Breakdown: Sixth overall in strength of schedule is worse than it sounds. Half of Seattle’s games will come against 2013 playoff teams, and that doesn’t include two games against 10-6 Arizona. This is a brutal road schedule that includes five 2013 playoff teams and five teams with at least 10 victories last year. The Seahawks play only two teams (Oakland at home and Washington on the road) that didn’t win at least seven games last season.

Complaint department: The Seahawks have a nightmarish stretch with six games over only 35 days during games 10 to 15. It includes four games against 2013 playoff teams (two with the 49ers within 18 days, one with Philadelphia and one with Kansas City) and two others against Arizona. That stretch includes four road games. Five of the final six games are against NFC West opponents, including Arizona and San Francisco over a four-day stretch by facing the 49ers on road on Thanksgiving. And the Super Bowl champions have only one Monday night game -- at Washington on Oct. 6. Really? And only one prime-time home game for the Seahawks, which is the season opener against Green Bay in the "Fail Mary" rematch. That seems a little disrespectful for the defending champs. The early bye week means Seattle will have to play 13 consecutive weeks, starting in October.

A good chance to start well: The Seahawks need to make it count early and pile up some victories. They start the season with three out of five games at home, including two of the first three. They have a Super Bowl rematch at CenturyLink Field against Denver on Sept. 21 before an early bye week, then go on the road to play the Redskins on Oct. 6 and return home to play the Dallas Cowboys. Seattle needs to win at least four of those five games to have cushion for the difficult final month and half of the regular season.

Strength of schedule: 6th, .561 | Vegas over/under: 11

Seahawks Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)

Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 4, Green Bay, 8:30 p.m.

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 14, at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21, Denver, 4:25 p.m.

Week 4: BYE

Week 5: Monday, Oct. 6, at Washington, 8:30 p.m.

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12, Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19, at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26, at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 2, Oakland, 4:25 p.m.

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9, NY Giants, 4:25 p.m.

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16, at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 23, Arizona, 4:05 p.m.

Week 13: Thursday, Nov. 27, at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m.

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 7, at Philadelphia, 4:25 p.m.

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14, San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21, at Arizona, 8:30 p.m.

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28, St. Louis, 4:25 p.m.