2011 Seattle Seahawks Schedule: What Game Are You Most Looking Forward To?

The 2011 NFL schedule has been released and the Seattle Seahawks appear to be ready for prime time.  

After showing some rating power in a national game at the end of the 2010 season, Seattle will take the national stage twice in 2011.

The release of the NFL schedule is ignored by many fans. Why worry about games that are months away, particularly when our fate of being spectators of the greatest game on earth is in jeopardy?!

I continue to be optimistic that football won't be disrupted. Despite the players and owners failing to find agreement, Judge Nelson will step in and save them from themselves.  

She just has to, doesn't she?

When reviewing the Seahawks' 2011 schedule, several items pop out.

• Seattle was granted two prime-time games, both at the end of the season and both at home.
• Seattle plays just one team the week after their bye (Bengals).
  
• The Seahawks have five games in the Eastern time zone
• Seattle has the potential for one away game (Chicago) in adverse weather.

Divisional Games

The away game vs. SF should be a great kickoff to the season. Hosting them on a Saturday in Week 16 could have implications on the division crown.

We visit Arizona on New Year's Day, a great time for fans to travel to Glendale.

The dome game in St. Louis is late in the season, saving an adverse weather game.

All in all, Seahawks fans should be somewhat pleased with the prime-time placement, but very disappointed in playing five games on the east coast, all at 10:00 AM PT.  

The NFL made a rule to ease the burden of teams traveling to the west coast, but despite the proven disadvantage to travelling east and playing early games, no concessions have been made.

Watch for a follow-up article on this.

The NFL is scheduling divisional opponents the last week of the season. Last year, they attempted to "seed" the games based on a team's expected finish, but that doesn't appear to be the case this season. Many teams that look to be divisional favorites are playing lesser opponents. 

It will be interesting to see how Seattle responds in 2011 now that the NFL has shown the franchise some respect. It is also time to address early start times for west coast teams.

Stay posted, Seahawks fans, as I'll have another article or two that addresses the schedule in a little more detail.

Seattle Seahawks Full 2011 Schedule (Labor Agreement pending)

Preseason Schedule
Thursday, August 11	5:00 PT	Seattle @ San Diego
Saturday, August 20	7:30 PT	Minnesota @ Seattle
Saturday, August 27	6:00 PT	Seattle @ Denver
Friday, September 2	7:30 PT	Oakland @ Seattle
Regular Season Schedule
Sunday, September 11	1:15 PT	Seattle @ San Francisco
Sunday, September 18	10:00 PT	Seattle @ Pittsburgh
Sunday, September 25	1:15 PT	Arizona @ Seattle
Sunday, October 2	1:05 PT	Atlanta @ Seattle
Sunday October 9	10:00 PT	Seattle @ NY Giants
Sunday, October 17		Bye
Sunday, October 23	10: 00 PT	Seattle @ Cleveland
Sunday, October 30	1:15 PT	Cincinnati @ Seattle
Sunday, November 6	10:00 PT	Seattle @ Dallas
Sunday, November 13	1:05 PT	Baltimore @ Seattle
Sunday, November 20	1:05 PT	Seattle @ St. Louis
Sunday, November 27	1:05 PT	Washington @ Seattle
Thursday, December 1	5:20 PT	Philadelphia @ Seattle
Monday, December 12	5:30 PM	St. Louis @ Seattle
Sunday, December 18	10:00 PT	Seattle @ Chicago
Saturday, December 24	1:15 PT	San Francisco @ Seattle
Sunday, January 1	1:15 PT	Seattle @ Arizona