2012 NFL Schedule: Patriots vs. 49ers and Most Likely Super Bowl Previews

With the NFL schedule set to be revealed on Tuesday night, there is plenty of anticipation with regards to which matchups will be seen in prime-time and when some of the more enticing battles will take place. Even without knowing when certain games will take place, though, it is pretty easy to tell which will serve as marquee matchups.

Perhaps the most interesting games will pit AFC and NFC teams against each other. Fans have become so used to seeing teams play other teams within their own conference that there isn't necessarily anything exciting about it. There is more novelty when teams play outside their own conference, though, because they only see certain teams once every four years.

Here are three highly-anticipated AFC vs. NFC matchups that could very well serve as a preview to the Super Bowl.

New England Patriots vs. San Francisco 49ers

There is a lot to like about this matchup, as the New England Patriots lost in the Super Bowl last season, while the San Francisco 49ers fell just short of making it to the big game, as they lost in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. The Patriots have one of the most explosive offenses in the game with quarterback Tom Brady at the helm, while the 49ers likely have the toughest defense, as Patrick Willis and Justin Smith make life miserable for opposing offenses.

On to of that, it's well-documented that Brady was a fan of the Niners as a kid, so there are a lot of interesting themes involved. Despite the fact that the Pats have a lot of issues on defense, they continue to excel, so they should be a team to be reckoned with next season.

On the other side, the 49ers may be the deepest team in the league, but it remains to be seen if quarterback Alex Smith can be a Super Bowl winner. Whatever the case, this game certainly bears watching.

Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers

Provided your team isn't involved, most football fans like to see an offensive shootout in the Super Bowl. That isn't always the case, but one matchup that would surely provide that is the Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers. Despite losing just one regular-season game last season, the Packers fell short, as they were upset by the Giants in the Divisional Round, while the Texans also bowed out in the Divisional Round in their first ever playoff appearance.

Both teams have some issues to work out, as Green Bay's defense regressed in a big way last season and Houston will have to deal with the loss of defensive end Mario Williams. The Packers and Texans are laden with talent, though, so this game should be great and very well could be a precursor to the Super Bowl. With Aaron Rodgers at the controls for the Packers and the trio of Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson leading the way for the Texans, they will both be very tough to beat in 2012.

Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Giants

Just like the Patriots vs. the 49ers, the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants very nearly met in the Super Bowl last season. The Giants won it all, while the Ravens fell just short, as Billy Cundiff missed a chip-shot field goal against the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game to send the game to overtime. Both teams figure to be very good overall in the upcoming season and have few holes, so there is reason to believe that they could face off twice, both in the regular season and in the Super Bowl.

While the Giants have a strong offense led by quarterback Eli Manning and a strong passing game, they are perhaps best known for their dominant pas-rush. The Ravens also hang their hat on defense, just as they have for more than a decade. Neither team has any glaring holes, and that all but guarantees that they will be contenders throughout the season and are likely to go on deep runs that may result in Super Bowl berths.