Few details have emerged regarding the 2011 regular-season NFL schedule, which will be released tonight. We know that the Packers will host the NBC Thursday night opener on September 8 (we think they’ll face the Saints or the Bears; we’re leaning Bears), we assume one of the New York teams will host the NBC prime-time game the 10th anniversary of 9/11 (we think a Jets-Giants game is unlikely for that evening), and we know that the Lions and Cowboys will play at home on Thanksgiving. (Given the network assignments for the 2011 Thanksgiving games, the Lions will host one of their NFC opponents, and the Cowboys will welcome either the Dolphins or the Bills.)
Thanks to the folks at the Fan 590 in Toronto, we know that the Bills will face the Eagles in Toronto. Per the report, the game will be played on November 13 or 20 at Rogers Centre.
The fact that the Eagles are making the trip is a bit curious, given: (1) the stringent Canadian rules on the admission of felons into the country; and (2) the fact that the Eagles’ starting quarterback is a convicted felon. Our guess (and it’s just a guess) is that the NFL has worked out these details in advance, ensuring that Mike Vick will be able to play. If, for some reason, Canada refuses to allow him onto their soil, the NFL will look foolish in hindsight for sending the Eagles north of the border.
Then again, the NFL seems to be cornering the market of late on looking foolish, given the whole Super Bowl debacle and the inability to figure out how to carve up an eleven-figure turkey.