The team will make five prime-time appearances in a stretch of seven weeks during the 2018 regular season.

Glen Farley The Enterprise @GFarley_ent

FOXBORO -- Apparently, the folks at the league office and the television networks don’t believe the Patriots will be lacking their marquee names in 2018.

Even in an offseason full of signs of discontent, much of it revolving around franchise quarterback Tom Brady and five-time Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski, some things never change.

And so it is that the Patriots will once again be prime-time players this season, the regular-season schedule released by the NFL on Thursday night revealing that they have been slotted to play five prime-time games in a span of seven weeks in 2018.

(Note the earlier starts in prime time this year with Monday night games moved from 8:30 to 8:15, Thursday night contests moved from 8:25 to 8:20 and Sunday night kickoffs shifted from 8:30 to 8:20.)

The Patriots will open the season at Gillette Stadium against former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s Houston Texans on Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. The game should mark the return of quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose rookie year was cut short last November by a torn ACL he suffered in practice. Watson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns (with two interceptions) and ran for 41 yards in a 36-33 loss to the Pats in Foxboro last Sept. 24.

The Patriots will kick off their road schedule at Jacksonville’s EverBank Field the following week, the rematch of their 24-20 AFC Championship game win on Jan. 21 of this year (albeit at a different site) set for 4:25 p.m. on Sept. 16.

The team will pay a call on Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions on Sept. 23, the former Patriots defensive coordinator’s third game as an NFL coach, the league’s Week 3 Sunday night game, an 8:20 start at Ford Field.

A three-game homestand from late September through mid-October will find the Patriots hosting AFC East rival Miami (the return of wide receiver Danny Amendola) on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m., Indianapolis in a Thursday night game on Oct. 4 (when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ snubbing of the Colts is sure to be the main storyline) and Kansas City in a Sunday night game on Oct. 14 (the Chiefs embarrassed the Pats, 42-27, after they raised their Super Bowl LI championship banner on opening night last Sept. 7).

A quarterback duel between Brady and Aaron Rodgers looms on Sunday night, Nov. 4, at Gillette.

The following week will take the Patriots to Tennessee’s Nissan Stadium on Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. for a reunion with cornerback Malcolm Butler and running back Dion Lewis as they suit up for rookie head coach Mike Vrabel’s Titans.

The team will enjoy its bye in Week 11 before returning to play its last six regular-season games, the final four duplicating the final quarter of the 2017 regular season with trips to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (Dec. 9 at 1 p.m.) and Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field (Dec. 16 at 4:25) followed by home games with Buffalo (Dec. 23 at 1) and the New York Jets (Dec. 30 at 1).

The dates and times for the Patriots' four preseason games were also announced.

They'll host the Washington Redskins and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Thursday night games at 7:30 on Aug. 9 and Aug. 16, travel to Carolina to play the

Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night, Aug. 24, at 7:30 and wrap up their summertime tuneups with the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night, Aug. 30, at 7.

Patriots' 2018 regular season schedule

Sunday, Sept. 9: vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 16: at Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:25

Sunday, Sept. 23: at Detroit Lions, 8:20

Sunday, Sept. 30: vs. Miami Dolphins, 1

Thursday, Oct. 4: vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8:20

Sunday, Oct. 14: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20

Sunday, Oct. 21: at Chicago Bears, 1

Monday, Oct. 29: at Buffalo Bills, 8:15

Sunday, Nov. 4: vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20

Sunday, Nov. 11: at Tennessee Titans, 1

Week 11: Bye week

Sunday, Nov. 25: at New York Jets, 1

Sunday, Dec. 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings, 4:25

Sunday, Dec. 9: at Miami Dolphins, 1

Sunday, Dec. 16: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:25

Sunday, Dec. 23: vs. Buffalo Bills, 1

Sunday, Dec. 30: vs. New York Jets, 1