NFL Season Opener: Patriots vs. Seahawks Predictions & Odds

The 2026 NFL season starts the way the previous campaign ended with the New England Patriots taking on the Seattle Seahawks. The teams met in February with Seattle dominating in a 29-13 victory to win the Super Bowl. They get the new season started in a rare Wednesday night game with Seattle listed as a 3.5-point NFL favorite on the early NFL betting line. Backed by the NFL’s top ranked scoring defense, Seattle won its last 10 games and shut down Drake Maye and the Pats’ offense in the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl rematch gets the 2026 NFL season underway on Wednesday, September 9 from Lumen Field in Seattle. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET with the game televised live on NBC.

Patriots at Seahawks Preview

The pressure is going to be on the Patriots this season after going 14-3 and matching the best record in the NFL. Behind Drake Maye and a strong defensive setup, the Pats exceeded everyone’s expectations taking advantage of a soft schedule to make a 10-game improvement from the 2024 campaign. Many observers anticipate some regression from the club now that they are the hunted instead of the hunter.

Everything went right for New England last season following a 1-2 start. The Pats strung together a 10-game winning streak and won 13 of their last 14 regular season games to claim the AFC East. In just his second season Maye progressed to one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL completing a league-best 72 percent of his passes with 31 TDs and only eight interceptions. The Pats were the second-highest scoring team in the NFL a season ago averaging 28.8 points.

• New England matched Seattle and Denver for the best record in the NFL last season at 14-3 and the Pats were one of the more profitable teams going 12-5 against the NFL betting line, including a 7-1 ATS mark in road games.
• The Pats had the fourth-best passing offense last season and added star receiver A.J. Brown to the mix during the offseason. In addition, Romeo Doubs was acquired to give the club a retooled passing attack.
• After allowing six sacks in their Super Bowl loss, the Pats reshaped their offensive line with 2025 first round pick Will Campbell expected to start at the crucial left tackle spot.
• The front seven from a group that ranked fourth in points allowed in 2025 returns largely unchanged. Kevin Byard, who led the NFL with 7 interceptions last season, was added to strengthen the secondary.

The Seahawks had an even better run to close last season winning their last 10 games overall, including a decisive verdict over the Pats in Super Bowl LX. The career resurrection of Sam Darnold was a huge story last season, but it was Seattle’s defense that led them to the Lombardi Trophy. The group was devastating, allowing the fewest points per game in the NFL earning its own “Dark Side” nickname. Seattle’s first Super Bowl winner also was No. 1 in scoring defense, landing the moniker “Legion of Boom.”

The defense is set with its core of starters back, including Byron Murphy II and Derick Hall, who each had a pair of sacks on Drake Maye in the Super Bowl. The questions surround the offense with coordinator Klint Kubiak taking the Raiders head job and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III leaving via free agency. With Zach Charbonnet sidelined at the start of the season, the ground game could be suspect.

• The Seahawks posted the best record in the NFC last season and matched New England and Denver for the best overall mark at 14-3. Seattle’s three setbacks were by a combined nine points against teams that combined to go 32-19.
• Seattle covered the NFL point spread in all three playoff games and went 15-5 ATS in all games last season. They were just 4-4 against the NFL betting line in their eight regular season home games.
• Walker III and Charbonnet were the running game in 2025 combining to rush for 1,757 yards and 17 TD. Together they amassed nearly 84 percent of the teams rushing yards and all but two rushing scores.
• Turning the ball over typically doesn’t lead to success, but the Seahawks were the exception last year. Their 28 giveaways were the second-most in the NFL and Sam Darnold’s 14 interceptions were the third-most of any QB in the league.

Patriots vs. Seahawks Predictions

There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the season opener. Some of the key players remain the same, but other integral parts are different. Seattle will again lean heavily on its defense to win games after surrendering 20 points or less in 13 of their 20 matchups last season. And with a new backfield it will be tough to establish the run against a stingy Patriots front. Both teams finished last regular season among the top 5 in scoring, but the defense will play a pivotal role in the outcome of this matchup.

• Playing at home has historically been an advantage for the Seahawks, who won seven straight home games last season, including playoff wins over the Rams and 49ers, while going 5-2 against the NFL line. The NFL prediction has Seattle covering the 3.5-point spread.
• Historical trends back the OVER on the total with each of the last six regular season meetings between the clubs exceeding the over/under. However, that appears to be a stretch in this game with both sides sporting intact defenses with changing parts on the offensive side.

Patriots vs. Seahawks Betting Tips

This is a matchup between two of the top three money making teams from a season ago. Seattle covered the NFL betting line in a league-high 75 percent of its games while the Pats had the third-best cover rate at 65 percent. Something has to give and it’s going to be homefield advantage. The NFL predictions have the Seahawks covering the 3.5-point football betting line.

• Seattle is a 3.5-point favorite with a moneyline price of -173 on the early NFL odds.
• The Seahawks are 4-0-1 ATS in the last five regular season meetings between the clubs.
• New England surfaced as a +150 moneyline underdog.
• The total hit the board at 44.5 with the teams cashing the OVER in the last six regular season meetings.
• The Patriots were elite against the first-half spread last season going 13-4 ATS.

Patriots vs. Seahawks Head to Head and Key Stats

Being in opposite conferences the teams are scheduled to play once every four years. Two of the last five and the most recent encounter were in the Super Bowl with each team winning a game. The Seahawks avenged their loss from the 2014 season by beating the Patriots for a fourth straight time to conclude last season. They haven’t lost to the Pats since that fateful Russell Wilson goal line interception that preserved New England’s 28-24 win in Super Bowl XLIX.

• Seattle has had the better of the overall series recently winning the last four matchups and five of the last six while going 5-1 against the NFL line in that span.
• The Seahawks are 3-1 SU and ATS in the last four games played in the Pacific Northwest.
• The teams have cashed the OVER in each of the last six regular season matchups and in each of the last three head-to-heads in Seattle.