NFL schedule 2017: Ten teams have more primetime games than the Seahawks

The 2017 NFL schedule is out, and the Seattle Seahawks will have three primetime home games, plus a Thursday night road game at Arizona. Only the early December matchup against the Eagles can be flexed out due to it being on Sunday Night Football.

Starting with 2013, the Seahawks have managed at least four night games per season, and 2017 is no different. The most primetime games a team is allowed is six, so just how many of them have more primetime spots than Seattle? Let’s find out!

Kansas City Chiefs (last season’s record: 12-4)

at Patriots (Thursday Night Kickoff)
vs. Redskins (Monday Night Football)
at Texans (Sunday Night Football)
at Raiders (Thursday Night Football)
vs. Broncos (Monday Night Football)
vs. Chargers (Saturday Night Football)

Uhhh okay? Who figured the Chiefs would reach the max limit? And only the week 5 Texans game can be flexed out, which would probably involve some scenario where both teams are winless. I hope y’all like Alex Smith, because all but one of these games is before week 9!

New England Patriots (last season’s record: 14-2)

vs. Chiefs (Thursday Night Kickoff)
at Buccaneers (Thursday Night Football)
vs. Falcons (Sunday Night Football)
at Broncos (Sunday Night Football)
at Dolphins (Monday Night Football)

They’re the defending Super Bowl champions. They’re the New England Patriots. What did you expect?

Oakland Raiders (last season’s record: 11-5)

at Redskins (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Chiefs (Thursday Night Football)
at Dolphins (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Cowboys (Sunday Night Football)
at Eagles (Monday Night Football on Christmas)

Oakland was so unlucky with the loss of Derek Carr last year. I won’t complain about the possibility of primetime Beast Mode (assuming the Raiders eventually do get him) on five different occasions, though.

Denver Broncos (last season’s record: 8-8)

vs. Chargers (Monday Night Football)
at Chiefs (Monday Night Football)
vs. Giants (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Patriots (Sunday Night Football)
at Colts (Thursday Night Football)

Will Denver’s defense still be formidable without Wade Phillips leading the group? Vance Joseph will be under bright lights a lot this season, as his first year as Broncos head coach kicks off with a late Monday kickoff versus the Los Angeles Chargers.

Pittsburgh Steelers (last season’s record: 11-5)

at Lions (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Titans (Thursday Night Football)
vs. Packers (Sunday Night Football)
at Bengals (Monday Night Football)
vs. Ravens (Sunday Night Football)

Pittsburgh was 4-5 last year before making a hell of a run to the AFC Championship Game, where New England stomped all over their faces. All of the Steelers’ night games are from week 8 onward.

Green Bay Packers (last season’s record: 10-6)

at Falcons (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Bears (Thursday Night Football)
vs. Lions (Monday Night Football)
at Steelers (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Vikings (Sunday Night Football but moved to 12/23)

No surprises here. Green Bay is a glamour team and they were one game shy of the Super Bowl, and they’ll get to avenge that NFC CG loss to Atlanta in week 2.

Atlanta Falcons (last season’s record: 11-5)

vs. Packers (Sunday Night Football)
at Patriots (Sunday Night Football)
at Seahawks (Monday Night Football)
vs. Saints (Thursday Night Football)
at Buccaneers (Monday Night Football)

The defending NFC champions open up their new stadium against the Packers, but not before a road opener at Chicago. Oh yeah, the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. That was pretty bad. On paper, Falcons at Seahawks is probably the biggest game on the entire MNF lineup all season.

Dallas Cowboys (last season’s record: 13-3)

vs. Giants (Sunday Night Football)
at Cardinals (Monday Night Football)
vs. Eagles (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Redskins (Thursday Night Football)
at Raiders (Sunday Night Football)

Duh. It’s the Cowboys. They were great under Dak Prescott/Ezekiel Elliott and they play in the NFC East. Add in that they have their usual Thanksgiving slot and Dallas has six national games, plus they’ll have a ton of feature doubleheaders (Seahawks in week 16 included).

Washington Redskins (last season’s record: 8-7-1)

vs. Raiders (Sunday Night Football)
at Chiefs (Monday Night Football)
at Eagles (Monday Night Football)
vs. Giants (Thursday Night Football on Thanksgiving)
at Cowboys (Thursday Night Football)

At least the schedule makers had the good sense to stop sticking Washington home games on MNF, because their record is awful. The Skins needed to beat the Giants to make the playoffs last year, but scored 10 points and got sent packing early.

Philadelphia Eagles (last season’s record: 7-9)

at Panthers (Thursday Night Football)
vs. Redskins (Monday Night Football)
at Cowboys (Sunday Night Football)
at Seahawks (Sunday Night Football)
vs. Raiders (Monday Night Football)

I know it’s the NFC East, but how the hell did the Eagles end up with more primetime games than the Giants, who actually made the playoffs at 11-5? At least one of those games is at Seattle, so as long as the Eagles don’t suck (or the Seahawks) it won’t be flexed out of SNF. I guess it’s time to hitch your wagon to Carson Wentz.

Hey, I’m satisfied with four. I won’t take it as any sign of disrespect, as ratings, game interest, and a host of other factors we don’t know about go into making these schedules on an annual basis. I mean, it could be worse. Somehow the Buffalo Bills only managed a Thursday showdown at the New York Jets, while the 3-13 Chicago Bears got a staggering three primetime games. The Jaguars and Browns only have their respective London games for national TV coverage. They have otherwise been shutout of SNF/MNF/TNF altogether, putting an end to the brief run of every team getting at least one primetime matchup.