Now that the Denver Broncos have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs, it's time to look ahead to next season.

The NFL has announced which teams will play each other and where for the 2012 16-game season. The dates and exact order of the games will not be determined until late March/early April.

The next season's schedule is determined based on where your team finishes in your division, and it does not matter if you team makes the playoffs or not.

As usual, the Broncos will play Oakland, San Diego and Kansas City twice because those are the AFC West rivals.

Then each division within the AFC rotates around with the other AFC divisions. This ensures that each AFC team will play each other at least once every three years.

Last year, Denver and the AFC West, played all the teams from the AFC East. In 2012, they will tour the AFC North. The Broncos will host Pittsburgh and Cleveland, and travel to Cincinnati and Baltimore.

Of the two AFC divisions that Denver is not touring in 2012 (The South and The East), the Broncos will play the two first place teams from those divisions, because Denver finished first in their division. Hence, the Broncos will go back to New England, and host Houston.

Finally, four NFC teams round out the schedule. The rotation between the AFC and NFC works out so that each AFC and NFC team, will match-up once every four years.

In 2011, the AFC West played the NFC North. In 2012, it's AFC West vs. NFC South. So Denver will visit Carolina and Atlanta, and play home vs. New Orleans and Tampa Bay.

In short...

Denver Broncos home games listed in no order: Oakland, San Diego, Kansas City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, New Orleans, Tampa Bay

Denver Broncos road games listed in no order: Oakland, San Diego, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Baltimore, New England, Atlanta, Carolina

More From AM 1400 The Cowboy