Denver Broncos 2012 NFL Regular Season Schedule

The most coveted free agent in the history of the National Football League now knows how his path will look as he tries to reestablish himself as one of the best active quarterbacks and one of the greatest ever. To do so, 36-year-old signal-caller, Peyton Manning will have to mimic what only John Elway has been able to do for the Denver Broncos organization: win a Super Bowl… or two!

With the release of the 2012 NFL Schedule, the defending AFC West Division champions will know that every team will be gunning for them. With a great test right off the bat, Manning will have very little room for error, as he takes on the best-ranked defense from a year ago in terms of passing and overall yards allowed. The NFL announced today that the Broncos will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the first Sunday Night game of the year.

“Things always factor in, but they’re going to be a completely different team,” said Broncos head coach John Fox when asked if the Steelers will be seeking revenge from last AFC wild card game. “So will we. It’s a different season. There’s so much that goes on between now and then as far as preparation — as much as they might be able to use that in some ways, they’re still going to have a lot of new players on that football team just like we do.”

Just moments after seeing the schedule for the first time, the Executive Vice-President of Football Operations, weighed in on what should be a very exciting, yet challenging season. After making an off-season acquisition that he believes compares to winning the Super Bowl, Elway took a look at the schedule and gave his initial feelings on facing 4 playoff teams from a year ago in the first 6 weeks of the season.

“I think it’s just kind of the luck of the draw and the way it works out,” he said. “That’s the way the schedule sets up and depending on what division you are playing in…. It really comes down to that everybody in the league is a good football team. The bottom line is that we have to go out and play good football.”

Here’s how the Denver Broncos’ 2012 NFL Schedule looks like (*divisional rivalry games*):

• 1. Pittsburgh Steelers [Home]
• 2. Atlanta Falcons [Road]
• 3. Houston Texans  [Home]
• 4. Oakland Raiders [Home]*
• 5. New England Patriots [Road]
• 6. San Diego Chargers [Road]*
• 7. Bye
• 8. New Orleans Saints [Home]
• 9. Cincinnati Bengals [Road]
• 10. Carolina Panthers [Road]
• 11. San Diego Chargers [Home]*
• 12. Kansas City Chiefs [Road]*
• 13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Home]
• 14.  Oakland Raiders [Road]*
• 15. Baltimore Ravens [Road]
• 16. Cleveland Browns [Home]
• 17. Kansas City Chiefs [Home]*

As far as how this team is preparing with their new quarterback, here’s what 11-time Pro Bowler and sure future Hall of Famer, cornerback Champ Bailey had to say about going up against No.18 in practice.

“[Manning is] bar none the best in the league. I tell everybody in our defensive room, ‘Just because we have a guy like that, it’s not going to get easier for us,’” he explains. “We’ve got to work harder, because the expectations are here. He’s going to kick our butts in practice, so we’ve got to be ready to go. If you don’t put together good practices, the coaches don’t trust you on Sundays, so it’s a lot of pressure.”

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