The NFL offseason is in full swing and the with the draft starting in one week, the league has released the full schedule for the 2013 season and there are a number of intriguing and exciting matchups on the docket, including a Manning Bowl in New Jersey as well as a rematch between the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos.
Peyton Manning will be at the center of a number of games on the Broncos schedule, as Denver visits brother Eli Manning's team in New York for Week 2. Manning will also get the chance to play his old team in the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday Night Football in Week 7 and the team will also get a chance at revenge on the Baltimore Ravens in the opening game of the season after losing in the AFC playoffs. The Ravens were originally slated to open the season at home, but since the Baltimore Orioles are playing the two leagues could not come to an agreement, so they will start on the road in Denver.
The Manning brothers have played against each other two times previously, with Peyton Manning and the Colts winning both times. Manning played 13 seasons with the Colts before signing with the Broncos and now he will have two interesting games to deal with on the schedule. Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will also return to the place where he spent over a decade, as the team will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Thursday night football.
The Monday night football schedule will begin with the Eagles at the Redskins, while the other night game will feature the two other NFC East teams as the Giants visit the Cowboys, returning the favor after Dallas opened the season at MetLife Stadium. The Thanksgiving games are Detroit hosting Green Bay, as well as the Cowboys hosting the Oakland Raiders.
Both championship games from last season will have rematches on the schedule, as New England heads to Baltimore in November, while San Francisco will travel to Atlanta in October. Some of the biggest games for the NFL this season will take place in London, as two games will go down, with the Vikings playing the home team to the Steelers in September and the Jaguars hosting the 49ers in October in what will be the first of a number of games for the Jaguars in England over the next few years.
Other notable games include the 49ers at Redskins on November as Colin Kaepernick takes on Robert Griffin, as well as the Vikings and Adrian Peterson opening the season with a game against Detroit. The bulk of the games at the end of the season are divisional ones, as the Giants will play the Redskins to finish the regular season.