Patriots fall 13-10 to Seahawks in season opener
New England lost to Seattle 13-10 after a fourth-quarter rally, with quarterback Drake Maye throwing three interceptions and the Seahawks playing most of the game with backup quarterback Drew Lock.
Seattle defeated the New England Patriots 13-10 on Wednesday night to open the 2026 NFL season. The Seahawks rallied in the fourth quarter, scoring ten points to overturn a 7-3 deficit. Backup quarterback Drew Lock, who entered the game after starter Sam Darnold left with a hip injury, threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth down.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw three interceptions in the final quarter, including a pick-six that sealed Seattle's win. The Patriots managed only a field goal after a flea-flicker play resulted in a penalty and a short touchdown catch by rookie tight end Eli Raridon earlier in the game.
"We had some tough moments, but we’ll learn from this and get better," a Patriots spokesperson said.
Seattle’s defense employed multiple looks that confused New England’s offense, while the Seahawks overcame early setbacks, including a lack of scoring in the first half and several penalties. The loss marks the Patriots' second defeat in as many games, following their Super Bowl loss to Seattle the previous season.