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New England Patriots fans won’t have to wait much longer to see their defending Super Bowl champions take the field for the first regular season game of the NFL season in Foxborough.The Patriots will begin their “Blitz for Six” Thursday when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at 8 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. Before kickoff, the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI banner will also be unveiled, their fifth Super Bowl in the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era. Here are some things you should know heading into the season opener. 1. The Patriots haven’t lost a season opener after winning the Super BowlWhat do the years 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2015 have in common? Each year followed a Super Bowl victory for the Patriots. In these years, the Patriots’ first game of the season each resulted in a victory for the defending Super Bowl champions. So when the Patriots step onto the gridiron, they’re not only starting their campaign for another title, but they’re trying to go 5-0 in season openers following a Super Bowl victory. 2. The Patriots love starting their season at Gillette StadiumHome field advantage is something every team wants, and the Patriots love it when they play their first game in Foxborough. Since Gillette Stadium opened in 2002, the Patriots have won 14 of the last 15 home openers. The only loss the Patriots suffered was to the Arizona Cardinals after Stephen Gostkowski missed a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds of the game. 3. Tom Brady is the only active Patriot who played in Gillette Stadium’s openerOh the wonders of avocado ice cream. When you look at the Patriots 2017 roster, there are a lot of notable names that stick out like Rob Gronkowski, Stephon Gilmore, Brandin Cooks, Danny Amendola, and Dont’a Hightower to name a few. But there is only one Patriot who has been there since the beginning. That person is none other than Tom Brady. Brady is the only player on the roster who also played in the first regular season game ever held at Gillette Stadium. 4. The Patriots are favored to win their 6th Super BowlEven before kickoff happens Thursday, Las Vegas is saying the Patriots’ “Blitz for Six” will come to fruition. As of Sept. 4, the latest odds have the Patriots as an 11-4 favorite to win Super Bowl LII. Behind them are the Green Bay Packers at 8-1, the Oakland Raiders at 8-1 and the Seattle Seahawks at 8-1. The Chiefs are currently at 25-1 to make it to the Super Bowl.5. The Patriots are the last team to defend their titleEver since 2004, no team has ever successfully defended their Super Bowl title. The Patriots are the only team to do so when they won back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 2003 and 2004. Kraft has already dubbed the Patriots quest for another title the “Blitz for Six,” and according to many, the Patriots are primed to be the team that defends their title and hoists a sixth Lombardi Trophy come February.