NFL Season Kicks Off Thursday Night With Patriots vs. Raiders

In typical NFL style, the new season kicks off Thursday night filled with high profile players, a national television audience and much spectacle. After a pre-game performance by the Rolling Stones, football fans will be treated to the first NFL game of the year between the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders.

The Patriots are still considered overwhelming favorites in the AFC East this year. Quarterback Tom Brady returns to lead the offense along with top running back Corey Dillon who should have a field day against a weak Raiders front seven.

Defensively, the Patriots will be without linebacker Tedy Bruschi who is sitting out the 2005 season after suffering a stroke shortly after the Super Bowl in February. Also gone from last year's team is linebacker Ted Johnson and cornerback Ty Law.

Perhaps more important for the Patriots will be the absence of both of their coordinators: Charlie Weis on offense and Romeo Crennel on defense. Highly regarded head coach Bill Belichick will have to overcome the loss of his two top assistants to keep the Pats on top.

The Raiders will unveil a new look on offense. Most of the media attention is directed at oft-troubled wide receiver Randy Moss who arrived in an off-season trade with the Vikings. While Moss may be the most talented player in the NFL, his me-first attitude and standoffishness sent him packing from Minnesota where the Vikings never even played in a Super Bowl while Moss was with the team.

While the media focuses on Moss, the more important acquisition the Raiders made in the off-season may be running back Lamont Jordan. Jordan has played behind Curtis Martin on the Jets for throughout his career but now has a chance to show what he can do as a feature back. The Raiders didn't have any back who rushed for more than 500 yards last season and will need Jordan to provide the running game they so sorely lacked.

The Patriots enter the game as 7 1/2 point favorites. The rest of the week 1 NFL schedule will resume Sunday afternoon at 1:00 EDT. Are you ready for some football?