SEATTLE -- The Seattle Seahawks’ 2023 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Thursday.
The highlights include a Thanksgiving matchup at home against the division rival San Francisco 49ers, two other prime-time games and a Week 5 bye.
And unlike last season, when the Seahawks played five of their final seven at home, they’ll be on the road for four of their final six, including a second straight Thursday night game against the Dallas Cowboys the week after Thanksgiving and a Christmas Eve game against the Tennessee Titans.
Schedule
Sept. 10: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sept. 17: at Detroit
Sept. 24: vs. Carolina
Oct. 2: at New York Giants (MNF)
Oct. 8: BYE
Oct. 15: at Cincinnati
Oct. 22: vs. Arizona
Oct. 29: vs. Cleveland
Nov. 5: at Baltimore
Nov. 12: vs. Washington
Nov. 19: at Los Angeles Rams
Nov. 23: vs. San Francisco (Thanksgiving)
Nov. 30: at Dallas (TNF)
Dec. 10: at San Francisco
Dec. 17: vs. Philadelphia
Dec. 24: at Tennessee
TBD: vs. Arizona
Strength of schedule: .518 (tied for 12th-toughest)
Over/Under: 8.5
Biggest takeaway
The Seahawks probably won’t mind having a Week 5 bye and playing four of the toughest games on their schedule in the second half. With linebacker Jordyn Brooks coming off a knee injury that will likely keep him out past Week 1 and safety Jamal Adams also not certain to be ready by the opener, the early bye could mean one fewer missed game for one or two of their most important defenders. Both have a good chance to be back for the brutal stretch in November and December in which they’ll face the 49ers twice, the Cowboys, and the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in consecutive weeks. Those might be the most important four games on their schedule, considering the weight of division and conference games.
Revenge game
Who remembers Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson celebrating a Seahawks win over the 49ers on Thanksgiving night in 2014 by devouring drumsticks on the 49ers logo at Levi’s Stadium? That was so long ago that both rosters have almost completely turned over, but even if it no longer registers inside the 49ers’ locker room, it should be fun to revisit in the leadup to what remains each team’s biggest rivalry game. The 49ers beat the Seahawks by a combined 46 points over a three-game sweep last season, so they’ll be plenty motivated themselves.
Bold prediction
The Seahawks will beat the Bengals in Cincinnati in Week 6 for a 4-1 start. That’s one of four 10 a.m. PT kickoffs on their schedule, but they’ve been excellent in the early games in recent seasons and they’ll be well-rested coming off their bye. They should be heavily favored in home games against the rebuilding Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers, meaning they’d have to win those, plus another road game against either the Detroit Lions or New York Giants -- two playoff teams from a year ago -- in addition to beating the Bengals for a 4-1 start.