2012 NFL Schedule: An Early Look at the 5 Best Matchups

The official 2012 NFL schedule hasn't been released yet, but Tuesday's announcement that the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys would be facing off got us thinking. Given the games we know will happen, based on season finish and the division rotation, the following five rank among the best:

Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers

The game that many predicted would determine the NFC Championship never materialized, but we'll get it in 2012.

The two NFC giants will likely be playing for one of the conference's top seeds, with arguably the game's top offense squaring off against the top defense. 

New York Giants vs. Baltimore Ravens

I thought about putting the Giants' opener with the Cowboys on this list, but their matchup with the Ravens is a better matchup. Two teams that know how to get after the passer will go head-to-head in one of 2012's best non-conference games.

Quarterbacks Eli Manning and Joe Flacco might want to bring some extra aspirin to the stadium for this one.

Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers

It's really early, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are a bunch of analysts that pick this matchup to be a preview of Super Bowl XLVII. The Texans are loaded on both sides of the ball, and Green Bay has plenty of firepower to make a return trip.

New England Patriots vs. San Francisco 49ers

If there's a bunch of analysts that pick a Texans-Packers Super Bowl, just as many may predict one that features the Patriots and 49ers.

New England needs to get a touch better defensively, and the 49ers have already loaded up on the other side of the ball. I'd put money on this being one of the more anticipated games of the 2012 season. 

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys

How can you argue with Steelers-Cowboys? Two of the most highly-decorated and widely-followed franchises during the Super Bowl era will make for a Super Bowl-like experience in the regular season.

It would help if the Cowboys could put together a better 2012 season, but there's too much history in this game to leave it out.