2012 NFL preseason TV schedule

RELATED: 2012 NFL TV schedule

The Denver Broncos were a mile high on Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow took Manhattan, the New Orleans Saints paid for their sins, and other cliches.

In the span of two days in March, the Broncos had signed longtime Indianapolis Colts quarterback Manning, who missed all of the 2011 season following neck surgery. The Broncos traded adored/derided quarterback Tebow to the New York Jets, immediately starting a quarterback controversy with incumbent Mark Sanchez. And the league came down heavy on Saints coaches and players as a result of the team’s bounty program, including suspending head coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season. With this much excitement in the NFL offseason, who needs actual games?

But games there are, even if they don’t count this month. The NFL preseason kicks off Aug. 5 with the Hall of Fame Game on NFL Network, beginning four weeks of fans praying their favorite players don’t get injured in meaningless games.

After a labored search, NFL Films settled on the Miami Dolphins for the new season of its Hard Knocks training camp reality series premiering Aug. 7 on HBO. Last season’s run was scrapped due to the lockout. After three straight losing seasons, the Dolphins aren’t exactly world-beaters. With a new head coach in Joe Philbin, a new quarterback in first-round draft pick Ryan Tannehill (not to mention his aspiring-model wife) and a new center of attention in wide receiver Chad Ochocinco Johnson, there should be enough storylines to hold interest.

The regular season starts Sept. 5 with the Dallas Cowboys at the New York Giants on NBC. (The rare Wednesday opener is due to the president’s speech at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.) NBC returns with Sunday Night Football, including a flexible schedule in Weeks 11-17 and the Thanksgiving night game. ESPN again has Monday Night Football, though is cutting out analyst Ron Jaworski in favor of a two-man booth with Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden. CBS and FOX again have Sunday afternoon games, with kickoff times for late afternoon doubleheader games starting 10 minutes later to avoid overlap with the early games. And new this season, NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football expands to 13-games beginning with the Chicago Bears at the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13.

2012 NFL preseason TV schedule below, with national TV games and NFL Network’s live and tape-delayed preseason schedule.

NFL Preseason National TV Schedule
All times Eastern
Aug. 4 — Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement, 7pm ESPN
Aug. 5 — Hall of Fame Game: Arizona vs. New Orleans (in Canton, Ohio), 8pm NFL Network
Aug. 9 — Green Bay at San Diego, 8pm ESPN
Aug. 13 — Dallas at Oakland, 8pm ESPN
Aug. 16 — Cincinnati at Atlanta, 8pm FOX
Aug. 17 — Detroit at Baltimore, 8pm FOX
Aug. 19 — Indianapolis at Pittsburgh, 8pm NBC
Aug. 20 — Philadelphia at New England, 8pm ESPN
Aug. 23 — Arizona at Tennessee, 8pm ESPN
Aug. 24 — Chicago at N.Y. Giants, 8pm CBS
Aug. 25 — Houston at New Orleans, 8pm CBS
Aug. 26 — San Francisco at Denver, 4pm FOX
Carolina at N.Y. Jets, 8pm NBC

NFL NETWORK SCHEDULE FOR 2012 PRESEASON GAMES

(FIRST AIRINGS ONLY / ALL TIMES EASTERN)

Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Sunday, August 5
8:00 PM – Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints – LIVE

Week 1
Thursday, August 9
12 Midnight – Denver Broncos vs. Chicago Bears
3:00 AM – Baltimore Ravens vs. Atlanta Falcons
Friday, August 10
1:00 PM – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
4:00 PM – Washington Redskins vs. Buffalo Bills
7:30 PM – New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals – LIVE
2:00 AM – Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers
Saturday, August 11
6:00 AM – Green Bay Packers vs. San Diego Chargers
12 Noon – New York Giants vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
3:00 PM – New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots
7:00 PM – Houston Texans vs. Carolina Panthers – LIVE
10:00 PM – Tennessee Titans vs. Seattle Seahawks – LIVE
2:00 AM – Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions
Sunday, August 12
7:30 AM – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins
1:30 PM – St. Louis Rams vs. Indianapolis Colts – LIVE
Monday, August 13
10:00 AM – Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Tuesday, August 14
12 Midnight – Dallas Cowboys vs. Oakland Raiders

Week 2
Thursday, August 16
12 Midnight – Cleveland Browns vs. Green Bay Packers
Friday, August 17
12 Midnight – Miami Dolphins vs. Carolina Panthers
3:00 AM – Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons
Saturday, August 18
12 Noon – Buffalo Bills vs. Minnesota Vikings
3:00 PM – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints
7:00 PM – New York Giants vs. New York Jets – LIVE
10:00 PM – Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers – LIVE
1:00 AM – Oakland Raiders vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, August 19
7:00 AM – Detroit Lions vs. Baltimore Ravens
10:00 AM – Tennessee Titans vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1:00 PM – San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans
4:00 PM – Washington Redskins vs. Chicago Bears
11:00 PM – Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos
Monday, August 20
1:00 PM – Kansas City Chiefs vs. St. Louis Rams
Tuesday, August 21
3:00 AM – Indianapolis Colts vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Wednesday, August 22
10:00 AM – Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots

Week 3
Thursday, August 23
12 Midnight – Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Friday, August 24
12 Midnight – Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Baltimore Ravens
3:00 AM – San Diego Chargers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Saturday, August 25
1:00 PM – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Cleveland Browns
4:00 PM – Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Redskins – LIVE
12 Midnight – St. Louis Rams vs. Dallas Cowboys
3:00 AM – Seattle Seahawks vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, August 26
7:00 AM – Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants
10:00 AM – Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins
1:00 PM – New England Patriots vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11:00 PM – Detroit Lions vs. Oakland Raiders
2:00 AM – Arizona Cardinals vs. Tennessee Titans
Monday, August 27
1:00 PM – Houston Texans vs. New Orleans Saints
4:00 PM – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills
Tuesday, August 28
10:00 AM – Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets
12 Midnight – San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos

Week 4
Wednesday, August 29
7:30 PM – New England Patriots vs. New York Giants – LIVE
11:30 PM – Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys
Thursday, August 30
3:00 PM – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Redskins
7:00 PM – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers – LIVE
11:00 PM – Denver Broncos vs. Arizona Cardinals – LIVE
3:00 AM – San Diego Chargers vs. San Francisco 49ers
Friday, August 31
1:00 PM – Atlanta Falcons vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
8:00 PM – New York Jets vs. Philadelphia Eagles
12 Midnight – Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts
Saturday, September 1
10:00 AM – New Orleans Saints vs. Tennessee Titans
1:00 PM – Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions
4:00 PM – Baltimore Ravens vs. St. Louis Rams
8:00 PM – Carolina Panthers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
12 Midnight – Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns
Sunday, September 2
10:00 AM – Minnesota Vikings vs. Houston Texans
10:00 PM – Oakland Raiders vs. Seattle Seahawks

* Live games on NFL Network will be blacked out in the participating teams’ over-the-air station markets, with the exception of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Re-airs of a non-sellout preseason game prior to the home team’s local over-the-air station re-airing the game will be blacked out on NFL Network in the home team market.

About Ryan Berenz 2166 Articles
Member of the Television Critics Association. Charter member of the Ancient and Mystic Society of No Homers. Squire of the Ancient & Benevolent Order of the Lynx, Lodge 49, Long Beach, Calif. Costco Wholesale Gold Star Member since 2011.