Week 1 – at Oakland
TV: ESPN
Last season: 8-8, third AFC West
2012 First Round: None
Key Player: QB Carson Palmer
Notes: The Chargers are 1-1 in road season openers under Head Coach Norv Turner. San Diego went 8-2 at what’s now O.co Coliseum in the last decade, including a 38-26 win Week 17 of last season.
Week 2 – vs. Tennessee
TV: CBS
Last season: 9-7, second AFC South
2012 First Round: No. 20 overall pick
Key Player: QB Chris Johnson
Notes: San Diego has beaten Tennessee eight consecutive times. The Bolts haven’t lost this matchup since 1992, when the Titans were the Houston Oilers. The home opener marks the first time the Chargers will play in Qualcomm Stadium in nearly a month, as the final two preseason games are on the road as well.
Week 3 – vs. Atlanta
TV: FOX
Last season: 10-6, second NFC South
2012 First Round: None
Key Player: QB Matt Ryan
Notes: Since 1988, the winning team in this matchup has scored 10, 13, 10, 14, 21 and 22 points. Barry Redden ran for a 5-yard score with 4:32 left in ’88, the only touchdown of the game in San Diego’s lone win over Atlanta.
Week 4 – at Kansas City
TV: CBS
Last season: 7-9, fourth AFC West
2012 First Round: No. 11 overall pick
Key Player: RB Jamaal Charles
Notes: The Chargers have lost back-to-back years at Arrowhead Stadium, including a 21-14 defeat in 2010 that launched the Chiefs to their first playoff appearance in four years.
Week 5 – at New Orleans
TV: NBC
Last season: 13-3, first NFC South
2012 First Round: None
Key Player: QB Drew Brees
Notes: The Saints will be without Head Coach Sean Payton, suspended for the season, and interim coach Joe Vitt, suspended for six games. The matchup marks the first regular-season meeting between the two teams since 2008, when New Orleans won, 37-32, at Wembley Stadium in London.
Week 6 – vs. Denver
TV: ESPN
Last season: 8-8, first AFC West
2012 First Round: No. 25 overall
Key Player: QB Peyton Manning
Notes: The Broncos won, 16-13, in overtime last season at Qualcomm Stadium in an emotional game that helped prevent the Chargers from winning the division and allowed Denver to make the playoffs. This will be San Diego’s first look at the recast Denver offense led by Peyton Manning.
Week 8 – at Cleveland
TV: CBS
Last season: 4-12, fourth AFC North
2012 First Round: No. 4 overall pick
Key Player: LB D’Qwell Jackson
Notes: The Browns are the only AFC North team that did not make the playoffs in 2011. San Diego has never lost to Cleveland in regulation when scoring at least 20 points.
Week 9 – vs. Kansas City
TV: NFLN
Last season: 7-9, fourth AFC West
2012 First Round: No. 11 overall pick
Key Player: RB Jamaal Charles
Notes: The Chargers have outscored the Chiefs, 94-31, at Qualcomm Stadium the last three seasons. This matchup represents San Diego’s only game at the home venue during a 40-day stretch in October and November.
Week 10 – at Tampa Bay
TV: CBS
Last season: 4-12, fourth NFC South
2012 First Round: No. 5 overall pick
Key Player: WR Vincent Jackson
Notes: San Diego is 4-0 all-time on the road against Tampa Bay. 
Week 11 – at Denver
TV: CBS
Last season: 8-8, first AFC West
2012 First Round: No. 25 overall pick
Key Player: QB Peyton Manning
Notes: San Diego’s defense picked off Peyton Manning a season-high four times, returning two for touchdowns, the last time the Chargers faced the quarterback on the road (Nov. 28, 2010). The Bolts have won five of the last six against the Broncos in Denver.
Week 12 – vs. Baltimore
TV: CBS
Last season: 12-4, first AFC North
2012 First Round: No. 29 overall pick
Key Player: LB Terrell Suggs
Notes: The Ravens mark the first of three consecutive games against playoff teams from the same division one season ago, a first in franchise history. San Diego trounced Baltimore, 34-14, last year.
Week 13 – vs. Cincinnati
TV: CBS
Last season: 9-7, third AFC North
2012 First Round: No. 21 overall pick
Key Player: WR A.J. Green
Notes: San Diego gets its first look at a pair of last year’s standout offensive rookies in quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver A.J. Green. The Chargers lost to the Bengals, 34-20, in Week 16 of 2010, eliminating the team’s postseason chances.
Week 14 – at Pittsburgh
TV: CBS
Last season: 12-4, second AFC North
2012 First Round: No. 24 overall pick
Key Player: QB Ben Roethlisberger
Notes: San Diego beat Pittsburgh, 17-13, in the ’94 AFC Championship. The Steelers returned the favor in the AFC Divisional Playoffs in ’08 en route to a win in Super Bowl XLIII.
Week 15 – vs. Carolina
TV: FOX
Last season: 6-10, third NFC South
2012 First Round: No. 9 overall pick
Key Player: QB Cam Newton
Notes: The game marks the first matchup between Head Coach Norv Turner and his former defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. Former Chargers assistant Rob Chudzinski, now offensive coordinator for the Panthers, former Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Wilks and former running back Mike Tolbert also return to Qualcomm Stadium.
Week 16 – at New York Jets
TV: NBC
Last season: 8-8, second AFC East
2012 First Round: No. 16 overall
Key Player: CB Darrelle Revis
Notes: Last year’s physical, close matchup ended with a 27-21 road loss, turned out to be the last game of Kris Dielman’s outstanding career and started a six-game losing streak that would define San Diego’s season. San Diego will get a chance to avenge all that in a game that could have huge playoff implications for both teams.
Week 17 – vs. Oakland
TV: CBS
Last season: 8-8, third AFC West
2012 First Round: None.
Key Player: QB Carson Palmer
Notes: The Chargers have beaten the last AFC West team on its schedule for six consecutive seasons, including twice against Oakland in Week 17 games under Head Coach Norv Turner.
