Broncos, Saints, Panthers Among Patriots' 2013 Opponents
BOSTON (CBS) - With the 2012 regular season in the books, the New England Patriots now know who they'll be playing in 2013.
No, not the playoffs; they still have to wait for this weekend's match to determine who will be coming to Gillette on January 13. But the NFL released New England's opponents for the 2013 regular season on Monday.
In addition to their six divisional games against the Bills, Dolphins and Jets, the Patriots will play the AFC North and NFC South next season -- meaning they'll have matchups with star quarterbacks Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton. As an added bonus, we can also add Peyton Manning's name to that list.
Dates and time have not been determined, but the Patriots will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers.
As for their road opponents, the Patriots will pay visits to the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.
The Ravens and Texans could find themselves in New England sooner than next season. Along with the Indianapolis Colts, they are the potential opponents for the Patriots' divisional round playoff game on January 13.
