By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer
It's time to get "Back to Football!"
The 2012 season begins with the NFL's annual primetime kickoff game. The opener on Wednesday, September 5 on NBC (8:30 PM ET) will feature the Super Bowl champion New York Giants hosting division rival Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.
Continuing a tradition that started in 2004, the previous year's Super Bowl winner hosts the NFL Kickoff game to open the following season.
Prior to kickoff, an on-field celebration at MetLife Stadium will honor the world champion Giants as the NFL officially kicks off the 2012 regular season.
NBC will televise NFL Kickoff 2012 at 7:30 PM ET followed by the game at 8:30 PM ET.
NFL Primetime Kickoff Games since 2002
| Date | Site | Result | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source: NFL | |||
| Sept. 5, 2002 | Giants Stadium | San Francisco 16, NY GIANTS 13 | San Francisco kicker Jose Cortez kicks a 36-yard field goal with six seconds remaining to lead the 49ers to victory in the NFL's first Thursday-night opener since 1949 |
| Sept. 4, 2003 | FedExField | WASHINGTON 16, NY Jets 13 | Washington kicker John Hall converts a game winning 50-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to lift the Redskins past his former team |
| Sept. 9, 2004 | Gillette Stadium | NEW ENGLAND 27, Indianapolis 24 | New England quarterback Tom Brady passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Colts |
| Sept. 8, 2005 | Gillette Stadium | NEW ENGLAND 30, Oakland 20 | New England quarterback Tom Brady throws for 306 yards and two touchdowns while running back Corey Dillon adds two scores for the defending Super Bowl champions |
| Sept. 7, 2006 | Heinz Field | PITTSBURGH 28, Miami 17 | Pittsburgh quarterback Charlie Batch passes for three touchdowns and running back Willie Parker adds 115 yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Miami |
| Sept. 6, 2007 | RCA Dome | INDIANAPOLIS 41, New Orleans 10 | The Super Bowl champion Colts rack up 452 yards of offense as quarterback Peyton Manning passes for 288 yards and three TDs |
| Sept. 4, 2008 | Giants Stadium | NY GIANTS 16, Washington 7 | Quarterback Eli Manning scores a touchdown and the Giants' defense allows just 209 total yards as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat division-rival Washington |
| Sept. 10, 2009 | Heinz Field | PITTSBURGH 13, Tennessee 10 (OT) | Pittsburgh's Jeff Reed kicks a 33-yard game-winning field goal in overtime as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat Tennessee |
| Sept. 9, 2010 | Louisiana Superdome | NEW ORLEANS 14, Minnesota 9 | New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees throws for 237 yards and a touchdown to lead the Saints past the Vikings in a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game |
| Sept. 8, 2011 | Lambeau Field | GREEN BAY 42, New Orleans 34 | Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns and the Packers' defense makes a goal-line stand on the game's final play as the defending Super Bowl champions defeat the Saints |
NFL Kickoff Weekend Factoids
Since 1978 when the NFL went to the 16-game schedule, and excluding the abbreviated season of 1982, teams that are victorious on Kickoff Weekend are more than twice as likely to reach the playoffs than losers of an opening game:
Of the 490 teams which won openers … 258 went to the playoffs (152 won division titles).
Of the 490 teams which lost openers … 111 went to the playoffs (66 won division titles).
In 2011, seven of the 12 playoff teams -- Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, New England and San Francisco -- were victorious on Kickoff Weekend.
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