Golden Nuggets: NFL Schedule Officially Released, 49ers Open Levi's Week 2

The NFL schedule was officially released yesterday. With that month long, soul crushing, drama filled, chunk of offseason seemingly behind us, we can finally start enjoying the finer parts of the offseason. The draft is "only" two weeks away, and like I said, the schedule was released. I don't know about you guys, but I get really excited when the NFL throws us these bones. They are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but knowing months in advance that Levi's stadium will host its first regular season game in week two makes me giddier than a pre-teen girl at a Justin Bieber concert c. 2008.

The highlights of the schedule include the season opener in Dallas, a game that will almost certainly be called by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, so hooray for us... After that comes the home opener at Levi's in week two vs. the Bears. We don't face Seattle until week 13 on Thanksgiving, but we play them again in week 15 after a short layover in Oakland. Not really sure what to make of that. Ideally, the game in Seattle would be out of the way early like it was last season, but that's just my personal preference in ending hot rather than starting. Anyways, the 49ers have the 4th hardest schedule based on last year, but we know that from year to year there is so much change that its very hard to predict strength of schedule accurately. The 49ers do play three playoff teams from last year in the AFC west, but aside from the Broncos, none of them strike much fear into me. For my waaay too early season prediction: pre-draft edition, I'll predict a 12-4 record give or take a game for unforeseen outcomes. To the links!

Schedule News:

49ers' 2014 schedule released, Levi's Stadium opens in Week 2 vs. Bears (Gin)

Two Seahawks matchups top games on 49ers schedule (Maiocco)

49ers’ schedule: Two late-season meetings vs. Seattle; Week 1 at Dallas (Branch)

49ers to Play Four Primetime Games in 2014 (49ers)

Thanksgiving gravy: Thoughts on the 49ers' schedule (Barrows)

Analyzing all 16 games on 49ers schedule (excluding potential fourth straight postseason) (Inman)

Game-by-game look at 49ers’ schedule (Branch)

Miscellaneous:

Movin’ on up? Kiper sees 49ers’ targets as CBs Dennard and Gilbert, WRs Beckham and Cooks (Inman)

Competition draws Lloyd back to NFL (ESPN)