FOXBOROUGH, Mass. –The NFL announced the 2015 preseason pairings today and the Patriots learned that they will host the Green Bay Packers (Preseason Week 1) and the New York Giants (Preseason Week 4) at Gillette Stadium and travel to play the New Orleans Saints (Preseason Week 2) and the Carolina Panthers (Week 3). The dates and times of those games will be mutually decided upon between the two teams and announced at a later date. The NFL schedule for the 2015 regular season will be announced by the league later this spring.
New England will open the 2015 preseason at home against the defending NFC North Champion Green Bay Packers. Last season the Patriots and Packers met at Lambeau Field on Nov. 30 with Green Bay taking a 26-21 victory. The Patriots have played Green Bay in the preseason 13 times with the most recent game played at Green Bay in 2005. The Patriots will open the preseason at home this season after opening the preseason on the road for the last two seasons.
The Patriots will then play their next two preseason contests on the road when they travel to New Orleans to face the Saints in Week 2 and to Carolina to face the Panthers in Week 3. The Patriots last played New Orleans in the preseason in 2012 when the Saints and Patriots held joint practice sessions prior to playing the first preseason game of the season at Gillette Stadium. The last time the Patriots traveled to New Orleans for a preseason game was in 1986. The Patriots and Panthers will meet in Week 3 of the preseason for the second straight season. Last year, New England hosted Carolina in Week 3, with the Patriots taking a 30-7 win.
The Patriots and Giants will play each other in the preseason finale for the 11th straight season and for the 25th time overall, the most frequent preseason opponent for New England. Last season, the Patriots closed the preseason when they traveled to MetLife Stadium in a game the Giants won, 16-13. The Patriots will travel to the Giants for a regular season game in 2015, as the AFC East teams will play the NFC East teams. The Patriots and Giants have alternated hosting the preseason finale since 2005.
2015 PATRIOTS PRESEASON SCHEDULE
| DATE | **OPPONENT** | **TIME** | **TV COVERAGE** |
| Week 1* | Green Bay Packers | TBA* | WBZ and Patriots Preseason Network |
| Week 2* | at New Orleans Saints | TBA* | WBZ and Patriots Preseason Network |
| Week 3* | at Carolina Panthers | TBA* | WBZ and Patriots Preseason Network |
| Week 4* | New York Giants | TBA* | WBZ and Patriots Preseason Network |
-Specific date and time TBA*
