Of Seattle’s five prime-time games, three are at home — a Monday night game against Buffalo on Nov. 7, a Sunday night game against Carolina on Dec. 4 and a Thursday nighter against the Rams on Dec. 15.
The Seahawks again will play a team-record five prime-time games in 2016, the maximum allowed, as well as host Arizona on Christmas Eve and play at San Francisco on New Year’s Day.
Those are among the highlights of the team’s 2016 regular-season schedule released Thursday.
Seattle will make its first trip to Los Angeles since 1994 when it plays the Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 18, a game that also will serve as a homecoming for coach Pete Carroll, who coached in that stadium for USC from 2001-09. The Seahawks’ most-recent appearance in Los Angeles was Sept. 11, 1994, a 38-9 win over the Raiders at the Coliseum. That game will be the first in Los Angeles for the Rams since leaving St. Louis — they will open the season the week before at San Francisco.
Carroll also will make a return trip to New England, where he coached from 1997-99, for a game against the Patriots on Nov.13. That game, also a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX, is one of Seattle’s five prime-time games, set for a 5:30 p.m. PT start on NBC.
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Of Seattle’s five prime-time games, three are at home — a Monday night game against Buffalo on Nov. 7, a Sunday night game against Carolina on Dec. 4 and a Thursday nighter against the Rams on Dec. 15. It’s the first time Seattle will play three home prime-time games since 2006.
The two road games in prime time are the contest against the Patriots and an Oct. 23 Sunday nighter at Arizona.
Teams can play more than five prime-time games if they are flexed into one late in the season, but five is the maximum as part of the set schedule. Seattle also played five prime-time games in 2015, with three on the road, and had just four in 2014.
The move of the Rams also helped put a limit on the often-vexing 10 a.m. Seattle time starts for the Seahawks, who are scheduled for just two — Oct. 2 at the New York Jets and Oct. 30 at New Orleans. The Seahawks had three 10 a.m. games last season and went 2-1.
The schedule begins with a home game Sept. 11 against Miami, only the second time since 2010 that Seattle has opened at CenturyLink Field.
Seattle’s bye comes after the fourth week, the second time in the past three seasons the Seahawks have had an early bye. Seattle had a Week 3 bye in 2014. Seattle’s bye last season came after the eighth week, and in 2013 it came after Week 11.
Seattle, though, will play just one game against a team coming off of a bye — New England. Last season, Seattle played four opponents coming off of byes, the most of any NFL team. Seattle went 2-2 in those games, losing to Arizona and Carolina at home and beating Pittsburgh and the 49ers at home.
Seattle’s schedule also again is back-loaded with NFC West games, as the Seahawks will play each of their three division foes in the last three weeks.
Week 1
vs. Miami Dolphins
Sept. 11, 1:05 p.m., CBS
CBS Dolphins’ secondary now features one-time Legion of Boom member Byron Maxwell.
Week 2
at Los Angeles Rams
Sept. 18, 1:05 p.m., FOX
Pete Carroll makes a homecoming to the Coliseum against a team that swept the Seahawks last season.
Week 3
vs. San Francisco 49ers
Sept. 25, 1:05 p.m., FOX
First visit to Seattle by Chip Kelly since he became an NFL coach.
Week 4
at New York Jets
Oct. 2, 10 a.m., FOX
Seahawks will return to the site of their greatest triumph, the Super Bowl XLVIII win at MetLife Stadium.
Week 5
Bye
Oct. 9
Week 6
vs. Atlanta Falcons
Oct. 16, 1:25 p.m., FOX
Former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn makes his first trip back.
Week 7
at Arizona Cardinals
Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m., NBC
Seattle has won the last two in Glendale against the Cardinals by a combined 71-12.
Week 8
at New Orleans Saints
Oct. 30, 10 a.m., FOX
First trip to the Big Easy since a 34-19 loss in 2010, Carroll’s first year.
Week 9
vs. Buffalo Bills
Nov. 7 (Monday), 5:30 p.m., ESPN
First game in Seattle for the Bills since 2004, when Drew Bledsoe was their quarterback.
Week 10
at New England Patriots
Nov. 13, 5:30 p.m., NBC
Another Carroll homecoming, but most will focus on the Super Bowl XLIX rematch.
Week 11
vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Nov. 20, 1:25 p.m., CBS
A homecoming for new Eagles coach Doug Pederson, a Ferndale High grad.
Week 12
at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Nov. 27, 1:05 p.m., FOX
First trip since 2010 for Seahawks against their expansion partner.
Week 13
vs. Carolina Panthers
Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m., NBC
The seemingly annual visit by the Panthers will get prime-time treatment.
Week 14
at Green Bay Packers
Dec. 11, 1:25 p.m., FOX
Second straight season with a trip to Green Bay, where Seattle is 3-7 in the regular season.
Week 15
vs. Los Angeles Rams
Dec. 15 (Thursday), 5:25 p.m., NBC/NFL Network
A visit by the Rams and expected No. 1 pick QB Carson Wentz or maybe Jared Goff comes on a Thursday night.
Week 16
vs. Arizona Cardinals
Dec. 24 (Saturday), 1:25 p.m., FOX
Seahawks get to stay home for the holidays with a Christmas Eve Saturday visit from Arizona.
Week 17
at San Francisco 49ers
Jan 1, 1:25 p.m., FOX
Seattle welcomes in the New Year in the Bay Area and with a third straight divisional game to end the season.