The Seattle Seahawks' 2017 schedule was released Thursday evening, with the Seahawks opening in Green Bay before hosting their home opener against San Francisco in Week 2. You can find the entire schedule and a game-by-game breakdown here, but here are eight things that stand out when looking over the 2017 schedule.
1. Three home prime-time games and four overall.
For the fifth straight season, the Seahawks will play in prime time four times, which is good news for a team that has a 19-3-1 prime-time record under head coach Pete Carroll.
Even better, three of those four games are at home, marking the second straight year the Seahawks will host three prime-time games (Indianapolis, Atlanta and Philadelphia).
2. This is a friendly schedule from a weather standpoint.
Before the Seahawks' schedule was known, the Seahawks were looking at two potential cold-weather games depending on when they were played—at Green Bay and at the New York Giants. Fortunately for anyone who doesn't want to play in the snow, the Seahawks play Green Bay in Week 1 and New York in Week 7, meaning the most severe weather they're likely to face this season will come at home in November and December. At Tennessee in Week 3 could be a warm one, but most players would much rather deal with heat than extreme cold. And speaking of warm weather, a November trip to Arizona and December games in Jacksonville and Dallas could provide nice breaks from Seattle's dreary winter weather for any fans looking to catch a road game or two.
3. Only one 10 a.m. game.
For years, west coast teams have had to play several road games per year that kicked off at 10 a.m. PT, which means a very early start to the day relative to players' body clocks. In past years, the Seahawks regularly played four or five 10 a.m. games per season, but the schedule-makers have been a bit kinder of late, scheduling only two of those games last year, at New Orleans and at New York, and just one this year, their Week 15 game at Jacksonville.
4. Another early bye.
For the third time in four years, the Seahawks have their bye in the first half of the season, this time taking their break in Week 6. Last season the Seahawks had a Week 5 bye, and in 2014, their bye was in Week 4. That doesn't necessarily have to be bad news—last year's team won the NFC West and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs, and the 2014 team went to the Super Bowl—and with a Thursday game followed by a Monday game in Weeks 10 and 11, the Seahawks will get something of a mini-bye later in the year.
5. Home-road balance.
Most of the schedule sees the Seahawks alternate road and home games throughout the season. Seattle's only consecutive road games (at Los Angeles Rams and at New York Giants) are interrupted by a Week 6 bye, while the only consecutive home games come in Weeks 8 and 9 when the Seahawks host Houston and Washington.
6. Plenty of tough opponents.
The Seahawks face five teams that advanced to the postseason in 2016, including Dallas, which earned the NFC's No. 1 seed with a 13-3 record, and the Atlanta Falcons, who eliminated the Seahawks from the playoffs on the way to an NFC championship. The Seahawks also play at Green Bay, which won the NFC North, home against the AFC South-champion Houston Texans, and at the New York Giants, who earned a wild-card berth with an 11-5 record.
7. Holiday cheer.
The Seahawks will play on Christmas Eve for the second straight season, this time playing at Dallas (last year, with Christmas on a Sunday, most of the NFL's Week 16 schedule shifted to Saturday). The Seahawks are home on New Year's Eve against Arizona, giving revelers an excuse to start their celebration early. The Seahawks don't play on Thanksgiving, but are on the road against San Francisco that weekend.
8. Pro/college double weekends.
If you're a Seahawks fan and a University of Washington fan, you have four chances to double up for a football-filled weekend. The Huskies host Fresno State on Sept. 16, a day before Seattle's home opener against the 49ers; Washington plays UCLA on Oct. 28 with Seattle hosting Houston the next day, then the following weekend, the Huskies host Oregon on Saturday with the Seahawks hosting the Washington Redskins the next day. The Huskies are home against Utah on Nov. 18, two days before Seattle's Monday night game against Atlanta.
For Washington State fans, there are three chances to catch the Seahawks and Cougars at home on the same weekend, with the Cougars hosting Oregon State on Sept. 26, USC on Friday, Sept. 29, and Stanford on Nov. 4.
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Take a photo-by-photo look at the Seahawks' 2017 regular-season schedule.
Seattle's defensive front kept up the pressure on the Packers, and Michael Bennett sacked Aaron Rodgers.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota passes against the Indianapolis Colts in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
After the game, second-year quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson greet each other at midfield.
Seattle's Tyler Lockett, who missed much of the second half with an injury, came back in the fourth quarter and got behind the defense to haul in a 53-yard bomb from Russell Wilson.
Seahawks defenders Richard Sherman, Kelcie McCray and Earl Thomas stop Atlanta's Devonta Freeman.
Defensive tackle Jarran Reed points after making a tackle for loss.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Jacksonville Jaguars.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Frank Clark (55) puts on pressure during an NFL game against Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jarerd Goff (16) on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, in Seattle, Wash. The Seahawks won the game, 24-3. (Greg Trott via AP)
