Predicting the Seahawks 2016 record

Expectations are high for the 2016 Seattle Seahawks, but they face stiff competition in the NFC. Let’s take a game-by-game look at how they might fare this season.

Predicting NFL games on a weekly basis is difficult. Trying to predict how a team might do in all 16 of their games before the season even starts sounds downright foolish.

Alright then…. let’s do that!

In predicting the Seahawks 2016 record, game by game, I wanted to take a big picture look. Does it matter which of the Arizona games they win, so long as I’m convinced they’ll at least win one of them? (Last year I did a game-by-game prediction for the second half and had the Arizona games reversed, with the Seahawks losing at home but winning on the road. Had I reversed them I would have gone 8-0) And what do you make of teams like the Rams and 49ers? The Seahawks see them both early on, but it’s reasonable to think both opponents will improve as the season progresses.

In any case, the goal here is to try and figure out what a reasonable expectation is for overall wins and losses. For the sake of this exercise, I will assume that every team stays healthy all year, full strength against full strength.

More from Seattle Seahawks News

• 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

So here we go! A game by game prediction of how the Seahawks will fare in the 2016 regular season:

WEEK 1 – MIAMI DOLPHINS AT HOME

The Dolphins will be playing their first game under new head coach Adam Gase, and while he’s known as the “quarterback whisperer,” will one training camp be enough time for him to help embattled QB Ryan Tannehill get to the next level? Does Tannehill even have the next level in him? The Dolphins have a lot of talent on defense, and some intriguing weapons around Tannehill, but this is the Seahawks home opener, and they’re coming off an outstanding off season. I expect them to win this one, and win big.

SEAHAWKS WIN (1-0)

WEEK 2 – AT LOS ANGELES RAMS

This one is tricky. The Rams on the road have given the Hawks fits, but that was then and this is now. No more trips to the Edward Jones Dome to play a 10:00am PST game. This will be outdoors, in nice weather, in their home time zone. It’s the Rams home opener, so the place will be packed. Will it be a fervent fan base, hungry to see home pro football for the first time in 22 years, or a bunch of casually interested onlookers instead? And how many of the 90,000+ in attendance will be Seahawk fans?

More importantly, who will be playing QB for the home team? Will 1st overall pick Jared Goff be ready, or is Case Keenum going to be the placeholder early in the season?

Whoever is under center, look for the Seahawks defense to cause all sorts of fits for the Rams offense. Thei Rams defense is scary too, and it may be a closer game than we want to believe, but I have to think this is another win.

SEAHAWKS WIN (2-0)

WEEK 3 – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT HOME

The Seahawks-49er rivalry moves into a new era as Chip Kelly takes over head coaching duties. We know all about his gimmick offense, and remember how much success he had initially during his time in Philly. Still, we’re talking about either Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick running the show. There still aren’t enough weapons on offense, and the defense has major holes.

SEAHAWKS WIN (3-0)

Next: The first east coast trip