The Seattle Seahawks 2016 schedule that was released today is a bit of a mirage. Hidden beneath the smooth exterior are various land mines.
Honestly, Dan is right. There is a lot to like about this years’ schedule. There’s only two 10: am start times. There’s five prime time game, including three at home. The Seahawks are set up to do very well this year, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues here.
More from 12th Man Rising
- 4 prospects Seahawks could reach for at No. 20 in 2023 NFL Draft
- Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft: Post-first wave of free agency
- Seahawks podcast: A review of the first week of free agency
- 4 experiments the Seattle Seahawks could cut short in 2023
- 3 pros and cons of Seattle Seahawks drafting Anthony Richardson
For starters, what is with the early bye week? That Week 5 bye means the Seahawks will have to play 12 straight weeks without a break. If you include the playoffs, that streak could reach 15 games. That is a lot of wear and tear on the players with no chance to rest and heal.
And then there’s the issue of the NFL always giving Seattle’s makeshift offensive line a beastly assignment in Week 1. Last year it was the Aaron Donald and the Rams. This year it is Ndamukong Suh, Mario Williams, Cameron Wake and the rest of the Dolphins. The Seahawks will be favored in that matchup, but it would still be an easier game later in the year once the line jells.
The Seahawks also have to play a Patriots team that is coming off their bye. Seattle will be coming off a Monday night game. So a cross country trip on short rest against a very good team coming off their bye? Of course!
We also shouldn’t look passed the way December is stacked. The Seahawks have been a great December team since drafting Russell Wilson, but this will be the toughest December schedule they’ve faced in that time.
The four games in December are home against Carolina, at Green Bay, Thursday night vs. LA, and home vs. Arizona. That is a very tough stretch, especially that game on the Frozen Tundra. The Rams always play the Seahawks tough, and a Thursday night game will only make it worse.
The 2016 schedule might be nice, but let’s not pretend the NFL did the Seahawks any favors.