NBC's Sunday Night NFL schedule spotlights divisional rivalries

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/ FROM KEITH GROLLER NBC knows you can't go wrong with games like Ravens-Steelers, Eagles-Giants and Pats-Jets. That's why its 19-game broadcast, released along with the rest of the NFL schedule on Tuesday night, is heavy with divisional games. The 19 games is the most NBC has ever done since it picked up the Sunday night package. it includes a Wednesday night game to kick off the season -- Cowboys at Giants -- and also has a Thanksgiving night game for the first time -- Pats at Jets. Here's the schedule and highlights from a NBC release: Highlights of the 2012 Sunday Night Football schedule: 19 primetime games, including the opening Wednesday night game and a new Thanksgiving night game; Every 2011 playoff team makes an appearance on Sunday Night Football; 16 of NBC’s 18 scheduled games involve at least one playoff team from last season; 10 of 18 include two playoff teams (Week 17 game TBD); Three games each for Giants, Cowboys, Patriots, Steelers and Packers. The defending Super Bowl Champion Giants host their division rivals the Cowboys in the Wednesday night NFL Kickoff 2012 on September 5; The Jets host the Patriots on NBC’s first-ever Thanksgiving night game. NBC will broadcast a Thanksgiving night game each season through 2022 as part of the new NFL agreement; Peyton Manning, in his first game as a member of the Denver Broncos, as they host Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening Sunday Night Football game of the season on September 9; Three matchups among bitter NFC East rivals: Cowboys-Giants, Giants-Eagles, and Eagles-Cowboys; Three playoff rematches, including a rematch of the AFC Championship Game when the Ravens host the Patriots in Week 3; The first Sunday Night Football regular-season trip to Houston, as the Texans host the Packers in Week 6, and Cincinnati as the Bengals host the Steelers in Week 7; NBC TO BROADCAST 19 NFL GAMES IN 2012: As part of the new agreement NBC signed with the NFL in December, 2011, NBC will now broadcast 19 regular-season games, including 17 regular season Sunday Night Football games, NFL Kickoff 2012, and the new Thanksgiving night game. NBC’s original Sunday Night Football agreement, which began in 2006, included 17 regular-season games. It was increased to 18 games in 2010. 2012 SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Wed. Sept. 5 NFL Kickoff Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants Sun. Sept. 9 Week 1 Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos Sun. Sept. 16 Week 2 Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers Sun. Sept. 23 Week 3 New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens Sun. Sept. 30 Week 4 New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles Sun. Oct. 7 Week 5 San Diego Chargers at New Orleans Saints Sun. Oct. 14 Week 6 Green Bay Packers at Houston Texans Sun. Oct. 21 Week 7 Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals Sun. Oct. 28 Week 8 New Orleans Saints at Denver Broncos Sun. Nov. 4 Week 9 Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons Sun. Nov. 11 Week 10 Houston Texans at Chicago Bears *Sun. Nov. 18 Week 11 Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers **Thurs. Nov. 22 Week 12 New England Patriots at New York Jets *Sun. Nov. 25 Week 12 Green Bay Packers at New York Giants *Sun. Dec. 2 Week 13 Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys *Sun. Dec. 9 Week 14 Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers *Sun. Dec. 16 Week 15 San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots *Sun. Dec. 23 Week 16 San Diego Chargers at New York Jets *Sun. Dec. 30 Week 17 TBA