2012 NFL Schedule: Power Ranking the 5 Best "Monday Night Football" Matchups

Monday nights this coming fall will not lack for entertainment. There are plenty of excellent gridiron matchups to entertain us. 

That schedule may be almost five full months away from commencing, but it is not too early to dream about bouncing pigskins and colliding bodies filling our TV screens. 

At the bottom of this page, you will find the complete schedule for MNF. But first, check out the five best matchups the Monday night institution has to offer in 2012.

MNF's Matchup Power Rankings

No. 5: Week 16, Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions

Monday Night Football has an excellent game for the season finale. 

This one is sure to have serious playoff implications, as the NFC's two wild-card teams from 2011 go head-to-head. 

There will be playmakers all over the field in this contest. It will feature plenty of big hits and solid defense, but offense will be what wins this high-scoring affair.

In other words, it is exactly what most football fans want to see.

While the Falcons will be away from home, which is typically problematic for them, they will be in another dome stadium. This will be a fun game that will be full of fireworks. 

No. 4: Week 9, Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints 

It is impossible to project the potential impact of this game. Both of these teams will enter the season with Super Bowl aspirations, but will be dogged by big question marks.

The Saints will be haunted by the aftermath of "bounty-gate" and the Eagles by their shockingly disappointing performance in 2011.

This game could be a battle for NFC supremacy, or a desperation match where both teams are fighting to stay relevant. One thing is for certain, it should be exciting. 

Both of these teams are loaded with speedy playmakers, and they will be flashing that speed on the indoor turf of the Superdome. This should be a high-scoring thriller. 

No. 3: Week 1, Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens 

Monday Night Football is going to start things off with a bang—literally.

There will be all kinds of banging, clashing and hitting in this AFC North showdown. The fact that this matchup comes as the first Monday night game ensures that. 

Players from both sides are going to be anxious to finally hit someone in a meaningful game, and they will all be looking to make a statement. 

The Bengals will want to prove that they are ready to take the next step in the progression that saw them make a surprise run to the playoffs last season, and the Ravens will be anxious to show them they still have a long way to go if they want to rule the AFC North. 

No. 2: Week 2, Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons 

Peyton Manning will be heading back to a dome in his second game as a Bronco. His first game will be at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers' excellent pass defense.

Chances of Manning setting the world on fire in that game are slim, therefore this game against Atlanta is a much better opportunity for him to show the world he still has it.

That right there is worth the price of admission.

This game has more going for it than that, though. This will be a proving ground for both teams. Both are anxious to improve on 2011 seasons that saw them squeak into the playoffs, so this should be a well-played and high-scoring game. 

No. 1: Week 14, Houston Texans at New England Patriots 

Had the Houston Texans not suffered a rash of QB injuries at the end of last season, there is a good chance it would have been them representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. They were that good. 

And the Texans will look to build upon that success this year. They are loaded and ready to contend, and what better place to show the world they are ready to be champions than by taking down the mighty Patriots in New England?

That will certainly be no easy task. With most of their players returning, a couple of new free agents and a boatload of picks in the upcoming draft, New England is poised to be better next season than it was in 2011.

If both of these teams are relatively healthy, this could be the game of the year.

Full Monday Night Football Schedule

*All times ET

Week 1, Sept. 10: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens, 7 p.m.

Week 1, Sept. 10: San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders, 10:15 p.m.

Week 2, Sept. 17: Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons, 8:30 p.m.

Week 3, Sept. 24: Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks, 8:30 p.m.

Week 4, Oct. 1: Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys, 8:30 p.m.

Week 5, Oct. 8: Houston Texans at New York Jets, 8:30 p.m.

Week 6, Oct. 15: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers, 8:30 p.m.

Week 7, Oct. 22: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears, 8:30 p.m.

Week 8, Oct. 29: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals, 8:30 p.m.

Week 9, Nov. 5: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints, 8:30 p.m.

Week 10, Nov. 12: Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:30 p.m.

Week 11, Nov. 19: Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m.

Week 12, Nov. 26: Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:30 p.m.

Week 13, Dec. 3: New York Giants at Washington Redskins, 8:30 p.m.

Week 14, Dec. 10: Houston Texans at New England Patriots, 8:30 p.m.

Week 15, Dec. 17: New York Jets at Tennessee Titans, 8:30 p.m.

Week 16, Dec. 22: Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions, 8:30 p.m.