2012 Tennessee Titans Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Time and TV Info

The first year under new head coach Mike Munchak was up and down for the Tennessee Titans, as the club started 3-1 but needed a two-game winning streak to end the season to push their final record to 9-7.

Tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for the final playoff spot in the AFC, Tennessee lost out on tiebreakers. While the Titans missed the postseason for the third straight season, a three-win improvement over the final year of the Jeff Fisher era and the potential emergence of a new starting quarterback in 2011 first-round pick Jake Locker gives Tennessee hope for snapping their current playoff drought.

To break that run of three straight years, the Titans will have to navigate their way through this schedule: 

2012 Regular Season Schedule

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Week 1 9/9: New England Patriots vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 2 9/16: Tennessee Titans vs. San Diego Chargers, 4:15 PM ET, CBS

Week 3 9/23: Detroit Lions vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET, Fox

Week 4 9/30: Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 5 10/7: Tennessee Titans vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 6 10/11: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:20 PM ET, NFL Network

Week 7 10/21: Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 8 10/28: Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 9 11/4: Chicago Bears vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET, Fox

Week 10: 11/11: Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 11: 11/18: BYE WEEK

Week 12: 11/25: Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 13: 12/2: Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 14: 12/9:  Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 PM ET, CBS

Week 15 12/17: New York Jets vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:30 PM ET, ESP

Week 16 12/23: Tennessee Titans vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 PM ET CBS

Week 17 12/30: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET CBS

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Analysis

The Titans face tough road matchups with the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers, but the rest is pretty manageable. Both the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins represent games in which Tennessee should be favored, even on the road.

Things get a little more tricky inside the state of Tennessee.  

The home schedule will likely decide whether or not this team is one of postseason quality. Outside of the three divisional games, Tennessee must face five potential playoff teams in the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions.

Only the Bears and Jets failed to make the playoffs last season, but Chicago has made big moves this offseason and New York has a track record under Rex Ryan of being playoff competitive. 

Two games against the Houston Texans—the 2011 AFC South champions—won't be easy, either. 

Overall, the Titans have their work cut out for them if they plan on reaching the nine- or 10-win plateau next season. 

Most Pivotal Matchup

The best way to stamp your ticket to the postseason is by winning your division, and there's no doubt that any road to the playoffs through the AFC South will go through Houston. The Texans are the class of the division despite some of their losses in free agency, including right tackle Eric Winston and DE/LB Mario Williams.

Going on the road to beat the Texans would arguably be the biggest win of the Munchak era. It'd also set up the Titans to take a serious crack at snapping a three-year playoff drought, whether they do it by winning the division or through an AFC wild-card spot.