Rejoice, all who obsessively follow an NFL team! The league has officially released the schedule for the 2012 NFL season. For the San Francisco 49ers, we've had a few rumors over the last few days - including a full schedule leak that was obviously fake, and some rumors of an opening week matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Well, those rumors are validated now, as the full schedule confirms the matchup for Sunday, September 9 at 1:15 p.m. pacific. On top of that, the 49ers have five primetime games - though none of them are against teams they faced in the playoffs last season. There's some solid matchups though, with the opportunity to re-visit the handshake drama between Jim Schwartz and Jim Harbaugh in Week 2, among other things.
Also entertaining to see that the league is not scared away by primetime games at Candlestick Park, given what happened with the electricity going out this past season. That being said, let's get to the full schedule below, with more analysis to come.
Week 1 at Green Bay Packers, Sunday Sept. 9, 1:15 p.m. (FOX)
Week 2 vs Detroit Lions, Sunday, Sept. 16, 5:20 p.m. (NBC Primetime)
Week 3 at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 23, 10:00 a.m. (FOX)
Week 4 at New York Jets, Sunday, Sept. 30, 10:00 a.m. (FOX)
Week 5 vs Buffalo Bills Sunday, Oct. 7, 1:15 p.m. (CBS)
Week 6 vs New York Giants, Sunday, Oct. 14, 115: p.m. (FOX)
Week 7 vs Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 18, 5:20 p.m. (NFL Network Primetime)
Week 8 at Arizona Cardinals, Monday, Oct. 29, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN Primetime)
Week 9 BYE WEEK
Week 10 vs St. Louis Rams Sunday, Nov. 11, 1:15 p.m. (FOX)
Week 11 vs Chicago Bears Monday, Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN Primetime)
Week 12 at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 25, 1:15 p.m. (FOX)
Week 13 at St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 2, 10:00 a.m. (FOX)
Week 14 vs Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 9, 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
Week 15 at New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 16, 5:20 p.m. (NBC Primetime)
Week 16 at Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 23, 1:15 p.m. (FOX)
Week 17 vs Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 30, 1:15 p.m. (FOX)