This Seahawks vs Patriots matchup had it all. Two Super Bowl teams facing off in a rematch of Super Bowl LX, a sold-out Lumen Field, New England jumping out early, a quarterback going down with an injury, and Seattle clawing its way back in the fourth quarter.
Going in, the Seahawks were the favorites. Home field, coming off a championship, all that. The Patriots showed up wanting to prove they belonged in that conversation too, and for a good chunk of the game, they did.
New England raced out to a 10-0 lead while Seattle lost starting QB Sam Darnold to a right hip injury on the opening possession. Seattle didn’t fold though — they answered with a field goal to make it 10-3, then Drew Lock settled in, the defense woke up, and the fourth quarter turned into a completely different game.
Final score: Seahawks 13, Patriots 10.
Who Was the Betting Favorite in Seahawks vs Patriots?
Seattle. The Seahawks were favored going into the game, with home-field advantage and their status as the defending champions giving them the edge.
The exact betting numbers should be checked against the sportsbook’s opening line, but the important part is that Seattle entered as the favorite while New England came in as the underdog.
Makes sense on paper. Home crowd, coming off a championship, and a defense that was one of the biggest strengths of the team heading into the season — Seattle allowed the fewest points in the NFL last season.
But New England wasn’t there to lose politely. They came out aggressive, grabbed a 10-0 lead, and looked comfortable for long stretches. This was never going to be a blowout, and it wasn’t.
Why Seattle Got the Nod
The crowd mattered. Opening the season at home, coming off a championship, with the building rocking from kickoff, that’s a real edge. Seattle needed all of it by the end.
That defense showed up when it counted. Maye moved the ball early and had the Patriots looking comfortable, but things got harder for him as the game wore on. New England actually played it conservatively for most of the first half — Maye had just one throw travel more than 10 air yards before halftime.
The fourth quarter is where Seattle flipped the script. The Seahawks intercepted Maye three times — cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett came down with a tipped pass to set up the drive that tied the game, a second pick set up Jason Myers’ go-ahead field goal, and Josh Jobe sealed it with an end-zone interception on New England’s final drive, as the Patriots were in position to try a tying field goal.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba came up huge with Darnold sidelined. His biggest moment was a 45-yard touchdown catch from Drew Lock in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 10-10 — set up on fourth-and-1, when new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury chose to throw rather than run a tush push with tight end AJ Barner.
That’s the kind of play Seattle needed after spending most of the night trying to catch up.
New England Wasn’t Just Along for the Ride
Calling Seattle the favorite doesn’t mean the Patriots were supposed to roll over. For long stretches, they looked like the better team.
Maye came out firing, hitting rookie tight end Eli Raridon for the opening touchdown of the NFL season — notably, Raridon didn’t score a touchdown in 12 games at Notre Dame last season. The Patriots then added a field goal to push their lead to 10-0.
Seattle’s offense was sputtering, hurt further by three false-start penalties, and the Patriots looked like they had this thing under control.
Seattle answered with a field goal to trim the deficit to 10-3, but New England continued to hold the lead deep into the game.
Then things started getting ugly for the Patriots.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown left the game in the third quarter with a right ankle injury. Brown was Maye’s No. 1 option, and losing him took away a major part of New England’s offense.
Maye missed him greatly as the game went on. The Patriots had a chance to protect their lead, but Seattle’s three interceptions in the fourth quarter completely changed the game.
The Sam Darnold Injury
One of the biggest storylines coming out of this Seahawks vs Patriots game had nothing to do with the final score.
Darnold got hurt on Seattle’s opening possession with a right hip injury. He was removed from the game after the opening drive and did not return.
It was a brutal way to start the season, especially with Seattle already trailing.
But the good news is that the injury initially appeared less serious than it could have been.
After the game, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said the team got “great news” on Darnold. The initial evaluation — a CT scan at Harborview Medical Center — suggested he had avoided a fracture, though the results were described as encouraging but inconclusive.
Darnold was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the full extent of the injury.
So while Seattle got the win, the quarterback situation is something the team will be watching closely heading into Week 2.
Enter Drew Lock
Lock stepped in and Seattle had to rework its whole offensive approach on the fly.
It wasn’t smooth right away either. The Seahawks struggled to consistently move the ball, and New England’s defense kept the pressure on.
But Lock settled in.
By the second half, he was making the throws Seattle needed, including a 21-yard strike to Smith-Njigba that nearly converted a third-and-22, and in the fourth quarter he delivered the biggest play of the game.
His final line: 16-for-22, 187 yards and one touchdown.
The touchdown was the big one — a 45-yard strike to Jaxon Smith-Njigba that tied the game at 10-10.
From there, Seattle grabbed the lead on Jason Myers’ field goal, and the defense took over.
Lock didn’t have to play like a superstar. He just had to keep the offense alive, avoid putting the defense in bad situations, and make the big throws when they appeared.
That’s exactly what he did.
Coming in unexpectedly and playing that well against a Patriots defense that had controlled much of the night? Pretty solid outing.
On the ground, Seattle used a committee approach with Darnold’s early exit forcing more passing situations: rookie Jadarian Price led the way with 52 yards on 10 carries, George Holani added 29 yards on eight carries, and Emanuel Wilson chipped in 3 yards on two attempts, with Zach Charbonnet opening the season on the physically unable to perform list.
How Drake Maye Actually Played
Maye’s night is a perfect example of how a quarterback’s final result doesn’t always tell the whole story.
He looked sharp early and helped build that 10-point cushion. The Patriots played conservatively in the first half, and Maye didn’t have to take many deep shots.
But the fourth quarter changed everything.
Seattle intercepted Maye three times in the quarter. Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett came down with a tipped pass to set up Seattle’s tying touchdown drive. A second interception — on a throw over the middle intended for Pop Douglas on third-and-14 — set up Myers’ go-ahead field goal. Then, on New England’s final possession, Josh Jobe picked Maye off in the end zone to seal the win.
Multiple interceptions in a game is rare for Maye — the only other time he threw two in a game last season, including playoffs, was against this same Seahawks team in the Super Bowl.
Those mistakes were expensive. The Patriots had spent most of the game protecting their lead, but once the turnovers started coming, Seattle suddenly had opportunities to get back into the game. And Seattle took advantage of them.
Maye had shown plenty of positive signs before the collapse. He helped New England build the early lead and looked comfortable while the Patriots controlled the game.
But quarterbacks get judged by what happens when the pressure is highest.
For Maye, that meant three interceptions allowed in the fourth quarter.
He’ll have better games. But that fourth quarter is what people are going to remember from this one.
The A.J. Brown Injury
Another major storyline for New England was the loss of A.J. Brown.
Brown left the game in the third quarter with a right ankle injury and didn’t return.
That mattered because Brown was Maye’s No. 1 option.
With Brown out, the Patriots needed other receivers to step up, and Romeo Doubs — signed to a four-year, $68 million contract in free agency this offseason — became particularly important.
Unfortunately for New England, Doubs had a costly drop on a play that would have converted a first down, a mistake that preceded one of Maye’s second-half interceptions.
That’s how quickly a game can turn in the NFL.
One play keeps a drive alive. Another ends it. Suddenly a team that looked completely in control is fighting to hold onto a lead.
The Fourth-Quarter Collapse
This is really where the Seahawks vs Patriots game was decided.
New England entered the fourth quarter with a 10-3 lead.
Seattle needed something to happen, and eventually it did. Nehemiah Pritchett’s interception of a tipped Maye pass gave Seattle the ball, and the Seahawks turned it into the game-tying score when Lock connected with Smith-Njigba on the 45-yard touchdown.
Then came a second Maye interception, intended for Pop Douglas on third-and-14. Seattle turned that opportunity into Jason Myers’ go-ahead field goal.
Now New England was down 13-10.
The Patriots still had a chance. But on their final drive, with New England in position to attempt a tying field goal, Maye was intercepted again — this time by Josh Jobe in the end zone.
That was it.
Three Seattle interceptions in the fourth quarter. A 10-0 lead gone. A game that looked like New England’s to lose suddenly belonged to Seattle.
Final Score
Seattle Seahawks 13, New England Patriots 10
The final score doesn’t really show how strange this game was.
New England led 10-0.
Seattle lost its starting quarterback on the opening possession.
The Patriots controlled long stretches of the game.
And then Seattle completely changed the momentum in the fourth quarter.
Drew Lock made the big throw.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba made the big catch.
Jason Myers made the go-ahead kick.
And Seattle’s defense forced three turnovers in the fourth quarter.
That’s how a 10-0 deficit turned into a 13-10 victory.
So Who Actually Played Better in Seahawks vs Patriots?
If you just look at the scoreboard, Seattle wins.
But the game itself was much closer than that.
New England controlled the tempo for long stretches and built a real lead. Seattle struggled offensively and then lost its starting quarterback almost immediately.
For much of the night, the Patriots looked like the better team.
Seattle just made the plays that mattered most.
Lock delivered when he had to. Smith-Njigba came up huge. And the defense forced three turnovers exactly when New England needed to protect its lead.
That’s the difference, plain and simple.
You don’t always have to dominate a game to win it.
Sometimes you just need to make the biggest plays when the game is on the line.
Seattle did that.
Key Stats at a Glance
| Player | Team | Stat Line |
|---|---|---|
| Drew Lock | Seahawks | 16/22, 187 yds, 1 TD |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks | 45-yard TD catch |
| Drake Maye | Patriots | 3 INTs allowed in Q4 |
| Nehemiah Pritchett | Seahawks | 4th-quarter INT (tipped pass), set up tying TD drive |
| Josh Jobe | Seahawks | Game-sealing INT |
| Sam Darnold | Seahawks | Left game with right hip injury |
| Eli Raridon | Patriots | Opening TD reception |
| Jason Myers | Seahawks | Go-ahead field goal |
| Jadarian Price | Seahawks | 52 rush yds on 10 carries |
The biggest numbers weren’t necessarily the passing yards.
They were the three fourth-quarter interceptions Seattle’s defense forced.
Those turnovers completely changed the game.
What It Means Going Forward
For Seattle, this is the kind of win that builds real confidence.
It wasn’t pretty.
They fell behind 10-0, lost their starting quarterback on the opening possession, struggled offensively for stretches, and still found a way to win.
That’s a good sign this early in the season. Seattle opens Week 2 on the road against the Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, Sept. 20).
The biggest thing to watch now is Darnold’s hip. The initial news was encouraging, with the team saying he appeared to have avoided a fracture, but the MRI will provide a better picture of the injury. If Darnold misses time, Lock has already shown that he can step into the lineup and give Seattle a chance.
For New England, the loss stings, but there’s plenty to build on.
They controlled the game for long stretches against the reigning champions on the road. Maye looked comfortable early, the defense kept Seattle’s offense under control for most of the night, and the Patriots were just a few plays away from leaving Seattle with a win.
The turnovers are the obvious problem. Three interceptions allowed in the fourth quarter is almost impossible to overcome.
Brown’s ankle injury is another thing to watch, especially because he was Maye’s No. 1 option. New England hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 (Sunday, Sept. 20).
If the Patriots can clean up the mistakes and get Brown back healthy, there’s still plenty to like about this team.
Bottom Line
Seattle went into this Seahawks vs Patriots clash as the favorite and came out with the win, but it wasn’t the comfortable kind of victory the odds might have suggested.
New England led 10-0.
Seattle lost its starting quarterback.
The Patriots controlled much of the game.
And then everything changed in the fourth quarter.
Drew Lock found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown to tie the game at 10.
Jason Myers kicked the go-ahead field goal.
Then Seattle’s defense closed the door, forcing three interceptions in the fourth quarter — Nehemiah Pritchett and a second pick setting up Seattle’s scores, and Josh Jobe sealing the game with a pick in the end zone.
Final: Seahawks 13, Patriots 10.
Tough way to lose for New England after controlling so much of the game.
Great way to open the season for Seattle.
The Seahawks showed they could win even after losing their starting quarterback early. The Patriots showed they can compete on the road against the reigning champions, but they also showed exactly what can happen when turnovers pile up at the worst possible time.
Either way, both teams look worth keeping an eye on this year.