The five most intriguing games for the Seahawks and NFL before Thursday’s schedule release
On Thursday, the NFL will announce their upcoming schedule for the 2020 season. The only drama that comes along with it this year is will the season start on time and furthermore, will there be a season? Both look to be trending towards a yes.
While offseason training activities and meetings are now done via Zoom, the release of the schedule seems to be an attempt by the league to move as if things will start on time. We already know the college game is scrambling to put plans together if the season is abbreviated. Will the NFL be next in line?
One thing we do know is that there will be no international games, something I’d guess players and coaches would take as a small scheduling victory.
Before things go live on Thursday, here’s a look at what I think will be the five most interesting games for both the Seahawks and the NFL as a whole. I will also take a stab as to when I think these games will be played during the season.
Five most intriguing games on Seattle’s 2020 Schedule
5. New England vs. Seattle
OK, so this game doesn’t have the sexiness that it would have if a few guys who used to play for the Patriots now play for the Tampa Bay Bucs. However, the importance for this game actually doesn’t reside with Seattle and more with New England. For the first time in about 20 years, New England’s stranglehold on the AFC East is going to be threatened by multiple teams, one of those comes up here shortly. Games outside the AFC East may matter just as much to what happens inside the division.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Sunday Night Football on NBC in October
4. Seattle at Philadelphia
Ask any Eagles fan and they’re probably still pissed off at Jadeveon Clowney for his brutal hit on Eagles QB Carson Wentz in last season’s NFC Wildcard game. Just like last season’s regular season contest that saw a Seattle victory, this could mean a lot moving forward not only for playoff positioning for divisional supremacy as well. I would not be surprised if this was the first of two meetings between the two teams.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Late afternoon game on FOX in November
3. Seattle at Buffalo
The Buffalo brand hasn’t been this strong since the days of the Jim Kelly/Bruce Smith era. I would expect the Bills to play multiple times in prime time. This would be one of them. A solid NFC foe going up to Western New York for a rare trip. Why not showcase the Bills at home in front of a national audience. Makes total sense.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Monday Night Football in September or October
2. Dallas vs. Seattle
I would venture to guess this is going to be forecasted as a playoff matchup somewhere down the road. It makes sense, both are contenders in the NFC and should see both teams in the playoffs. It’s rare that Dallas makes a trip to Seattle so a trip by arguably the league’s most polarizing team will get a nice boost in TV coverage.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Thursday Night Football in October
1. The second (or only game) vs. San Francisco
If you were to guess as to what helped buoy the 49ers postseason run last year then I think man, woman, and child could tell you that the season finale vs. Seattle was that game. They clinched the division, got home field advantage in the playoffs and rode that wave to the Super Bowl. A Niners loss probably gives you none of that. In what could be a shortened schedule this season, Seattle may get one crack at the 49ers. If it is indeed one, you better cash in on it.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Monday Night Football
Five most intriguing NFL games to be scheduled in 2020
5. The second (or only game) between Buffalo and New England
OK, so I’m taking liberties with how this is done. I’m sure you can forgive me. Right now we know that divisional opponents are gonna have the standard two games. We just don’t know if there will be an abbreviated schedule so the NFL could have a contingency plan that gives each team one crack at their divisional rivals. As previously discussed, New England’s AFC East supremacy is sitting in its twilight and Buffalo is ready to take the mantle.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Late afternoon game on CBS in November or December
4. Saints at Bucs
It writes itself and is perfect NFL marketing.
Brady vs. Brees as divisional rivals. There’s not much you can say that gets the blood pumping. The Tampa Bay Bucs brought both Brady and his former teammate Rob Gronkowski from New England to Florida for THESE games. The first game between these two in Tampa Bay will be the biggest game in the city since probably 2003 or 2004. It’s going to be in a solid spot on the schedule.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Sunday Night Football in October
3. 49ers at Cowboys
This might be the first time since the late 1990s that a 49ers-Cowboys game is actually worth paying attention to. Now that seven teams from each conference make the playoffs, this is easily a playoff preview. Dallas has their traditional Thanksgiving Day game on Fox this year and I can’t think of a better opponent than a reigning NFC champion playing them on that day.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Thanksgiving Day on FOX
2. Chiefs at Bucs
The league’s best QB (Patrick Mahomes) vs. The greatest QB of all time (Tom Brady)
That’ll put butts in front of a TV to watch some football. Tom Brady’s arrival in Tampa Bay puts the team in a much better spot for prime time. I would expect a visit from the Super Bowl Champs to be pushed into Sunday Night or Monday Night Football territory.
A-Hamm’s Gaming Forecast: Sunday Night Football in September
1. Chiefs at Ravens
No offense to the Tennessee Titans when I say the following statement.
The NFL world was cheated when we did not get a Patrick Mahomes-Lamar Jackson battle in the AFC Championship Game. Like I said, no offense to Tennessee...but nobody really wanted you at THAT party. The league’s most recent MVPs met once in 2018 with Mahomes coming out on top in that game. Now we shift the battle to Baltimore and Jackson’s turf. If the NFL Gods love us enough, this won’t be the only time these two meet during the 2020 NFL season.
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
