> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ranking Seahawks’ Possible Opponents for Season Opener - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/ranking-seattle-seahawks-possible-season-opener-opponents/ - Published: 2026-05-07T20:57:27.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:55:53.000Z - Author: Nick Lee - Tags: Analysis, NFL, Patrick Mahomes, Mike Macdonald, Seahawks \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3600"\] ![ Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) carries the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Kansas City 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.jpg ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/kansas-city-chiefs-quarterback-patrick-mahomes--2815-29-carries-the-ball-against-the-seattle-seahawks-during-the-second-half-at-centurylink-field--seattle-defeated-kansas-city-38-31--mandatory-credit-3a-steven-bisig-imagn-images-format-original.jpg) Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) carries the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Kansas City 38-31\. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.jpg \[/caption\] Opening week for the Super Bowl champions is always something to circle on the calendar. The NFL typically gives them the first game of the regular season as a standalone time slot to raise the Super Bowl banner and have one last celebration before their title defense begins. The NFL schedule is set to be announced in the middle of next week, by May 14\. For the Seattle Seahawks, it will be a little quirky. They will play on Wednesday, September 9, not the usual Thursday slot. That is due to the Rams and 49ers facing off in a special opening week matchup. The NFL scheduled its first-ever regular-season game in Australia for Thursday, September 10 between two of Seattle’s biggest rivals. Not only does that decision move Seattle to Wednesday night, but it also eliminates two possible opponents for their Week 1 matchup, which is yet to be announced. The remaining possible opponents are the Bears, Cardinals, Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Giants, and Patriots. Let’s rank these seven possible opponents by how fun of a matchup it would be for Seattle to unveil their Super Bowl banner at Lumen Field on Wednesday Night Football. ### 7\. Arizona Cardinals Sorry to the NFC West rival that isn’t heading down under. The Cardinals are likely not going to be a compelling football team in 2026\. Even with having drafted Jeremiyah Love and bringing new head coach Mike LaFluer on board, Arizona has a long uphill climb to relevance. The NFL likely doesn’t want the first game of their new season to be the Seahawks’ Super Bowl defense abusing the likes of Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew. ### 6\. New York Giants At the moment, the Giants are more compelling than the Cardinals thanks to quarterback Jaxson Dart. Top draft pick Arvell Reese will be paired with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns as an enticing pass rush trio. Plus, the John Harbaugh era begins in New York, making for an exciting Baltimore reunion matchup against Mike Macdonald. They are a tier above the Cardinals but there are still way more exciting possibilities. ### 5\. New England Patriots The NFL hasn’t scheduled a Super Bowl rematch for Week 1 since 2016, when the reigning champion Broncos hosted the Carolina Panthers for their banner unveiling. Typically, the matchup has either been a playoff opponent from the same conference or a division rival. File this under “the Super Bowl rematch nobody asked for.” The Seahawks were far and away the better team in Santa Clara in February, steamrolling New England to the Super Bowl LX victory 29-13\. There’s no reason to believe the Seahawks would do anything different playing this same Patriots team at home. Had the Super Bowl been an instant classic, perhaps this is a good idea. But it wasn’t. The nation would roll their eyes. And the NFL may not want New England in the first game due to, well, let’s just say off the field reasons. ### 4\. Los Angeles Chargers The other Harbaugh’s squad is a bit more enticing for a Week 1 primetime matchup. The all-West Coast matchup would feature an exciting offense with Justin Herbert leading the Chargers against the vaunted Seahawks defense. A remade offensive line for L.A. would be a fun matchup for Seattle’s fierce defensive front. This is the first on the list of playoffs teams from a year ago. The Chargers lost the Wild Card Round game to Seattle’s eventual Super Bowl opponent, the Patriots. But overall, the Chargers are a more appealing opponent given they didn’t just play the Seahawks earlier this year. ### 3\. Dallas Cowboys This might get an eyeroll, but the TV ratings would speak for themselves. Hate them or love them, the Cowboys bring eyeballs. And that’s what the NFL wants. This would be a fun matchup between two NFC teams who have high hopes for 2026\. Dak Prescott faces off against Mike Macdonald’s defense. A revamped Dallas defense faces Sam Darnold and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The individual matchups within this matchup would make for good TV. Adding to the storylines, Dallas’ head coach Brian Schottenheimer was Seattle’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2020\. ### 2\. Kansas City Chiefs There is one caveat to this. The Chiefs should only be this high on the list if Patrick Mahomes is back at quarterback. He tore his ACL last season, sinking Kansas City’s playoff hopes. All signs are pointing his triumphant return for Week 1\. If so, Mahomes against the top defense in football who is currently at the top of the mountain upon which Mahomes recently stood himself is as compelling as it gets. Andy Reid’s offensive mind against Mike Macdonald’s complex defense speaks for itself. Plus, the Seahawks are aiming to repeat, a feat only the Chiefs have accomplished in the last two decades, with the Super Bowl MVP in Ken Walker III wearing red and yellow at his former stomping grounds. The TV analysts would have too much material to cover during this game to mention it all. The only reason why this is not No. 1 is because the main storyline nationally would be the grand return of Mahomes, thus taking the spotlight off the reigning champs. With this being a ranking of “fun” matchups for Seattle fans, that annoying narrative bumps this down a peg. ### 1\. Chicago Bears The Bears were something of the NFL darlings last year. New head coach Ben Johnson led Chicago to their first playoff win in 15 years with a lightning rod at quarterback in Caleb Williams. They nearly beat the Rams in the NFC Divisional Round after a jaw-dropping touchdown late from Williams sent the game to overtime. The Rams eventually won in overtime to advance to play the Seahawks but Williams’ heroics cemented himself as one of the most exciting players in the NFL. The Bears were just a few yards away from being Seattle’s opponent in the NFC Championship Game. While it’s premature to call this the “2026 NFC Championship Game Preview,” on the list of possible matchups for this season’s NFC title game, Seahawks versus Bears can’t be too far down. Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams against the Seahawks defense? Popcorn, please.