Line of Scrimmage: '07 Schedule - Hits and Highlights

The NFL's 2007 regular season schedule was announced on Wednesday, meaning it is officially time to begin planning your fall. We're here to help, with a week-by-week look at the most intriguing matchups:

WEEK 1 (9/9)

Saints @ Colts (Thursday) - After a seven-month, two-day hiatus, meaningful pro football returns with the reigning Super Bowl champs taking on last year's NFC South surprise.

Bears @ Chargers - Two teams with a combined 27-5 record in 2006 will look to avoid opening 0-1.

Giants @ Cowboys (Sunday night) - Wade Phillips makes his Dallas debut against the embattled Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning, and Tiki Barber-less Giants.

WEEK 2 (9/16)

Bills @ Steelers - New Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin will try to make his Steel City debut a triumphant one.

Chargers @ Patriots (Sunday night) - Just months after New England stomped on the San Diego logo following a playoff upset, LaDainian Tomlinson and company have a chance to exact their revenge.

Redskins @ Eagles (Monday) - After warming up with a road tilt at Green Bay, Donovan McNabb makes his first Philly appearance since suffering a season- ending knee injury last October.

WEEK 3 (9/23)

Panthers @ Falcons - The first Georgia Dome affair for new Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino will come in the form of a crucial division game.

Vikings @ Chiefs - Damon Huard makes his 2007 home debut, and will be his team's uncontested No. 1 quarterback for the first time in his career.

Titans @ Saints (Monday) - Vince Young and Reggie Bush will share the spotlight once again.

WEEK 4 (9/30)

Texans @ Falcons - If new Houston QB Matt Schaub walks out of the ATL with a win, Michael Vick is going to have plenty of explaining to do.

Steelers @ Cardinals - First-year Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt looks across the field at his former team.

Eagles @ Giants (Sunday night) - Longtime NFC East rivals and '06 postseason combatants play the opener of their annual home-and-home.

WEEK 5 (10/7)

Jets @ Giants - The G-Men are the home team, so they'll call it "Giants Stadium" and not "the Meadowlands."

Chargers @ Broncos - Bolts swept Denver last year, the first time that had happened in 24 years.

Bears @ Packers (Sunday night) - This time, when he faces his team's foremost rival, Rex Grossman won't be distracted by New Year's Eve festivities.

WEEK 6 (10/14)

Vikings @ Bears - Another determined NFC North rival looks to take down the two-time reigning division champs.

Patriots @ Cowboys - Can't trot out any storylines about Bill Parcells or Drew Bledsoe, but this one should be entertaining nonetheless.

Saints @ Seahawks (Sunday night) - On a slow week for drama, a primetime battle of 2006 playoff teams will have to do.

WEEK 7 (10/21)

Ravens @ Bills - Buffalo fans will be spitting fire at new Raven Willis McGahee from start to finish.

Falcons @ Saints - In a good week for bad blood, new Falcon Joe Horn looks to take it to his old team and nemesis Sean Payton.

Colts @ Jaguars (Monday) - If someone in the AFC South is going to challenge Indy this year, it's going to be Jacksonville.

WEEK 8 (10/28)

Giants @ Dolphins (London) - The NFL's first regular season U.K. experiment will feature Joey Porter chasing Eli Manning at the new Wembley Stadium.

Steelers @ Bengals - Neither made the playoffs in 2006, but the rivalry remains heated.

Eagles @ Vikings - Brad Childress will call the plays for Minnesota, which is more than Eagles coach Andy Reid allowed him to do for most of his time as offensive coordinator in Philly.

WEEK 9 (11/4)

Broncos @ Lions - A good week for the recently-traded Tatum Bell and Dre' Bly to disparage their former teams.

Patriots @ Colts - An encore of the 2006 AFC Championship, one of the most entertaining games in recent playoff memory.

Cowboys @ Eagles (Sunday night) - It will lack the intensity of Terrell Owens' first trip back to Philadelphia, but should hold plenty of intrigue nonetheless.

WEEK 10 (11/11)

Bengals @ Ravens - By Nov. 10th, this one figures to be crucial in regard to position in the AFC North race.

Colts @ Chargers (Sunday night) - What would have happened had these two met in last year's AFC Championship? This tilt will help paint that picture.

49ers @ Seahawks (Monday) - San Francisco swept eventual NFC West champ Seattle last year, and many feel that they could take the Hawks' division crown in 2007.

WEEK 11 (11/18)

Redskins @ Cowboys - Even when there's little riding on it, it's still one of the league's best rivalries.

Bears @ Seahawks (Sunday night) - Seattle was 0-2 at Soldier Field last season, including a playoff loss, but gets Chicago at Qwest Field this time.

Titans @ Broncos (Monday) - Will new Bronco Travis Henry have a chance to cross the 1,000-yard plateau against the team that cast him aside?

WEEK 12 (11/25)

Colts @ Falcons (Thanksgiving Night) - Matchup of Manning and Vick will overshadow Turkey Day's two afternoon games.

Saints @ Panthers - Carolina was supposed to be the NFC South champ in '06. New Orleans took home the title. Will '07 be different?

Dolphins @ Steelers (Monday) - Joey Porter returns to Pittsburgh, and we predict he'll have plenty to say about his former team.

WEEK 13 (12/2)

Jaguars @ Colts - Will Indy be ready to wrap up the AFC South title by early December?

Chargers @ Chiefs - San Diego is the team to beat in the AFC West once again, but K.C. is still mighty tough at Arrowhead in December.

Patriots @ Ravens (Monday) - Baltimore fans figure to cheer former standout and new Patriot Adalius Thomas, but will be less kind to Brady and Belichick.

WEEK 14 (12/9)

Giants @ Eagles - It would be a shock if this matchup fails to bring with it NFC East title ramifications.

Chiefs @ Broncos - For his sake, Jay Cutler better be ready to win AFC West rivalry games by this stage of the season.

Colts @ Ravens (Sunday night) - Ravens' home loss to Colts in '06 playoffs was a bitter pill to swallow for Baltimore faithful.

WEEK 15 (12/16)

Broncos @ Texans (Thursday night) - Houston coach Gary Kubiak has a chance to show mentor Mike Shanahan what he can do.

Jets @ Patriots - Hopefully, we'll be done obsessing about Sept. 9th's postgame handshake by mid-December.

Eagles @ Cowboys - Philly's difficult juncture of the season continues with the always-arduous trip to Big D.

WEEK 16 (12/23)

Eagles @ Saints - Philly was 0-2 in New Orleans a year ago, including a heartbreaking playoff loss.

Packers @ Bears - Green Bay walked all over Chicago in the '06 regular season finale at Soldier Field, and the Bears are likely to be better prepared this time around.

Broncos @ Chargers (Monday) - Major Christmas Eve showdown pits the AFC West's last two champs.

WEEK 17 (12/30)

Saints @ Bears - Rematch of the 2006 NFC Championship highlights an eventful final week.

Bengals @ Dolphins - Will tensions between Cincinnati tackle Levi Jones and Miami linebacker Joey Porter have simmered down by the end of the calendar year?

Chiefs @ Jets (Monday) - Probable NFL regular season finale has Herm Edwards taking his new team back to the old stomping ground.