2012 NFL Schedule Release Date: Top Interconference Matchups to Watch for

Leave it to the NFL to taunt and tease its legions of loyal fans before releasing the schedule for the 2012 regular season. All will finally (and mercifully) be revealed on Tuesday at 7 p.m. EDT, as ESPN and the NFL Network prepare to play "Dueling Banjos" with your TV remote.

The drama of the most recent playoffs, combined with plenty of offseason shenanigans, should make for some pretty...pretty...pretty good matchups this fall, particularly those pitting the AFC against the NFC.

Like these three, each of which may well have a significant impact on how the postseason pictures play out.

Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers

Every Broncos game will be "must-see TV" this season now that Peyton Manning is on board, though few will be as intriguing as his visit to Charlotte to take on Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

True, from a pure quarterbacking perspective, seeing Manning go up against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints might be more appealing, though the devastation wrought by "Bountygate" figures to degrade the stakes of that game somewhat.

More importantly, the Broncos-Panthers meeting sets up a scintillating tilt between Manning, the pillar of traditional quarterbacking, and Newton, the newest face of the signal-calling vanguard. These two employ dramatically disparate styles under center, though both are joys to watch nonetheless.

New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens came within one Lee Evans catch/Billy Cundiff field goal of forcing a rematch of Super Bowl XXXV in the most recent battle for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Now, thanks to the league's decision to pit the NFC East against the AFC North, we'll get to see what happens when Baltimore and Big Blue meet, albeit on a decidedly-less-than-neutral field.

The Ravens have won their last 10 regular-season games at M&T Bank Stadium (11, including the postseason) and figure to give Eli Manning and the defending champs more than just a run for their money.

Just don't expect much in the way of quality quarterbacking from Eli or Joe Flacco, not against each team's top-notch pass-rush.

San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots

Flip it around, and the 49ers and the Patriots could well have wound up duking it out in Super Bowl XLVI. San Francisco had several opportunities of its own to capture the NFC crown before succumbing to a series of missed throws by Alex Smith and miffed punts by Kyle Williams.

Coach of the Year Jim Harbaugh did a remarkable job turning the beat around by the Bay, with much of the team's success coming outside of the Pacific time zone (5-1).

Of course, the Patriots aren't ones to lose at Gillette Stadium, where they won nine of 10 games between the regular season and the playoffs.

If Smith is keen to live up to his new deal with the Niners, he'd do well to strut his stuff opposite Tom Brady, who, approaching his 35th birthday, is still among the best in the business at playing quarterback.

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