The order is different, but the Seahawks and Rams have nearly identical schedules this season: home and away with their division rivals, at Eagles and Commanders, at Raiders and Broncos, home vs. the Cowboys, Giants, Chiefs, and Chargers.
Amusingly, the Hawks and Lambs even have the same bye week!
The question, for me, is which team will have the advantage on a week-to-week basis?
Week 1
Seahawks vs. Patriots (WNF)
Rams vs. Niners in Australia
Advantage: Seattle
Thoughts: Both teams are at “home” but one team is ACTUALLY at home (and facing a team they destroyed in the Super Bowl) while the other one is playing a division rival halfway around the world.
Week 2
Week 3
Seahawks at Commanders
Rams at Broncos (SNF)
Advantage: Seattle
Thoughts: Going to D.C., even with a 10am kickoff, beats the heck out of going to Mile High this early in the season.
Week 4
Seahawks vs. Chargers
Rams at Eagles
Advantage: Seattle
Thoughts: Seattle plays at home against an AFC team while the Lambs travel east to Philly and try to stop the tush-push. Both games should be fun, but ours should be funner - and, yes, that’s a word.
Week 5
Seahawks vs. Niners
Rams vs. Bills (MNF)
Advantage: Seattle – although, not by much
Thoughts: This is a tough one, but I like that the Bills maintained offensive continuity by promoting their OC to HC this offseason and I think that will make a difference, especially early in the season.
Week 6
Seahawks at Broncos (TNF)
Rams vs. Cardinals
Advantage: L.A. – and it ain’t even close
Thoughts: Folks are going to point to Seattle playing on 4 days’ rest, but I’d counter with the fact that Denver is too. For me, it’s more about the fact that one game should be relatively close, whereas the other could end with a final score of 73-zip … and that’s if the Rams sit their starters in the second half.
Week 7
Seahawks vs. Chiefs (SNF)
Rams at Raiders
Advantage: Toss up
Thoughts: On paper, this should be “Advantage, Rams,” but (a) the Chiefs were only 3 games better than the Raiders last year, record-wise; (b) the Raiders arguably improved more than the Chiefs this offseason; and (c) Klint Kubiak knows how to beat Sean McVay :p
Week 8
Seahawks vs. Bears (MNF)
Rams vs. Chargers
Advantage: Seattle – and, no, I’m not just being a homer
Thoughts: The Bears and Chargers were both 11-6 last year, but the Bears are traveling across the country to face the defending Champions in front of a national audience in prime time whereas the Chargers are traveling about 100 feet farther than they would for a home game and facing their landlord’s team.
Week 9
Seahawks vs. Cardinals
Rams at Commanders
Advantage: Seattle
Thoughts: The Commanders might not be a great team, but they’re miles better than the Cardinals. Plus, the Seahawks are sleeping in their own beds while the Lambs are playing in the early slot on the east coast.
Week 10
Week 11
Seahawks BYE
Rams BYE
Week 12
Week 13
Seahawks vs. Cowboys (MNF)
Rams vs. Chiefs (TNF)
Advantage: Seattle - 100% homerism on this one (and, yes, homerism is a word)
Thoughts: Rams vs. Chiefs starts the NFL week, Seahawks vs. Cowboys finishes it, and neither game should be particularly close. If push came to shove, though, I’d have more faith in Mahomes and the Chiefs besting the Rams than I would in Dak & Co. pulling off an upset in Seattle.
Week 14
Seahawks vs. Giants
Rams at Niners
Advantage: Seattle
Thoughts: I think John Harbaugh and Jaxson Dart are going to be a good pairing, but New York isn’t leaving Seattle with a W this year, and the Rams aren’t getting one in Santa Clara either.
Week 15
Week 16
Seahawks vs. Rams (FNF – lol)
Rams at Seahawks
Advantage: Seattle
Thoughts: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” belongs to high school football, just like football on Fridays should. Add in the fact that this game will be on Christmas night and I’d be tempted to skip it . . . if it wasn’t the Rams that Seattle will be looking to bury.
Week 17
Seahawks at Panthers
Rams at Buccaneers
Advantage: Toss up
Thoughts: Carolina had the same 8-9 record as Tampa Bay (and Atlanta) last season, but won the NFC South title on like the 23rd tiebreaker, so, technically, they’re the tougher matchup, but why split hairs?
Week 18
Seahawks at Rams
Rams vs. Seahawks
Advantage: L.A.
Thoughts: I don’t expect Seattle’s season to rest on the outcome of this game . . . but it might. Personally, I’m hoping to see a battle of former Alabama quarterbacks in this one – with ours coming out on top . . . again :)
Final Tally: Seattle 10, L.A. 4, with 3 toss-ups.
Go Hawks! (and FTR)