2017 NFL Schedule: Atlanta Falcons Open New Stadium on Sunday Night Football
By Randy Gurzi
The release of the 2017 NFL Schedule showed that the Atlanta Falcons will open Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers
An estimated $1.6 billion has been spent building the beautiful new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. The new home of the Atlanta Falcons will be ready for the start of the coming season and with the Thursday release of the 2017 NFL schedule fans now know when they can begin enjoying regular season games in their new home.
Atlanta will of course play two games in the preseason at the site, starting with a contest against the Arizona Cardinals on August 26. The regular season action though will be the big attraction. That game will be given the attention a stadium so acclaimed deserves as the Falcons will host the Green Bay Packers under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football in Week 2.
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The Dirty Birds new nest is said to have a soccer feel to the design (which makes sense as it will also be home to Atlanta FC in Major League Soccer) but the designer — architect Bill Johnson — said he was more inspired by the Roman Pantheon.
Whatever the design behind it, the retractable roof stadium is a sight to behold and the opening game should be an exciting one. The Packers were the hottest team in the NFL last season after turning a 4-6 start into a playoff run which included knocking off the 13-3 Dallas Cowboys. They then ran into a brick wall named the Falcons.
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Atlanta decimated the Packers in the NFC Championship game, sending quarterback Aaron Rodgers and company home early. That means that they will be out for revenge on quarterback Matt Ryan, receiver Julio Jones and all the other Falcons who aided in the end to their incredible run in 2016.