2012 Seattle Seahawks Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Time and TV Info

In the second year with head coach Pete Carroll at the controls and the first without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the Seattle Seahawks equaled their 2010 record of 7-9. 

This time around, however, that mark wasn't enough to back their way into the playoffs. 

Starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson had an up-and-down year and is now likely to be replaced by free-agent pickup Matt Flynn, a move that should give the team hope that it can build on a seven-win season and contest the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC West crown in 2012.

If Flynn and the Seahawks are to make good on that premise, they'll have to go through this schedule:

2012 Regular Season Schedule

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Week 1 9/9: Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:15 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 2 9/16: Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 3 9/24: Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN

Week 4 9/30: Seattle Seahawks vs. St. Louis Rams, 1 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 5 10/7: Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers, 4:05 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 6 10/14: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. EST, CBS

Week 7 10/18:  Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. EST, NFL Network

Week 8 10/28: Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 9 11/04: Minnesota Vikings vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 10 11/11: New York Jets vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. EST, CBS

Week 11 11/18: BYE WEEK

Week 12 11/25: Seattle Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 13 12/2: Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 14 12/9: Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:15 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 16 12/16: Seattle Seahawks vs. Buffalo Bills, 4:05 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 15 12/23: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:15 p.m. EST, Fox

Week 17 12/30: St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:15 p.m. EST, Fox

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Analysis

There's no doubt that the 2012 schedule shapes up nicely for the Seahawks.

Outside of two divisional games against the 49ers, Seattle faces just three playoff teams from 2011. The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots each visit the Pacific Northwest, with a trip to Detroit to take on the Lions marking the only postseason attendee from a year ago on the road docket.

The schedule isn't as easy as it might seem on paper, however.  

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets figure to be intriguing home matchups, and cross-country trips to Carolina and Buffalo won't be cakewalks. The Chicago Bears have the look of a 2012 playoff team, too, and Seattle will have to go on the road to the Windy City.

The Arizona Cardinals might be a team that takes a step forward next season, and there's few who think the 49ers will take a step backward from the team that was a few special teams plays away from the Super Bowl. 

There is plenty reason to think Seattle can approach nine or 10 wins next season, but they will have earned it if that ends up being the case. 

Most Pivotal Matchup

The matchups with the 49ers will be key tilts if the Seahawks want to wrestle away the division crown, but even a split of those games isn't likely to be enough for Seattle to win the NFC West. The 49ers are going to be a tough customer to knock off the top. 

With that in mind, I'm going a different route with the biggest matchup. What about the Packers' trip to Seattle? 

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers will have the book on how to stop Matt Flynn, and there are too many connections to list here between the two franchises. The most notable is Seahawks GM John Schneider, who worked under Packers GM Ted Thompson before jumping ship to Seattle. 

If the Seahawks can put a loss on the Packers' record—something only the Kansas City Chiefs could do in the regular season in 2011—it could prove to be a springboard to the Seahawks' playoff run next season.