Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost an overtime thriller to the Denver Broncos back in January. Peyton Manning (pictured above) will do all in his power to get Denver another victory over the Black and Yellow in Week 1.
By Josh Kramer
Opening night is still well over a month away (September 5th), but anticipation for the 2012 NFL season is mounting. With training camps, fantasy drafts, and more, people are all ears in regards to the 2012 NFL season. The following is a guide for the upcoming season with a game a week to have circled on your calendar regardless of your fan allegiance.
Week 1: Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos
Date/Time/Station: 9-9-2012/4:25PM/NBC
The Word: What transpired on January 8, 2012 left a bitter taste in the mouths of Steeler Nation. Tim Tebow may be gone, but Peyton Manning has arrived.
Week 2: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
Date/Time/Station: 9-16-2012/1:00PM/FOX
The Word: Drew Brees versus Cam Newton. Grab your popcorn.
Week 3: New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens
Date/Time/Station: 9-23-2012/8:20PM/NBC
The Word: New England ended Baltimore’s season this past January earlier than Ravens fans would have liked. The Ravens will be looking to exact a little revenge on this evening.
Week 4: New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers
Date/Time/Station: 9-30-2012/4:25PM/FOX
The Word: Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers on the same field? There may be a little passing going on.
Week 5: Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Date/Time/Station: 10-7-2012/4:25PM/CBS
The Word: Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady. The two best quarterbacks of our generation.
Week 6: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers
Date/Time/Station: 10-14-2012/4:25PM/FOX
The Word: A rematch of last year’s down to the wire NFC Championship Game.
Week 7: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Date/Time/Station: 10-21-2012/8:20PM/NBC
The Word: One of the best rivalries in football hits the national stage.
Week 8: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
Date/Time/Station: 10-28-2012/4:25PM/FOX
The Word: The NFC East has become the best division in football. Both of these teams will surely be in contention.
Week 9: Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins
Date/Time/Station: 11-4-2012/1:00PM/FOX
The Word: Can you say athleticism? Cam Newton versus Robert Griffin III.
Week 10: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
Date/Time/Station: 11-11-2012/1:00PM/FOX
The Word: The likely top guns in the NFC South go toe to toe at the Superdome.
Week 11: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
Date/Time/Station: 11-18-2012/8:20PM/NBC
The Word: When isn’t this AFC North throw down a physically grueling and vastly entertaining spectacle?
Week 12: Green Bay Packers at New York Giants
Date/Time/Station: 11-25-2012/8:20PM/NBC
The Word: Aaron Rodgers and Co. seek revenge against the G-Men.
Week 13: New York Giants at Washington Redskins
Date/Time/Station: 12-3-2012/8:30PM/ESPN
The Word: Will Osi “the Chatterbox” put his money where his mouth is?
Week 14: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
Date/Time/Station: 12-9-2012/8:20PM/NBC
The Word: These will be the two top teams in the NFC North.
Week 15: San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots
Date/Time/Station: 12-16-2012/8:20PM/NBC
The Word: Two of the Super Bowl favorites in a late season battle on primetime.
Week 16: New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens
Date/Time/Station: 12-23-2012/1:00PM/FOX
The Word: Eli has finally answered the critics. This game could be a golden opportunity for Joe Flacco to do the same.
Week 17: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Date/Time/Station: 12-30-2012/1:00PM/CBS
The Word: A rematch of Week 1 that is sure to have heavy playoff implications.
Stay tuned for the next edition of TheSportsKraze.
TheSportsKraze 
Week 7 – Bengals Steelers – Just have to disagree that it is one of the best rivalries in football… The Bengals certainly seem to be the team of the future in the division, but the rivalries in the division probably go something like this:
1a. Steelers Ravens – considering former Ravens coach current Indy coach, Chuck Pagano, made a guy wearing a Steelers jersey at colts camp take it off and replace it with an Andrew Luck jersey or leave the premises, I think that says a lot about that rivalry.
1b. Steelers Browns – fueled more by the cities rather than the players, this is the game both teams fans circle on their calendars at the start of the year.
2a. Browns Bengals – battle for Ohio (and usually mediocrity)
2b. Steelers Bengals – the measuring stick for Cincy fans; an expectation of beating an inferior organization by Pittsburgh fans. Pittsburgh fans don’t realize the Bengals are young and talented. Blinded by years of looking at them as the Bungals, even the every other year success by the Bengals has not seemed to concern too many people in the Steel City. A few years of looking up at the Bengals in the standings and that may change. At this stage 3 parties know think this is a big game 1)Bengals players 2)Steelers players 3) Bengals fans. Steelers fans are in denial about the fact that a rivalry has formed. They point to a valid point, very few wins at home for the Bengals against the Steelers.
2c. Browns Ravens – not having much firsthand knowledge here, I assume Cleveland fans still resent the move to Baltimore and the subsequent Super Bowl that the Ravens never would have won if they were still playing in front of those loser fans in Cleveland.
3. Bengals Ravens – not sure why there is not much of a rivalry here, could be similar to the Steelers Bengals except for a few points: 1) Ravens fans don’t travel so Bengals fans don’t detest Ravens fans 2) Series seems to be one sided every year (Bengals sweep or Ravens sweep) 3) Marvin Lewis came from the Ravens, so maybe that is a common ground (Ravens like him due to the Super Bowl defensive coordinator (I think) Bengals fans like that they got him (most years) from the Ravens.
Keep up the nice work Kraze. Enjoy the blog