Seahawks 13, Patriots 10: Three Picks Rescue Opening Night
Updated: Sep 20
Drew Lock delivers the equalizer, Jaxon Smith Njigba erupts for 122 yards, and Seattle intercepts Drake Maye three times in the fourth quarter.
2026 NFL Week 1 · Final: New England Patriots 10, Seattle Seahawks 13. Official team coverage · AP game report
Seattle saved its celebration
Seattle spent much of opening night looking like a team whose celebration had run into a brick wall. Its starting quarterback was hurt, its offense could barely sustain a possession, and New England had built a 10 point lead. Then the Seahawks defense turned the fourth quarter into a takeover. Seattle escaped with a 13 to 10 victory, and the defining image was a Patriots possession ending in another interception.
Drew Lock supplied the throw that brought the offense back to life. Jaxon Smith Njigba supplied the explosion. The secondary supplied three separate chances to change the ending. New England finished with more possession and more offensive plays, yet Seattle made the small collection of snaps that ultimately decided the night count.
Follow the teams: New England Patriots · Seattle Seahawks
The fourth down that unlocked the game
With Seattle facing fourth and one, Lock found Smith Njigba for a 45 yard touchdown with 11:28 remaining. That score tied the game at 10. A situation that could have ended a possession instead erased the entire remaining deficit in one play. Jason Myers later hit from 26 yards with 5:50 left, giving Seattle its first lead.
Nehemiah Pritchett, Julian Love and Josh Jobe intercepted Drake Maye during the final quarter. Jobe finished the job in the end zone as New England threatened to steal the result back. The Seahawks did not merely benefit from three extra possessions. They prevented three Patriots drives from reaching their intended finish, including the final opportunity to win.
Every scoring play
Quarter / clock | Scoring play | NE : SEA |
Q2 9:11 | Eli Raridon 2 Yd pass from Drake Maye (Andy Borregales Kick) | 7 : 0 |
Q3 11:49 | Andy Borregales 50 Yd Field Goal | 10 : 0 |
Q3 3:13 | Jason Myers 30 Yd Field Goal | 10 : 3 |
Q4 11:28 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba 45 Yd pass from Drew Lock (Jason Myers Kick) | 10 : 10 |
Q4 5:50 | Jason Myers 26 Yd Field Goal | 10 : 13 |
Compare the outcome with our earlier coverage: Patriots vs. Seahawks Prediction: Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch
Why the yardage barely explains the result
Seattle gained 285 yards to New England's 277. That eight yard difference tells almost nothing about the emotional swing. The Seahawks converted only two of 11 third downs and failed to score a touchdown on either red zone trip. The Patriots converted five of 16 third downs and held the ball for 34:17. Normally those are useful foundations for a road win.
The missing piece was ball security. Seattle finished without a turnover. New England committed three. The Seahawks could survive an uneven offense because their defense kept creating another route back into the game. For the Patriots, extending drives was not enough once those drives began ending with the ball in a defender's hands.
The complete team comparison
Statistic | NE | SEA |
First downs | 19 | 13 |
Offensive plays | 67 | 48 |
Total yards | 277 | 285 |
Yards per play | 4.1 | 5.9 |
Passing yards, net | 168 | 188 |
Rushing yards | 109 | 97 |
Rushing attempts | 31 | 22 |
Yards per rush | 3.5 | 4.4 |
Third downs, converted / attempts | 5 / 16 | 2 / 11 |
Fourth downs, converted / attempts | 2 / 2 | 1 / 1 |
Red zone TDs / trips | 1 / 2 | 0 / 2 |
Turnovers committed | 3 | 0 |
Sacks allowed / yards lost | 3 / 10 | 2 / 12 |
Penalties / yards | 7 / 50 | 10 / 98 |
Possession | 34:17 | 25:43 |
More context: Seahawks 13, Patriots 10: Week 1 Prop Results
The players behind the comeback
Lock completed 16 of 22 attempts for 187 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions after Sam Darnold left with a hip injury. Smith Njigba caught eight of 11 targets for 122 yards. He accounted for 61 percent of Seattle's 200 gross passing yards, making his afternoon far more substantial than one spectacular touchdown.
Jadarian Price led Seattle with 52 rushing yards on 10 carries. New England's Rhamondre Stevenson carried 18 times for 51 yards and added five receptions for 44. Maye completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. His completion rate looked respectable; the consequences of the interceptions were devastating.
Quarterbacks and offensive leaders
Player | Week 1 production |
NE · Drake Maye | 23/33 passing, 178 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT; 54.9 passer rating |
NE · Rhamondre Stevenson | 18 carries, 51 rushing yards, 0 TD; long 12 |
NE · Drake Maye | 7 carries, 47 rushing yards, 0 TD; long 16 |
NE · Mack Hollins | 4 catches, 51 receiving yards, 0 TD, 5 targets; long 19 |
NE · Rhamondre Stevenson | 5 catches, 44 receiving yards, 0 TD, 6 targets; long 17 |
NE · Hunter Henry | 3 catches, 26 receiving yards, 0 TD, 3 targets; long 13 |
NE · A.J. Brown | 3 catches, 26 receiving yards, 0 TD, 4 targets; long 14 |
SEA · Drew Lock | 16/22 passing, 187 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT; 113.3 passer rating |
SEA · Sam Darnold | 1/2 passing, 13 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT; 70.8 passer rating |
SEA · Jadarian Price | 10 carries, 52 rushing yards, 0 TD; long 13 |
SEA · George Holani | 8 carries, 29 rushing yards, 0 TD; long 9 |
SEA · Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 8 catches, 122 receiving yards, 1 TD, 11 targets; long 45 |
SEA · Cooper Kupp | 2 catches, 35 receiving yards, 0 TD, 3 targets; long 24 |
SEA · Brady Russell | 2 catches, 20 receiving yards, 0 TD, 2 targets; long 13 |
SEA · AJ Barner | 2 catches, 13 receiving yards, 0 TD, 2 targets; long 9 |
All scoring and statistical tables use the final ESPN box score and play by play
Passing yards in the team table are net of sack yardage. Quarterback passing yards are gross. Receiving targets and player roles describe this game; they are not season projections.
Fantasy evidence to carry into Week 2
Smith Njigba's 11 targets make this a volume story as well as a highlight story. His production survived a quarterback change, which is encouraging, although it does not guarantee the same efficiency every week. Price's 10 carries and George Holani's eight show a shared backfield rather than a single runner controlling every opportunity.
Stevenson's 23 combined carries and catches offer a sturdier usage signal than his 2.8 yards per rush. For Maye, separate the rushing contribution from the turnovers when assessing the performance. Darnold's hip and A.J. Brown's ankle require current team updates before the next lineup decision; the original game injury does not establish a recovery timetable.
Continue the fantasy discussion: Patriots vs. Seahawks Week 1 Start/Sit and Prop Targets
For the next waiver decision, see Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire: Best Players Available in 30 Percent or More of Leagues
Football Nation verdict
Seattle's defense gave the defending champions room to breathe, but a win should not hide the third down and red zone problems. New England had enough control to win and surrendered it through late mistakes. The Seahawks next visit Arizona, while the Patriots host Pittsburgh. Both offenses have clear work to do before those matchups: Seattle must sustain more drives, and New England must finish the drives it already knows how to build.
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