Eagles to host Falcons in NFL regular-season opener as Super Bowl title defense begins

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | USA TODAY

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The starting point of the Philadelphia Eagles' title defense is set.

The reigning Super Bowl champions, seeking to become the first team to repeat since the New England Patriots in 2003-04, will kick off the NFL regular season on Sept. 6 at home against the Atlanta Falcons. The league's full slate of games for 2018 was revealed Thursday evening.

That game will be a matchup of last season's NFC divisional showdown, which Philadelphia won 15-10.

The Eagles will also be reunited with their NFC Championship Game foe in the Minnesota Vikings, now led by marquee free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, on Oct. 7 in Week 5. A Super Bowl rematch with the Patriots, however, is not on the regular-season schedule. But New England will travel to Jacksonville to try to once again vanquish the Jaguars on Sept. 16 in Week 2 after staving them off for the AFC crown in January.

Meanwhile, Jon Gruden will make his highly anticipated return to the Oakland Raiders with a Week 1 Monday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at home. That will be the second half of the night's double header, to be preceded by the New York Jets facing the Detroit Lions.

The Eagles tied with the Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers for the most prime time appearances with five. All 32 teams will have at least one prime time game.

The Thanksgiving slate will feature three divisional showdowns: the Chicago Bears at the Lions, the Washington Redskins at the Cowboys and the Falcons at the New Orleans Saints.

The NFL's International Series will also continue in 2018 with three clashes in London (Raiders-Seahawks on Oct. 14, Tennessee Titans-Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 21 and Eagles-Jaguars on Oct. 28) as well as the Los Angeles Rams squaring off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City on a Nov. 19 Monday Night Football matchup.

Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.