How do they determine who plays the SB champ for season opener?
 

Been trying to find out and can't find anything. I get the fact that the home team is the SB champ from the year before but how is the other team determined. Like the year we played the Colts?

My guess, given the restrictions of the preset matchups, is that they look for, if possible, to create an even distribution of marquee matchups throughout the season based on the previous year's results. Given how often it has happened, it would be logical to assume the NFL presets certain games to maximize buzz.

It requires a good amount of statistical chance that the two most recent Super Bowl winners would be meeting up. For that to happen:

If not divisional rivals:

The two teams would have to be in each other's rotation within the conference (once every 3 years an automatic matchup) which the Saints and Packers are this season
or
The two teams finished in the same place in their respective divisions, like 2nd, as both Saints and Pack finished in 2010.

If out of conference, there is only one way, that the teams were scheduled to meet in the regular rotation once every 4 years.

As you can see, while the two in-conference possibilities hit this year, it is obvious how unlikely the pairing might occur.

They usually just play the Saints. We'll be there again next year. :cool:

They probably use the octopus that picks Superbowl winners.(he picks something maybe not the Superbowl but you get my drift).

Its BS :bs:

- it should be a team like Atlanta (who GB beat in the playoffs) or a team like the Jets who lost in the AFC playoffs