Assessing the strength of a team's schedule before the season begins can be a risky endeavor.
How an opponent projects to be when the schedule is released in the spring can be a lot different from what that team looks like in December.
But one popular way to judge a schedule is by the win-loss record of the opponents the year before.
And by that measure, the Seahawks face a pretty tough one in 2023, with Seattle's opponents having gone 148-138-2 in 2022, tied for the 12th best winning percentage (.517) of any set of combined opponents this year.
Let's take a look at each game
Sept. 10 vs. Los Angeles Rams: The season opener, Bobby Wagner's homecoming and his revenge game all wrapped up in one. What it appears the Seahawks won't have to worry about anymore is defending star Rams WR Cooper Kupp, which will help mitigate that it appears Jamal Adams and Devon Witherspoon — who likely would've had the most responsibility for covering him — won't play, either.
Sept. 17 at Detroit Lions: Seattle returns to the site of its most entertaining game of 2022, a 48-45 win on a day Geno Smith convinced any remaining doubters that the Seahawks could survive the post-Russell Wilson era.
Sept. 24 vs. Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young comes to town on the day that the Seahawks celebrate the 10th anniversary of their only Super Bowl championship. Yeah, the crowd might be a factor.
Oct. 2 at New York Giants: A night game at MetLife Stadium? Worked out pretty well almost 10 years ago in Super Bowl XLVIII. But what could be an improved Giants team is going to want some revenge for the beatdown of last year.
Oct. 15 at Cincinnati Bengals: Following an early bye, Seattle goes back on the road to get its first look at Joe Burrow in its first game in Cincy since 2015 and only its second since 2003.
Oct. 22 vs. Arizona Cardinals: The absolute biggest "better win this one" on the schedule if the Seahawks are going to make much of the 2023 season. But a healthy Kyler Murray would at least be interesting to watch.
Oct. 29 vs. Cleveland Browns: Can you name the starting QB the last time Cleveland came to town? His name rhymes with Honny Janziel. But the last time Deshaun Watson came to town in 2017 was one of the most memorable games in recent Seahawks history (a 41-38 Seattle win). Oh, and the Seahawks are going to wear the throwbacks. Should be one to remember.
Nov. 5 at Baltimore Ravens: This will be Seattle's first trip back to Baltimore since 2015 and just the second game for the Seahawks against Lamar Jackson. Jackson is 1-0 against Seattle, a win at Lumen Field in 2019 in a homecoming for Earl Thomas (as well as what turned out to be his Seattle swan song).
Nov. 12 vs. Washington Commanders: If nothing else, the Seahawks have never lost to the Commanders. OK, they've never played the Commanders either, this being the first game since the name change.
Nov. 19 at Los Angeles Rams: So who knows what the Rams will be like by the time this game rolls around? Revived with a healthy Matthew Stafford? In complete rebuild mode and playing out the string? Regardless, given the history of this series, it probably won't be easy.
Nov. 23 vs. San Francisco 49ers: What will be the first home Thanksgiving Day (or night) game in Lumen Field history will also be the one time the Seahawks are expected to wear their "action green" uniforms. More to the point, the Seahawks are hoping that there is a lot on the line and that having the first of two games against the 49ers at home this year is meaningful.
Nov. 30 at Dallas Cowboys: This will be a second straight Thursday night game for both teams, with the Cowboys having played their traditional Turkey Day game as well. The Cowboys are one of the harder teams in the NFL to read, in what appears a Super Bowl-or-bust season. Seattle will hope they've gone bust by this point.
Dec. 10 at San Francisco 49ers: Yep, this is going to be a tough stretch for Seattle with back-to-back road games against potential NFC contenders. The good news is Seattle should be decently rested coming off its mini-bye while the 49ers will be coming off a game the previous Sunday at Philly.
Dec. 17 vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Speaking of the Eagles, they'll come to town to cap a really rugged set of four games for Seattle. The good news? The Eagles have lost their last six against the Seahawks, all since Carroll took over. Seattle will hope history repeats.
Dec. 24 at Tennessee Titans: A second straight Christmas Eve on the road for the Seahawks, who will have to avoid being in letdown mode after that SF-Dallas-SF-Philly foursome. Not that the Titans won't be a potentially tough out on their own.
Dec. 31 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Nothing like starting off New Year's Eve with a little celebration at Lumen, no? The last time the Steelers were in town in 2015, Ben Roethlisberger threw for 456 yards. But Seattle won anyway, and he's gone now.
TBD at Arizona Cardinals: Well, the hope might be that there is nothing riding on this one — or maybe the hope is Seattle has to win this to take a division title. What we know for sure is that lots of weird and tragic things have happened to the Seahawks in Glendale, so buckle up.
