off-season.

SOURCE: MACSFOOTBALLBLOG.COM