ICYMI: 2016 schedules to be released tonight

[burrrton]

At least I think that's what this is saying:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... nprepared/

Word is that Seattle will play New England at Foxborough... after their bye week... on short rest.

What a surprise.

[RiverDog]

I'm about ready to go out on my elliptical and watch the release while I'm getting in some torture time. We're planning on at least two road games, depending on how the schedule falls.

I see where the Cowboys are expected to draw the maximum number of prime time games. I'd be shocked if they didn't. Frankly, I could care less if we are in prime time or not, except as it relates in my own personal schedule.

[curmudgeon]

http://heavy.com/sports/2016/04/seahawks-schedule-2016-nfl-national-tv-primetime-opponents-dates-times/ Unofficial

[jshawaii22]

it's not too bad, but the league did us a jerk-off by scheduling us for a Monday night home game and then at New England the following Sunday.

Only 2 early 10am starts and a lot of Prime Time Games for the Seahawks --

js

[obiken]

Not too bad?? We got butt *ucked. GB, again. Panthers, again. The Pats on 6 days rest. We Play the Rams on 4 days rest. Why do we always have to play the Panthers? I am sick of the Panthers. Its always a tough game where we lose guys. When do we get a cupcake schedule?? The upside IF we play well we could be 5-0 going into the Cards game. IF we are 3-2 or 2-3 we are in trouble, because the schedule is back loaded with bad boys.

[Vegaseahawk]

Obi"the sky is falling"ken
The best teams play each other. To be the best, you gotta beat the best. I think the Seahawks are up to it. I guess you can jump on the bandwagon when Seattle makes the postseason.

Heres the schedule from the NFL site. I guess that makes it official.
http://www.seahawks.com/schedule?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkRsaE4yRmpORGsxWVRWayIsInQiOiJ2R0JrQ2poMDdxWmFrY2U5S0NSK2RhSFlsYzZEblg1bmNMWm1JbHdmVU1IdEZLaExYYVdFekVBbjBVaW8xNDc5aVBQUUFYUnR1OWRrRU1IOStvRWEyVkwyV05WZTJnNFN1RWtxUHlGc1FvND0ifQ%3D%3D

[Vegaseahawk]

Of the teams we play, 5 had winning records last season. We play the cards twice, who were 13-3. The Pats were 12-4, The pack, 10-6, The panthers 15-1, Jets 10-6. Thats 6 teams. The road game in NE kicks off at 530pm, so it's actually 6 full days later than a home game on MNF. I really like the way this schedule stacks up. I think a shellacking of the Dolphins in week 1 will set the tone.

[jshawaii22]

Obi,

14 games are known way ahead of time. Only 2 games a year are up in the air, but it's all based on where we finished last year. We play a second place schedule because, are you ready? we finished second in the NFC West. When you win, you play other winners... real simple. Can't blame the NFL for the teams that we play, although I would rather play New England at home, it's just not the way it is this year.

[mykc14]

Not too bad?? We got butt *ucked. GB, again. Panthers, again. The Pats on 6 days rest. We Play the Rams on 4 days rest. Why do we always have to play the Panthers? I am sick of the Panthers. Its always a tough game where we lose guys. When do we get a cupcake schedule?? The upside IF we play well we could be 5-0 going into the Cards game. IF we are 3-2 or 2-3 we are in trouble, because the schedule is back loaded with bad boys.

Obi- this post is so unlike you!

[mykc14]

Not too bad. Rough stretch playing the panthers then going to GB in December and then playing the rams on a short week, sort of negates the advantage of a home Thursday night game. At the same time it gives us extra rest heading into a game against the cards, which is a big advantage. Anyway, that 4 week stretch is pretty tough, but at least 3 of those games are at home.

[RiverDog]

Obi, I hope you're taking this ribbing in the good spirit it's intended.

I don't get too hung up about the schedule this time of year. You really have to wait 3-4 weeks into the regular season before you can handicap a schedule.

[NorthHawk]

The strength of schedule (based on last years results) shows the NFC West has all 4 teams within the 7th hardest schedule.
Meaning the easiest sos in our division is the 7th most difficult, the others are harder.

[HumanCockroach]

14-2 as a counter balance...not a single game on the slate that isn't a winnable game, only 2 10am games the entire season for the first time I can remember.

[jshawaii22]

WE sure should be favored in the first 5 games, heading to the Desert on Sunday night. 5-0 is against the Fins at home and 3 QB's that have no business starting in the NFL... no matter who they throw at us. Only the 5th game against Atlanta, who has a coach that will be aiming for this game, should put us up against a team that can beat us. 5-0 heading to the desert. Book It.

[obiken]

Obi, I hope you're taking this ribbing in the good spirit it's intended.

I don't get too hung up about the schedule this time of year. You really have to wait 3-4 weeks into the regular season before you can handicap a schedule.

No Problem! It went both ways! I was just giving them my usual overreaction. For you and Cbob, I think not withstanding on how we play, the toughness of the schedule, will depend on the teams that will or wont improve include the Jets, Bills, Falcons, and N.O. The Eagles, I just don't see beating us. No doubt, the schedule could have been worse. We should "bank" 6 wins without a problem. Human, and the rest of the group in here have taught me that the Cards are not as unbeatable as I thought. However, losing Honey Badger was huge for them, he was the real leader on defense. Niners, no way, the Rams, are tough but I don't see them beating us 2x. I see the Falcons and the Saints just being way tougher this year. I think last years schedule was tougher.

[Zorn76]

Just glad we get to open the season at home, then play Wentz:) in his 2nd ever career game, before returning to host SF.

3 of the last 5 at home. Schedule is Very doable. We should be competitive in Every game.

Offhand, I see 11 wins or so.

I also think the Cards slide a bit - I don't see Palmer duplicating his stats from 2015 - and I think there could be a hangover effect for them (similar to a SB type loss) from the disaster in Carolina. SF, 7 wins max. Rams - Wentz will have growing pains facing West defenses. Stl = 7 or 8 W's, imo.

We should be right there in the thick of it. We have as good a chance as any to reach - and win - another SB.

[RiverDog]

The schedule didn't fall very well for my road trips. One of the games we had on our radar was the Tampa Bay game, and it's going to be on Thanksgiving weekend, so flights might be pretty expensive in addition to the obvious holiday interruption. The other one was the Niners game in Santa Clara, and it's on New Year's Day. I did the Zona game/Fiesta Bowl on NYD last season, so who knows.

I might go to the Arizona game in Glendale for the third year in a row. It comes at a good time of year (10/23) for me as my yard and garden work is normally complete by then and it won't be un Godly hot down there. Game tickets are easy to come by, airline flights are cheap, I have relatives in the area, and the games are always well attended by Hawks fans. I might try to work it in with my annual Las Vegas excursion.

I know that a lot of Hawks fans from .Net are going to the Saints game. They have a large contingent of Hawks fans living in Texas so it's within a day's drive for them. That one's probably not on my radar this year.

I'm lobbying my road warrior companion to go to the New England game. The fall colors in New Hampshire and Vermont ought to be in full display in that 2nd week of November and the odds of decent weather are still fairly good.

I've already committed to taking my daughter and her boyfriend to a Hawks home game. MNF vs. the Bills looks like it would work best, so I'm going to start looking for tickets early.

[c_hawkbob]

The only thing I don't like about the schedule is the week 5 bye. But 5 prime time games, with three of them at home? That's much better than we're usually treated.

[mykc14]

The only thing I don't like about the schedule is the week 5 bye. But 5 prime time games, with three of them at home? That's much better than we're usually treated.

Yeah, really don't like the early bye, but overall a good schedule. 3 home prime time games is really surprising, especially after the rumors swirling around about the NFL not wanting to give us prime time home games.

[c_hawkbob]

Yeah, really don't like the early bye, but overall a good schedule. 3 home prime time games is really surprising, especially after the rumors swirling around about the NFL not wanting to give us prime time home games.

Question is; does one happen without the other?

[mykc14]

Question is; does one happen without the other?

That is a good question, but in the end whatever the ultimate reason is we get those home prime-time games. I also wonder if the multiple home losses last year had anything to do with the NFL's willingness to give us more of those types of games.

[RiverDog]

That is a good question, but in the end whatever the ultimate reason is we get those home prime-time games. I also wonder if the multiple home losses last year had anything to do with the NFL's willingness to give us more of those types of games.

So a conspiracy theory is responsible for our lack of home PT games? What on Earth would be the league's motivation in not giving us home prime time games? Our home field advantage is near legendary, and would be more likely to attract viewers, and as we all know, the league's over riding principle is money.

Sorry, but I can't join the Grassy Knoll crowd on this one. I'll stick with the Single Bullet theory.

[c_hawkbob]

Not a conspiracy as much as a statement made by one of the network types (can't remember who just now).

Not everything that cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt is a conspiracy theory. Sometimes things really are as they appear to be.

[obiken]

You think conspiracy Riv, look at the Jet schedule. They play 4 or 5 games on a short week.

[RiverDog]

I just don't buy into this theory that the league is out to get us. The creation of the schedule is done with one overbearing thought in mind: Maximize profits. That's why the Cowboys, even though they haven't so much as played in a conference championship game for 25 years, always have the maximum number of PT games as they are the most popular team in the country and attract scads of viewers that both love them and love to see them lose.

Besides, who gives a damn how many Prime Time home games we have? It sure as heck didn't help us last season as we played perhaps two of our worst games of the season (Lions and Cards) at home in Prime Time last year.

[NorthHawk]

The league isn't out to get us, rather the facts until last year were our home games were usually over by half time.
That meant they had problems selling advertising to a national audience at top rates for the 2nd half as many viewers turned away.

Like you said before, it's all dollars and cents.

[mykc14]

I just don't buy into this theory that the league is out to get us. The creation of the schedule is done with one overbearing thought in mind: Maximize profits. That's why the Cowboys, even though they haven't so much as played in a conference championship game for 25 years, always have the maximum number of PT games as they are the most popular team in the country and attract scads of viewers that both love them and love to see them lose.

Besides, who gives a damn how many Prime Time home games we have? It sure as heck didn't help us last season as we played perhaps two of our worst games of the season (Lions and Cards) at home in Prime Time last year.

My reply to you would have been exactly what bob and north hawk said. As far as giving a damn about getting prime time games, I certainly do, for two reasons: 1) we have an amazing record in those games under PC (even with last years losses) and 2) a prime time game at an east coast city means no 10 AM kickoff and even though we seem to have largely fixed that recently under PC I still don't like the way we start in those early games.

[RiverDog]

No doubt that we have an amazing record in Prime Time. I attribute it to one of those strange anomalies that pop up every now and then. Additionally, the league doesn't normally schedule teams from small markets/fan bases in PT with the same fervor they schedule the Cowboys, Redskins, Niners, Packers, and so on, teams from big markets and/or have a nation wide following, unless we have a pretty decent club, which increases our changes of winning a PT matchup as it would any other match vs. teams like the Cowboys and Redskins that draw PT games regardless of the quality of their team. That's why you don't see Jacksonville and Cleveland in PT more than the minimum required, because they have neither good teams, no nation wide fan base, are from small markets, and are devoid of any well known personalities like a Peyton Manning.

Bottom line is that if we're in Prime Time a lot, it usually means that we have a pretty good team. I do not regard a Prime Time assignment as some sort of positive handicap that will increase our odds of winning that particular matchup. We played poorly against the Lions and got embarrassed by the Cards because we weren't playing very good football, not because we lost our mystical PT magic.