2012 NFL Schedule: Super Bowl Contenders with Toughest Schedules

There's no such thing as an easy road to the Super Bowl, though some paths to the top of the NFL are (of course) more treacherous than others.

Half of last season's postseason participants played through a regular season schedule comprised of opponents who combined to win less than half of their games.

The same can't be said for these Vince Lombardi Trophy hopefuls, all of whom will play slates that rank among the most difficult in the league according to ESPN.

Denver Broncos

Welcome to Denver, Peyton Manning.

Your reward? Aside from a boatload of money and the residual adoration from Tebowmania, how about the second-toughest schedule in the NFL, based on the combined 2011 records of the Broncos' opponents?

They'll open the season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be plenty motivated after the way their AFC Wild Card matchup came to an end.

Though that game will be just one of seven against playoff teams, including road dates against the New England Patriots, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons.

Oh yeah, and then there are those six games against the AFC West, in which Denver went 3-3 last season.

New York Giants

If the Giants are going to defend their Super Bowl title, they'll have to do it against the league's most difficult schedule. Big Blue's quest for more hardware will begin on a Wednesday night, when they kick off the NFL's regular season against the division rival Dallas Cowboys.

The rest of the NFC East schedule will be no cakewalk either, what with two games apiece against the improved Philadelphia Eagles and the (presumably) Robert Griffin III-led Washington Redskins, who beat the Giants twice last year despite persistent problems at quarterback.

Outside of the division, home games against the Saints, the Packers and the Steelers—along with tilts at the Falcons, the 49ers, the Ravens, the Bengals and Cam Newton's Panthers—make the 2012 campaign something of a Murderer's Row of possible opponents for Eli Manning and company.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens came within a botched play (or two) of facing the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.

As a consolation prize, Baltimore has been granted the fourth-toughest schedule by opponent winning percentage, thanks in no small part to four games against the Steelers and the Bengals.

The AFC North aside, dates against the NFC East figure to be somewhat daunting, as will a trip to Houston and visits from the Patriots and the Broncos.

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