By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer

Football fans tuned into the 2011 NFL season in big numbers across all NFL broadcast partners. According to Nielsen, the 2011 regular season reached more than 200 million unique viewers and NFL games continued to more than double broadcast primetime viewership (19.8 million vs. 9.3 million). After a dominating year, the same broadcast partners are back to bring fans the 93rd season of NFL football, with a slightly different look.

The season begins with the NFL's annual primetime kickoff game, but this year it will be on Wednesday night (September 5) when the Super Bowl champion New York Giants host the division rival Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium (NBC 8:30 PM ET). This marks the 10th anniversary of the first Kickoff game (San Francisco 49ers at Giants, 2002) and the ninth consecutive year the NFL has saluted the Super Bowl champions with the opening game in their stadium in primetime.

NBC will broadcast 19 games in primetime including, for the first time, the final game of the Thanksgiving tripleheader. This year's contest features an AFC East matchup as the New York Jets host the New England Patriots (Thursday, November 22, 8:20 PM ET).

NFL Network's Thursday Night Football package has expanded and will now feature 13 games from Weeks 2-15 (excluding Week 12 on Thanksgiving night).

The kickoff time for Sunday late afternoon doubleheader games on CBS and FOX will be moved from 4:15 PM ET to 4:25 PM ET. The 4:05 PM ET kickoff time for games not on the doubleheader network will remain unchanged.

A look at the NFL on TV in 2012

CBS' 53rd season of NFL coverage will feature a total of 105 games during its 17 weeks of regular-season coverage of the American Football Conference, a postseason consisting of an AFC Wild Card playoff game, two Divisional playoff games and the AFC Championship Game, concluding with Super Bowl XLVII on February 3, 2013 from New Orleans.

This is the 18th time CBS will broadcast the Super Bowl and the fifth from New Orleans.

In Week 1, among CBS' games will be the Indianapolis Colts visiting the Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 9 at 1:00 PM ET. In Week 8, THE NFL ON CBS will travel across the Atlantic Ocean to cover the New England Patriots-St. Louis Rams game live from Wembley Stadium in London, England (Sunday, October 28 at 1:00 PM ET). CBS will broadcast the first game of the Thanksgiving Day tripleheader when the Houston Texans visit the Detroit Lions on Thursday, November 22 at 12:30 PM ET.

FOX will bring back Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback TROY AIKMAN and JOE BUCK for their 11th year in the booth together and will kick off its 19th season covering the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers visiting the Green Bay Packers on September 9 (4:25 PM ET). Viewers can look forward to many exciting matchups on the NFL on FOX schedule including two recent Super Bowl champions facing off on Sunday, September 30 when the Packers host the New Orleans Saints in Week 4 (4:25 PM ET). The Super Bowl champions headline Week 6 when the Giants travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in a highly anticipated rematch of the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, October 14 (4:25 PM ET). On Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 22, 4:15 PM ET), the Washington Redskins will visit the Dallas Cowboys in a key NFC East showdown.

The combination of CRIS COLLINSWORTH and AL MICHAELS will return for a fourth season of NBC's Sunday Night Football, the No. 1 primetime show on television. They'll be joined by MICHELE TAFOYA, who enters her second season as NBC's sideline reporter. The team will announce the 2012 Kickoff contest on Wednesday, September 5 (8:30 PM ET), featuring the Super Bowl champion New York Giants at home against the Dallas Cowboys, and the opening Sunday Night Football game, when Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a rematch of last year's AFC Wild Card game (8:20 PM ET). New to the Football Night in America team this year is former Steelers wide receiver HINES WARD, who recently retired after a 14-year career in Pittsburgh.

"I am really excited!" says Ward. "It's not every day that you get the chance to work for a powerhouse like the NBC Sports Group. It is a big honor for me and I am looking forward to making the most of this great opportunity."

ESPN will unveil a familiar but new commentator team -- MIKE TIRICO and JON GRUDEN -- with sideline reporter LISA SALTERS for the 44th season of Monday Night Football. ESPN's 17-game slate begins on Kickoff Weekend with a pair of AFC divisional rivalries when the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Baltimore Ravens (7:00 PM ET) and the Oakland Raiders host the San Diego Chargers (10:15 PM ET) on Monday, September 10. A week later on Monday, September 17 (8:30 PM ET), Peyton Manning returns to MNF when the AFC West champion Denver Broncos travel east for a showdown against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 4, NFC contenders collide when the Dallas Cowboys host the Chicago Bears (Monday, October 1, 8:30 PM ET).

NFL Network will introduce its expanded 13-game, regular-season primetime Thursday Night Football schedule which kicks off in Week 2 and features nine 2011 playoff teams, including six which won division crowns and both NFC Championship Game teams (Giants and 49ers). The TNF opener features the 185th meeting between the NFC North rivals Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers (Thursday, September 13, 8:00 PM ET). The Thursday Night Football slate continues with two quarterbacks who were each selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft -- the New York Giants' Eli Manning (two-time Super Bowl MVP) and Carolina's Cam Newton (2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year) -- facing off in Week 3 (Thursday, September 20, 8:00 PM ET). Among the other matchups on NFL Network's schedule are 2012 No. 1 Draft pick Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts visiting Jacksonville (Thursday, November 8, 8:00 PM ET) and Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos traveling to Oakland's "Black Hole" (Thursday, December 6, 8:00 PM ET).

"We are excited to have an expanded 13-game Thursday Night Football schedule on what is one of the most-watched television nights of the week," says ERIC WEINBERGER, NFL Network's executive producer. "This special primetime game on NFL Network will give more players, teams, cities and fans the national stage. We can't wait to open with the Bears at Packers game on September 13."

The critically acclaimed Thursday Night Football broadcast team returns featuring Emmy-nominated game analyst MIKE MAYOCK, play-by-play announcer BRAD NESSLER and sideline reporter ALEX FLANAGAN.

This summer, NFL Network introduces NFL AM, a new year-round, four-hour weekday morning show kicking off at 6:00 AM ET each Monday through Friday (encore at 7:00 AM PT for West Coast fans). NFL AM will blanket the world of the NFL with seasoned and opinionated talent who will report and debate news and examine the personalities that play the game. The show's discussion will cover a wide range of NFL-related topics including the cultural convergence of sports, entertainment and music, and will feature talent MARK KRIEGEL, former San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl-winning cornerback ERIC DAVIS, BRIAN WEBBER, NICOLE ZALOUMIS and STEVE WYCHE.

SHOWTIME's Emmy Award winning Inside the NFL will premiere Wednesday, September 12 at 9:00 PM ET. Host JAMES BROWN will join analysts CRIS COLLINSWORTH and PHIL SIMMS to break down all the action and debate the hottest topics from around the league each week.

Produced with NFL Films, each week's show will feature brilliant highlights from every game, every week, all in HD. New episodes will air every Wednesday at 9:00 PM ET through Super Bowl XLVII.

NFL's Flexible Scheduling Returns

The highly successful "flexible scheduling" format, which debuted in the NFL in 2006, will again be utilized this year for Weeks 11-17.

In Weeks 11-16, the schedule lists the game tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game will be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday, Saturday or Monday nights.

The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot to conclude the season.

A flexible scheduling move will be announced at least 12 days before the game. For Week 17, the game may be announced six days prior. Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups on Sunday night in those weeks and give "surprise" teams a chance to play their way onto primetime.

NFL Announcer Lineups for 2012

CBS

CBS' The NFL Today (Pregame): James Brown-Bill Cowher-Boomer Esiason-Dan Marino-Shannon Sharpe-Jason LaCanfora.

The NFL on CBS: Jim Nantz-Phil Simms; Greg Gumbel-Dan Dierdorf; other crews TBA.

FOX

FOX NFL Sunday (Pregame): Curt Menefee-Terry Bradshaw-Howie Long-Jimmy Johnson-Michael Strahan-Jay Glazer.

NFL on FOX: Lead Broadcast Team: Joe Buck-Troy Aikman-Pam Oliver (reporter).

NBC

NBC's Football Night in America (Pregame): Bob Costas-Dan Patrick-Tony Dungy-Rodney Harrison-Hines Ward-Peter King-Mike Florio.

Sunday Night Football: Al Michaels-Cris Collinsworth-Michele Tafoya (reporter).

ESPN

Sunday NFL Countdown (Pregame): Chris Berman-Cris Carter-Mike Ditka-Tom Jackson-Keyshawn Johnson-Chris Mortensen-Adam Schefter-Suzy Kolber-Merril Hoge-Ron Jaworski-Josina Anderson-Bob Holtzman-Rachel Nichols-Sal Paolantonio-Ed Werder.

Monday Night Countdown (Pregame): Chris Berman-Stuart Scott-Cris Carter-Trent Dilfer-Mike Ditka-Tom Jackson-Keyshawn Johnson-Chris Mortensen-Adam Schefter-Steve Young-Lisa Salters.

NFL Monday Night Football: Mike Tirico-Jon Gruden-Lisa Salters (reporter).

NFL NETWORK

NFL GameDay Morning (Sunday Pregame): Rich Eisen-Marshall Faulk-Steve Mariucci-Warren Sapp-Kurt Warner-Michael Irvin.

Total Access (Pregame): Rich Eisen-Steve Mariucci-Deion Sanders-Marshall Faulk-Michael Irvin-Alex Flanagan.

Thursday Night Football: Mike Mayock-Brad Nessler-Alex Flanagan (reporter).

SHOWTIME

Inside the NFL: James Brown-Cris Collinsworth-Phil Simms.

NFL Football on TV in 2012