2012 NFL Schedule: Biggest Hurdles for Preseason Super Bowl Favorites

It's early, but it's never too early to start thinking about the teams that will still be alive as the Super Bowl approaches next February. 

Of course, there will be a team that unexpectedly rises to glory throughout the 2012 season (perhaps led by Andrew Luck or RG3), but for now, some of the old favorites from 2011 look like they still have the necessary pieces to make deep playoff runs in 2012. 

Now that next season's schedules have been released, it's a bit easier to speculate about which teams will triumph and which ones will fall. Among those that seem like they could win it all in Super Bowl XLVII, here's a look at the biggest challenges they will face during the regular season.

Green Bay Packers

Right off the bat, the Packers have a big challenge in Week 1 in the 49ers. San Francisco was the surprise team of 2011: Alex Smith finally started living up to the potential many believed he had when he was drafted first overall in 2005, Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree stepped up as his prime weapons, and Jim Harbaugh put together a defense was the fourth best in the league.

Since losing to the Giants in overtime in the NFC Championship Game, they've only gotten better. 

The Packers had the best regular season of any team in 2011 and one of the worst postseasons. As Super Bowl favorites, they bowed out to the Giants in their first playoff game. They've made some offseason signings to shore up a defense that finished dead last in the league in 2011, and their offense will continue to be one of the NFL's best (last year, it finished third). 

But the 49ers will be out to prove, right off the bat, that they can contend with one of the NFC's top teams, and a road win against the Packers would help them do just that.

New England Patriots

Much like the Packers, the 2011 Patriots had a spectacular offense (second best) and a terrible defense (second-worst). Since their devastating loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl, they've improved both. 

New England's matchups against the Jets are always tough—in addition to fighting them for a division title and a playoff spot, the Patriots are always fighting for bragging rights against the larger-than-life Rex Ryan. But this year's supreme test will come in Week 5 against the Broncos.

The Patriots got a break last year when they didn't have to face Peyton Manning, but he will bring his new team to Foxboro on October 7 for an early-season showdown that could separate the AFC contenders from the pretenders.

In 2011, New England had no problem taking down Tim Tebow's Broncos twice—once at the tail end of the regular season and once in the playoffs—but as the Patriots helped to prove last season, Tebow is no Manning. 

In his career against the Patriots, Manning is 7-10. Most recently, Tom Brady emerged victorious against his biggest rival in 2010, winning 31-28 at home. This matchup always brings out the best and the worst in both quarterbacks, and even though Manning hasn't played in over a year, it's bound to be the same case with a different uniform in 2012.

San Francisco 49ers 

The 49ers emerged as one of the best teams in 2011 and have made some of the best offseason moves to improve even more.

They've stacked their offense with wide receivers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham as well as running back Brandon Jacobs. They've made slight improvements to the league's fourth-best defense. They are ready for another go in 2012. 

And after Week 1's battle against the Packers, they have a huge test in Week 6 against the Giants, the team that robbed them of a trip to the Super Bowl last season. 

Manningham and Jacobs will be facing their former team, while Alex Smith attempts to prove he can show up Eli Manning and the defending champions at home, like he did in the regular season last year.

In the 49ers' 27-20 victory over New York on Nov. 13, 2011, Smith threw for 242 yards, a touchdown and a pick while his defense succeeded where many defenses fail: It thwarted Manning's last-minute attempt to tie it up. 

The Giants got their revenge in overtime in the playoffs, but the 49ers will look to get theirs in Week 6.