New York, NY (Sports Network) - The National Football League on Tuesday
disclosed its 17-week, 256-game regular-season schedule for 2012. It will
include Peyton Manning expected to make his debut in a Denver uniform in prime
time when the Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 9.
Kickoff weekend features 13 Sunday games, including the AFC champion New
England Patriots playing on the road against the Tennessee Titans.
The first Monday night will again be a doubleheader as Cincinnati visits
Baltimore and Oakland hosts San Diego.
Last month, the league announced the Super Bowl champion New York Giants will
welcome the Dallas Cowboys to MetLife Stadium for the 2012 season-opening NFL
Kickoff game on Wednesday, Sept. 5.
The Thanksgiving games get started with Detroit hosting Houston. Dallas then
is at home against Washington in an NFC East clash, and the nightcap will be
from MetLife Stadium with the Jets taking on the Patriots in an AFC East
battle.
There are 14 Thursday night games this year, starting with the Chicago Bears
playing at Green Bay in Week 2. It also includes the New Orleans Saints
visiting Atlanta in Week 13.
Manning and the Broncos visit Tom Brady the Patriots in a Week 5 matchup on
Sunday, Oct. 7. There's also a rematch of the NFC championship game in Week 6
when the Giants play in San Francisco. The Patriots have a rematch of the AFC
title clash in Baltimore in a Sunday night affair in Week 3, on Sept. 23.
In an attempt at curtailing teams from resting starters down the stretch,
every Week 17 contest, on Sunday, Dec. 30, will pit divisional opponents
against one another.
Wild card weekend is set for January 5-6, with the divisional round the
following weekend. The AFC and NFC championship games will be played Sunday,
January 20.
Super Bowl XLVII is scheduled for February 3 at the Superdome in New Orleans.
The Sports Network