By admin 
SEATTLE – We have a great one on tap Wednesday night. In a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are doing battle at Lumen Field to kick off the 2026 NFL regular season.
It’s a chance for the Seahawks to drop their second championship banner in front of some of the loudest fans in sports, while the Patriots are looking for get-back from last year’s crushing defeat.
Plenty of changes have been made on both sides of the ball, and for the Patriots, that’s a good thing. Back in February, the Patriots were outclassed to the tune of a 29-13 defeat – in which nobody other than maybe Christian Gonzalez carried their weight. Despite the previous outcome, this year’s Week 1 game has the chance to be a good starting point for New England going into the regular season.
“We got some new faces, and we experienced it, and we got to learn from it,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “I am excited to see us go out there and play. We got to play good to win.”
Here are five of the most important storylines going into the game, and how they could potentially lead to a Patriots victory later tonight.
Christian Gonzalez’s Contract, And Facing JSN:
The biggest story going into the game was about Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and his ongoing contract negotiations. Less than 48 hours to kickoff, we got clarity on that. The 24-year-old agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension that makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. He also becomes the highest-paid Patriots player of all time.
Gonzalez is one of the league’s top defensive players, and getting him to sign a new deal before the game mitigates any risk that he doesn’t suit up. Now, he’ll go up against one of the best wideouts in the entire league. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was fairly neutralized when facing Gonzalez in the Super Bowl, is coming off a career year and is expected to follow suit in 2026.
Seattle also had Rashid Shaheed, Cooper Kupp and Tory Horton to round out that group, and while Gonzalez will mainly follow Smith-Njigba, his shutdown talents should be the catalyst for New England’s secondary to thrive off of. If the Patriots defensive backs struggle, it could be a long night.
New OL Offers New Opportunities:
The Patriots couldn’t protect Maye last time out, allowed six sacks and struggled to open up running lanes. That feels like a long time ago.
In free agency, the Patriots signed Alijah Vera-Tucker to handle the left guard spot. That moved Jared Wilson from left guard to his natural position, center. Garrett Bradbury, last year’s center, was traded away to the Chicago Bears in March. When you also factor in the additions of rookie tackles Caleb Lomu and Dametrious Crownover, and center/guard Greg Van Roten, the depth on this unit makes you feel a lot more secure up front.
Sure, the Seahawks have a terrifying front that’s led by Byron Murphy (who recorded two sacks in the Super Bowl), Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence. But the starting line is, on paper, far better than the one the Patriots rolled out seven months ago. By every account, that should translate onto the field.
Drake Maye’s Deep Threats:
It may sound like I’m making excuses for a poor performance by Maye in his Super Bowl debut, but the Patriots’ receiving corps last year just wasn’t up to snuff. The top-two pass catchers in 2025 – Stefon Diggs (85 receptions) and Kayshon Boutte (33 receptions) – both aren’t here anymore. Instead, A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs claimed the first two notches on the depth chart.
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That’s a group that is already better than the one from a season prior. When you consider how well Maye has looked throwing the ball to both of those players in practice, we should be in for some air raid fireworks from the Patriots. Add in Mack Hollins (who scored in the Super Bowl), DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III, and that’s a really productive bunch of receivers.
They’ll have their work cut out for them going up against Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon, but the chemistry between Maye and Brown has blossomed enough on the practice field that it will certainly be replicated on the game field. Brown’s bound for plenty of targets, maybe even into double digits, in his Patriots debut.
Running Game Could Be Compromised:
Rhamondre Stevenson was never not going to start this game, but he may be asked to carry a larger workload. TreVeyon Henderson, his second-in-command and one of the fastest guys on the roster, was ruled out with an ankle injury. Henderson got rolled up back on Aug. 24, and hasn’t practiced since.
The Patriots have expressed their utmost confidence in Stevenson, who’ll likely remain the team’s bell cow back all season. But not having that versatile safety blanket in Henderson could raise some eyebrows. It means a longer leash for Stevenson, and potentially more carries for third-string Corey Kiner.
Additionally, the team will most likely elevate either Hassan Haskins or Lan Larison off the practice squad before the game. While either might not see a lot of offensive snaps out of the backfield, they provide an extra layer of insurance on special teams.
Who Wins Special Teams Battle?
This matchup has two of the best special teams coordinators – New England’s Jeremy Springer and Seattle’s Jay Harbaugh – going up against each other. It’s a game that could be determined by the swing of a kicker’s leg or a big return by either side. The margins are razor thin, especially when it comes to the game’s third phase.
“That staff’s done an unbelievable job with their core unit, they got a lot of veterans guys that are back,” Springer told reporters earlier this week. “They’re a very veteran group. … It’s going to take our guys to be locked in.”
The Patriots will have kicker Andy Borregales, punter Mitch Wishnowsky (who will likely be elevated from the practice squad) and long snapper Julian Ashby handle special team duties. For Seattle, it will be Jason Myers (kicker), Michael Dixon (punter) and Jack Stoll (long snapper). Marcus Jones and Shaheed both have the talents to spring a punt return touchdown at any time as well, so that could come up big when it matters.
Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!
Today’s best reads
- 5 Players To Watch In Patriots at Seahawks in Season Opener
- Predicting How Patriots Fare Against Seahawks in Week 1: Will Drake Maye Shine?
- 3 Matchups That Will Decide Patriots’ Week 1 Game Against Seahawks
- Patriots OG Alijah Vera-Tucker is Healthy and ‘Excited’ for Season Opener
- Patriots Officially Announce Initial 53-Man Roster: Here’s The Full Squad
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as 5 Critical Storylines to Watch As Patriots Open Season vs. Seahawks.
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This story was originally published September 9, 2026 at 6:09 AM.