2012 NFL Schedule: The 3 Biggest Clashes on Tap for Pittsburgh Steelers

It's impossible (and downright futile) to predict in mid-April how the 2012 NFL schedule will play out for the Pittsburgh Steelers this fall.

That being said, from this vantage point, the Steelers' slate is littered with must-see-TV material, even if it means watching Ben Roethlisberger and his buddies run around in these bumble bee unis for two hours.

Let's face it; they could probably run around in short shorts and meat suits and we'd all still tune in for these three games, at the very least.

Week 1 at Denver Broncos

The Steelers will open the new season where their last one came to a close—in Denver, against the Broncos.

Of course, Tim Tebow won't be there to torment them this time around (more on him later), though that won't make winning at Mile High any easier for Mike Tomlin's team.

And neither will a (presumably) healthy Peyton Manning taking snaps under center. Manning's 2-1 in his career against Pittsburgh, whose defense has limited the future Hall of Famer to a quarterback rating of 84.3.

Troy Polamalu and company will do their best to suffocate Peyton with their Steel Curtain on the season opener of Sunday Night Football.

Week 2 vs. New York Jets

The Steelers' early-season redemption tour will continue the very next week when they welcome the New York Jets, with Tebowmania in tow, to Heinz Field.

Granted, there's no guarantee that Tebow will see significant playing time against the team he (and Demaryius Thomas) knocked out of the playoffs in early January.

Although, really, what chance does Mark Sanchez stand against one of the NFL's most menacing defenses? Don't be surprised if Tebow gets a hefty helping of snaps in this one, with Rex Ryan hoping that the kid's still got some magic left in his, ummm, arm? 

Week 13 at Baltimore Ravens

Now, as far as actually meaningful games are concerned, none will carry quite the importance and the intensity of an early-December sojourn to Charm City, perhaps to decide the AFC North championship.

The Ravens claimed both meetings last season on the way to the divisional crown, including a 35-7 stomping at M&T Bank Stadium, in which Baltimore parlayed seven Pittsburgh turnovers into an embarrassing blowout over the NFL runners-up.

The Steelers won't have to worry about a Super Bowl hangover this time around—though blocking the likes of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata proves to be as trying a challenge for Pittsburgh's porous offensive line as ever.

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