2012 schedule is released

The San Diego Chargers' 2012 schedule will start and end in appropriate fashion. They will open up the regular season with a Monday Night game on the road against the division rival Raiders, then battle the other AFC West rivals, AFC North teams and NFC South squads in-between, and finish it off with a home contest against Oakland.

San Diego is scheduled for five primetime games, including an October 7 matchup in New Orleans on Sunday Night followed by a Monday Night showdown with the Denver Broncos on October 15. It should be interesting to see how the Lightning Bolts' defense fares against Drew Brees and Peyton Manning in back-to-back weeks.

There are four early games scheduled for the Chargers. The games that will start at 10 a.m. Pacific time will be at Kansas City on September 30, at Cleveland on October 28, at Tampa Bay on November 11, and at Pittsburgh on December 9. The game against the Browns will follow San Diego's bye week on October 21. San Diego will have 10 days to prepare for the Buccaneers, as the Chargers' preceding game will be Thursday, November 1, at home against the Chiefs on the NFL Network.

San Diego will have to face division rivals in five of the first 10 games. The final six games appear as though they'll be a tough stretch, as they're against Baltimore (home), Cincinnati (home), Pittsburgh (away), Carolina (home), the New York Jets (away), and Oakland (home). All of those teams are expected to contend for playoff spots in 2012.

Here's the full 2012 schedule. All times are local.

Sept. 10 (Mon.): at Oakland Raiders, 7:15 p.m. ESPN.

Sept. 16 (Sun.): vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:15 p.m. CBS.

Sept. 23 (Sun.): vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:05 p.m. Fox.

Sept. 30 (Sun.): at Kansas City Chiefs, 10 a.m. CBS.

Oct. 7 (Sun.): at New Orleans Saints, 5:20 p.m. NBC.

Oct. 15 (Mon.): vs. Denver Broncos, 5:30 p.m. ESPN.

Oct. 21: Bye.

Oct. 28 (Sun.): at Cleveland Browns, 10 a.m. CBS.

Nov. 1 (Thurs.): vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 5:20 p.m. NFL Network.

Nov. 11 (Sun.): at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10 a.m. CBS.

Nov. 18 (Sun.): at Denver Broncos, 1:15 p.m. CBS.

Nov. 25 (Sun.): vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1:05 p.m. CBS.

Dec. 2 (Sun.): vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1:15 p.m. CBS.

Dec. 9 (Sun.): at Pittsburgh Steelers, 10 a.m. CBS.

Dec. 16 (Sun.): vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:05 p.m. CBS.

Dec. 23 (Sun.): at New York Jets, 5:20 p.m. NBC.

Dec. 30 (Sun): vs. Oakland Raiders, 1:15 p.m. CBS.