New York, NY – 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.
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