2008 NFL season: Difference between revisions
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==Schedule== |
==Schedule== |
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The 2008 season will be the second year that the NFL will hold a regular season game outside the United States, as per a resolution passed by league owners in 2006, and the first with two such contests.<ref name="internationalPlan">{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/24/AR2006102401261.html | title=Owners Give Approval For NFL Games Overseas | publisher=[[Washington Post]] | date=2006-10-25 | accessdate=2008-01-17}}</ref> The league announced on [[January 17]] [[2008]] that it plans to play at least one game in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="International Series">{{cite news | title=NFL returning to UK | url=http://www.nfluk.com/news-display.php?id=2867| publisher=NFL UK |date=2008-01-17 |accessdate=2008-01-17}}</ref> NFL UK managing director Alistair Kirkwood has said that the home team will be chosen from the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], the [[New Orleans Saints]], the [[Seattle Seahawks]] or the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].<ref>{{cite news | title=NFL to reveal 2008 UK game plans | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/american_football/7194603.stm | publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-01-22 |accessdate=2008-01-23}}</ref> |
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Reports on [[January 26]] indicate that a game will be played at [[Wembley Stadium]] between the [[San Diego Chargers]] and the New Orleans Saints on [[October 26]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/20080127-9999-1s27chargers.html | title=Chargers to play Saints in London | publisher=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]] | date=2008-01-27 | accessdate=2008-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/othersports.html?in_article_id=510676&in_page_id=1781 | title=New Orleans Saints to host the San Diego Chargers as the NFL returns to Wembley | publisher=[[Daily Mail]] | date=2008-01-27 | accessdate=2008-01-27}}</ref> The league has not officially announced the matchup yet; the venue, teams and date will be officially confirmed in the week leading up to [[Super Bowl XLII]] on [[February 3]] [[2008]]<ref name="International Series"/> |
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An international game will be held in [[Toronto]]'s [[Rogers Centre]] as a home game for the [[Buffalo Bills]]. Team owner [[Ralph C. Wilson Jr.]] petitioned the league to play at least one game in [[Canada]] to strengthen his club's fan base there. <ref>Mortensen, Chris. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3205488 Source: Bills likely to get OK to play game in Toronto] [[ESPN.com]]. January 20, 2008.</ref> The deal was finalized in January 2008, with an official announcement expected in February 2008 for a December contest, after the end of the [[Canadian Football League|CFL]] season.<ref>Gaughan, Mark and Jerry Sullivan. [http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/264441.html Bills have deal in place for Toronto games]. Buffalo News. 30 January 2008.</ref> |
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Based on the [[Regular Season (NFL)|NFL's scheduling formula]], the intraconference and interconference matchups for 2008 will be:<ref name="matchups">{{cite book | title=2006 NFL Record and Fact Book | id=ISBN 1-933405-32-5 | pages=16}}</ref> |
Based on the [[Regular Season (NFL)|NFL's scheduling formula]], the intraconference and interconference matchups for 2008 will be:<ref name="matchups">{{cite book | title=2006 NFL Record and Fact Book | id=ISBN 1-933405-32-5 | pages=16}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 16:41, 1 February 2008
| File:08 NFL Logo.png The NFL will begin using a new logo for the 2008 season featuring eight stars representing the league's eight divisions, and a football resembling the one on the Vince Lombardi Trophy. | |
| Regular season | |
|---|---|
| Duration | To be announced |
| Playoffs | |
| Start date | To be announced |
| Super Bowl XLIII | |
| Date | February 1 2009[1] |
| Site | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida |
| Champions | TBD |
| Pro Bowl | |
| Date | To be announced |
| Site | Aloha Stadium |
The 2008 NFL season will be the 89th season of the National Football League, the major professional American football league in the United States. The Super Bowl championship game for this season, Super Bowl XLIII, is scheduled to be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1 2009[1].
Schedule
An international game will be held in Toronto's Rogers Centre as a home game for the Buffalo Bills. Team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. petitioned the league to play at least one game in Canada to strengthen his club's fan base there. [2] The deal was finalized in January 2008, with an official announcement expected in February 2008 for a December contest, after the end of the CFL season.[3]
Based on the NFL's scheduling formula, the intraconference and interconference matchups for 2008 will be:[4]
Dates and game times for the regular season games are yet to be determined.[5] The schedule will be released in phases; select opening weekend and Thanksgiving matchups will be released at the end of March, the Monday night and preseason schedules in early April, and the rest of the schedule in mid-April.
The NFL's Pro Bowl all-star game at the end of the season will again be played at Hawaii's Aloha Stadium in the Honolulu suburb of ʻAiea for the 30th consecutive season, despite having the option under the league's current contract to hold it in a different city.[6]
Major Changes
New logo
This will be the first season that the league will use a new, updated logo. Unveiled on August 31 2007, the new design features eight stars, representing each of eight divisions, while the old logo has 25 stars. The football has been redesigned and rotated to the same angle as the one on the top of the Vince Lombardi Trophy given to the Super Bowl champion. The font lettering and point has also been updated and modified to that of the league's current typeface for other logos.[7] The new logo will officially makes its debut during the 2008 NFL Draft on April 26.
Stadiums
Lucas Oil Stadium, the new home of the Indianapolis Colts, is scheduled to open beginning in the 2008 season.[8] Meanwhile, 2008 will be the final year that the Dallas Cowboys will play at Texas Stadium; they are scheduled to move into a new stadium in Arlington, Texas in 2009.[9]
Coaching changes
The following teams will have new head coaches in 2008:
| Team | 2008 Coach | Former Coach(es) | Reason for leaving | Story/Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | Mike Smith, former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator[10] | Bobby Petrino[11]; Emmitt Thomas, interim for 3 games[12] |
Petrino resigned after 13 games to take the same job at the University of Arkansas. | In his first and only season, Petrino went 3-10 before resigning. Under Thomas as interim head coach, the Falcons went 1-2 in the final three regular season games. |
| Baltimore Ravens | John Harbaugh, former Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs coach [13] | Brian Billick[14] | Fired | Hired in 1999, and led the Ravens to a Super Bowl XXXV victory following 2000 season. |
| Miami Dolphins | Tony Sparano, former Dallas Cowboys assistant head coach/offensive line coach[15] | Cam Cameron[16] | Fired | In his first and only season, the Cameron-led Dolphins finished with a league worst 1-15 record. |
| Washington Redskins | To be determined | Joe Gibbs[17] | Retired | Finished 16 overall seasons as Redskins head coach. During his first tenure, 1981-92, the club won three Super Bowls. After being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996, he rejoined the team in 2004. |
See also
References
- ^ a b "NFL.com: Future Super Bowl sites". Retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ^ Mortensen, Chris. Source: Bills likely to get OK to play game in Toronto ESPN.com. January 20, 2008.
- ^ Gaughan, Mark and Jerry Sullivan. Bills have deal in place for Toronto games. Buffalo News. 30 January 2008.
- ^ 2006 NFL Record and Fact Book. p. 16. ISBN 1-933405-32-5.
- ^ "2008 NFL opponents". NFL.com. 2007-12-30. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "NFL's Pro Bowl will stay in Honolulu". SI.com. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
- ^ McCarthy, Michael. "NFL to revamp shield with redesigned logo". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
- ^ "Lucas Oil: Lucas Oil Stadium". LucasOil.com. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Cowboys Build For The Future By Honoring The Past". DallasCowboys.com. 2006-12-12. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ Falcons hire Jaguars' Smith as head coach
- ^ "Petrino leaves Falcons". SI.com. 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Thomas named Falcons interim coach". Atlanta Journal Constitution. 2007-12-12. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Ravens Hire Haubaugh As New Head Coach". NFL.com. 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
- ^ "Billick fired". Baltimore Sun. 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Dolphins hire Sparano away from Cowboys". Foxsports.com. 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2008-01-16.
- ^ "Dolphins Fire Cameron After 1-15 Season". Washington Post. 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Joe Gibbs Resigns as Redskins Head Coach". Washington Post. 2008-01-08. Retrieved 2008-01-08.