The San Francisco 49ers announced official dates and times for their 2011 NFL preseason schedule. They actually open with a game on the road against New Orleans on my birthday at 5pm pacific. I actually think I'm going to be in Las Vegas that weekend. Dare I wager on preseason football? If I do, should I just check into Gamblers Anonymous right then and there?
They follow that up with their annual game against the Oakland Raiders, scheduled at home for Saturday August 20. That is followed by a home game against the Houston Texans on Saturday August 27 and their annual matchup with the San Diego Chargers down at Qualcomm Stadium on Thursday September 1.
The one little sticking point with all this is the labor dispute. Sometime this week we should hear from the court about the long term stay requested by the NFL while awaiting the Appellate Court's hearing of the actual appeal. Of course, that appeal is likely to be heard and decided no later than sometime this summer, so we should have some kind of answer about something before preseason football is slated to begin. Of course, it might not be a good answer, but it would still be some kind of answer.
49ers 2011 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent |
Pacific Time |
Network |
| Friday, August 12 | @ New Orleans |
5:00 p.m. |
CBS-5 |
| Saturday, August 20 | Oakland |
5:00 p.m. |
CBS-5 |
| Saturday, August 27 | Houston |
5:00 p.m. |
CBS-5 |
| Thursday, September 1 | @ San Diego |
7:00 p.m. |
CBS-5 |
SCHEDULE NOTES
SAINTS-It marks the first time the 49ers will play a preseason game in New Orleans.-The 49ers and Saints have met only twice during preseason play. In 1967, the Saints defeated the 49ers, 24-10, in a game played in Portland, OR. San Francisco evened up the preseason series with a 27-12 victory in 2003 at Candlestick Park.
RAIDERS-The 49ers and Raiders all-time preseason series is tied at 19.-It marks the 11th consecutive year in which the two teams have met in the preseason.-The 49ers defeated the Raiders, 28-24, in Oakland in 2010.-The 49ers hold an 11-8 preseason series lead over the Raiders when playing at Candlestick Park.
TEXANS-It marks the first preseason game between the 49ers and Texans.
CHARGERS-San Diego leads the all-time preseason series 20-19.-It marks the 24th preseason matchup in San Diego, with the Chargers holding a 16-7 series lead at home