2012 NFL Schedule: Early Candidates for Game of the Year

The NFL has yet to release its full schedule, but we know which teams will play each other. Looking at the list of matchups, it's easy to start to pick out which games will be the best of the season.

Here are my early picks for game of the year during the 2012 NFL season.

San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints

After BountyGate and the revelation that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams told his team (via the Huffington Post), to target and attempt to injure specific players on the 49ers before the two teams met in the 2011 playoffs, it's a safe bet that Jim Harbaugh's team is looking forward to this one. San Francisco will get a chance to look New Orleans' players in the eyes and then they'll get to unleash their pent up fury on the Saints.

The 49ers are already a tough, smash-mouth, old-school kind of team and they shouldn't need any extra motivation to smack New Orleans around. 

The Saints will certainly be buoyed by their home crowd in this one, which should make the matchup even more intense.

Green Bay Packers at New York Giants

The Packers beat the Giants 38-35 at MetLife Stadium during the regular season in 2011. Then, in the postseason, the Giants traveled to Lambeau Field and beat the Packers 37-20 during the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

The Giants ended Green Bay's dream season and a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and New York went on to capture a championship of their own.

This regular season matchup at MetLife Stadium between the last two Super Bowl winners could be for the top spot in the NFC. Something tells me Aaron Rodgers and company have been stewing over their playoff loss for a few months now, so this one should be fun.

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos have combined to win seven of the last eight AFC West titles. When Denver travels to San Diego it will be introducing quarterback Peyton Manning to Chargers fans as a division rival for the first time.

While San Diego has a reputation as a laid back town, the fans at Qualcomm Stadium can get seriously loud when they're motivated. A chance to ruin Manning's first trip to America's Finest City as a member of the Broncos will be more than enough to get them excited.

Manning is just 4-4 in his career against the Chargers and has thrown 15 touchdowns against 18 interceptions; his passer rating is a dismal 75.8 in those matchups. He'll be motivated to prove the Bolts don't have his number and the Chargers will be looking to get a leg up in the race for an AFC West title.