2012 NFL Schedule: Regular-Season Matchups That Will Serve as Playoff Previews

After weeks of speculation, the NFL is finally going to announce the dates, times and networks for the 2012 regular season on Tuesday night. Since we already know the schedules for every team, we wanted to take a look at the best matchups that will end up being playoff primers. 

Last year, both conference championship games ended up being classic battles between four teams that we saw play each other in the regular season. We know it is going to happen a few times this year, so what are the best ones?

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers

What better way to kick off this list than with the best offensive team in the NFC taking on the most dominant defensive team?

The 49ers were able to get by in 2011 with a relatively easy schedule and poor competition in the NFC West. That will not be the case this year, and their game against the Packers will tell them how far they have come since Jim Harbaugh took over. 

The Packers are in an interesting position. They were the best team, at least record wise, in the NFL all last season, but their defense had a lot of holes. Aaron Rodgers is great and the offense will be outstanding, but seeing their secondary try to take on Randy Moss and Mario Manningham is going to be must-see TV. 

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants

I don't know how great either team is going to be this year. The Saints are dealing with the fallout from Bountygate. The Giants put everything together in the playoffs, but they had to fight for their lives just to get in. 

That being said, it is hard to think of a better game for offense and quarterbacks than this one. Drew Brees is still one of the best in the business, even if he doesn't want to sign a franchise tender. 

Eli Manning has joined that rarified air of quarterbacks. He has always been cool under pressure, but his performance in the postseason turned him into a superstar. He is no longer just a product of the New York hype machine. 

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots

I'm not sure if you have heard, but the Broncos traded Tim Tebow a few days after signing Peyton Manning. 

What better way to give fans a playoff preview than to have Manning and Brady matching up again?

Plus, the Broncos have lofty expectations with their new quarterback. The Patriots are the class of the conference, so Denver has to at least compete with them to prove worthy of all this preseason hype. 

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