NFL Schedule: Broncos Or Seahawks With Tougher Road?

As we all know, the NFL 2014 schedule was announced earlier this week. Some teams have more favorable schedules and some teams appear to have drawn the short straw facing more daunting opponents.

There is already buzz out there that the Seahawks schedule is harder than the Broncos and vice-verse. In reviewing the schedules for the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos, who do you see having the more difficult road ahead?

Seattle Seahawks 2014 Schedule

The Seahawks welcome the Green Bay Packers as they open the 2014 season, Week 1 for the either much loved or loathed Thursday Night Football game, depending on which way you look at it.

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The opposing opinions of Thursday Night Football really don’t get more cut and dry than this. You love it or hate it.

So, let’s continue with the schedules.

Coincidentally, both the Seahawks and Broncos get an early rest as both will enjoy time off in Week 4. Note, this bye week follows the week that the Seattle Seahawks host the Broncos on September 21st. Sadly, I don’t think the Broncos are too much of a threat in Week 3. Even though they’ve boosted their defense, Seattle could potentially ground the Broncos into mincemeat in their insanely noisy stadium. And, what’s better than beating the Super Bowl losers again?

In analyzing the Seahawks schedule looking at home and away games, opponents with tougher defenses and weather conditions, it looks like the Seahawks will be challenged most during Weeks 2 (@ San Diego), 8 (@ Carolina), 11 (@ Kansas City), 13 (@ San Francisco), 14 (@Philadelphia) and 16 (@Arizona).

I’m throwing San Diego in there as being more difficult, because they surprisingly outplayed some pretty tough competition last season, and it should be plenty hot here in Southern California mid-September. Plus with heat comes distractions.

Other than frigid Philadelphia in December, Seattle hosts their east coast winter competition, the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. Not that it would be any more threatening for the Seahawks if either of these two teams dragged Seattle back to their headquarters.

The Seahawks early bye week could make for a long latter part of the season, but this is a team full of youth, so I don’t see a Week 4 bye as a con. As far as Denver with a Week 4 bye, that could wear on the more mature, Peyton Manning as the end of the season draws near.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at what opponents await the Denver Broncos.

Denver Broncos 2014 Schedule

The Denver Broncos jump start their 2014 season at home with the other fellow NFL horsemen, the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, September 7 in Week 1. Still at home, they next play the Chiefs, then they pack their tail between their legs and travel, in Week 3, to face their Super Bowl nemesis as I’ve already covered above.

Easy, breezy was this game for Seattle.

In looking at their entire 2014 schedule, the weeks that jump out the most where the Broncos could struggle are, Weeks 2 (VS Kansas City), 3 (@ Seattle), 7 (VS San Francisco), 9 (@ New England), 13 (@ Kansas City), 15 (@ San Diego), and 16 (@ Cincinnati).

Weather, other than Denver’s finest rocky mountain snows in December when they play the Bills and Raiders, doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue. What does look rather grueling is the Broncos travel mid-season as the Broncos are in Denver Week 8, New England Week 9, California Week 10, St. Louis Week 11, then back home Week 12.

The Broncos opponents will present some competition, and their early bye week and that three-week travel span mid-season could be exhausting. But overall, I believe Seattle’s schedule is tougher. They’ve got some pretty massive defenses to deal with, such as the Panthers, the Chiefs, and double-trouble with the 49ers and Cardinals.

It’s far too early to predict if either one or both of these teams will compete in Super Bowl 2015. However, after reviewing the schedules for Denver and Seattle, what is your opinion on whose schedule will be more of a challenge in 2014?

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Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today Sports