NFL preseason schedules announced, Chargers to face Rams at Coliseum

The NFL finalized its 65-game 2017 preseason schedule, which includes a slate of eight nationally televised preseason games. The league also made the schedule more interesting for local fans by having the Rams and Chargers play each other for the first time since both teams moved back to Los Angeles.

The 2017 preseason will kick off on Thursday, August 3 (NBC, 8:00 PM ET) in Canton, Ohio, when the Dallas Cowboys face the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL/Hall of Fame Game.  The Cowboys will then play the Rams in Los Angeles during Week 1.

Los Angeles Chargers fans will get their first glimpse of the 2017 Bolts when the team opens the preseason with back-to-back games at StubHub Center against the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints.

“I can’t wait to get started,” said Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn. “It will be great to take the field for the first time in front of our fans at StubHub Center. We’ve got two very good teams coming to our stadium; plus our fans will get to see us play in person for the third week in a row when we take on the Rams at their place. It’s really the perfect schedule for both our players and our fans.”

The Bolts preseason slate also features a real “Fight for LA” as the Chargers take on their new crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, in a nationally-televised Week 3 matchup at the Los Angeles Coliseum. That game will take place on Saturday, August 26 at 5 p.m. PT, and will be televised by CBS.

The Chargers will conclude the preseason with a road game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4.

“It’s an exciting preseason for us,” said Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. “We start right off the bat at home with Seattle and then New Orleans. Those two games will give us a feel for our new home. We can learn the routine and what the atmosphere will be like at StubHub Center. Then we go face the Rams on national TV, which will be fun, and finish with the 49ers once again. Getting the preseason schedule paints the picture for what the year will be like. We see how our season is going to start off, so it makes the new year more real.”

Week 1 at StubHub Center the Chargers will host the defending NFC West champion Seahawks, who went 10-5-1 a year ago before defeating Detroit in the NFC playoffs. The Seahawks are one of the NFL’s top teams. Led by Head Coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson, Seattle has won the NFC West three of the last four years, been to the playoffs five straight seasons and captured Super Bowl XLVIII with a victory over Denver following the 2013 season.

The Saints will be at StubHub Center in Preseason Week 2. They finished 7-9 in 2016 and are led by former Chargers quarterback Drew Brees.

Dates and kickoff times for games against the Seahawks, Saints and 49ers are TBD.

Currently all Los Angeles Chargers season tickets for 2017 at StubHub Center are sold out, but fans can register online at http://www.fightforla.com/ to join the wait list for season tickets.

2017 PRESEASON WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE​

NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME – AUGUST 3
Dallas vs. Arizona (NBC, 8/3)

WEEK 1 – AUGUST 10-14
Atlanta at Miami
Dallas at LA Rams
Denver at Chicago
Detroit at Indianapolis
Houston at Carolina
Jacksonville at New England
Minnesota at Buffalo
New Orleans at Cleveland
Oakland at Arizona
Philadelphia at Green Bay
Pittsburgh at NY Giants
San Francisco at Kansas City
Seattle at LA Chargers
Tampa Bay at Cincinnati
Tennessee at NY Jets
Washington at Baltimore

WEEK 2 – AUGUST 17-21
Atlanta at Pittsburgh
Baltimore at Miami
Buffalo at Philadelphia
Carolina at Tennessee
Chicago at Arizona
Denver at San Francisco
Green Bay at Washington
Indianapolis at Dallas
Kansas City at Cincinnati
LA Rams at Oakland
Minnesota at Seattle
New England at Houston
New Orleans at LA Chargers
NY Giants at Cleveland (ESPN, 8/21)
NY Jets at Detroit
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville (ESPN, 8/17)

WEEK 3 – AUGUST 24-27
Arizona at Atlanta
Buffalo at Baltimore
Carolina at Jacksonville
Chicago at Tennessee (FOX, 8/27)
Cincinnati at Washington (FOX, 8/27)
Cleveland at Tampa Bay
Green Bay at Denver
Houston at New Orleans
Indianapolis at Pittsburgh
Kansas City at Seattle (CBS, 8/25)
LA Chargers at LA Rams (CBS, 8/26)
Miami at Philadelphia
New England at Detroit
NY Jets at NY Giants
Oakland at Dallas
San Francisco at Minnesota (NBC, 8/27)

WEEK 4 – AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 1
Arizona at Denver
Baltimore at New Orleans
Cincinnati at Indianapolis
Cleveland at Chicago
Dallas at Houston
Detroit at Buffalo
Jacksonville at Atlanta
LA Chargers at San Francisco
LA Rams at Green Bay
Miami at Minnesota
NY Giants at New England
Philadelphia at NY Jets
Pittsburgh at Carolina
Seattle at Oakland
Tennessee at Kansas City
Washington at Tampa Bay

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services