Seahawks hold off Patriots in Super Bowl rematch to start 2026 season

[p]From the first three interceptions of the season to the first touchdowns, and major injuries on both sides, the Super Bowl rematch proved to be a second-half thriller after a snooze-fest of a first half. [/p][p]Josh Jobe recorded the third pick for the Seahawks in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter after the Patriots had an opportunity to tie the game with a chip-shot field goal.[/p][p]The only time Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had multiple interceptions in a game last season? In the Super Bowl against the Seahawks. [/p][p]He finished the game with a 54.9 passer rating after going 23-of-33 for 178 yards, one touchdown, three picks, and three sacks.[/p][embed guid="b970b7ba-3533-44f6-8502-543b3806f009" url="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097889201786409267?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Game recap[/h2][p]The first half of this game didn't see much going on. Seahawks rookie running back[a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097843776916255108?s=20" target="_blank"] Jadarion Price picked up a first down on the first play of the season[/a], just like the team did against the Pats to start the Super Bowl. He finished with 52 yards on 10 carries in his debut. [/p][p]Four plays later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darnold-sam/zykWdDh4/"]Sam Darnold[/a] left the game with a hip injury and [a href="https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2097893784579182680?s=20" target="_blank"]will undergo an MRI on Thursday[/a], leaving backup Drew Lock to carry the offense the rest of the way. He finished the game going 16-for-22 with 200 total yards (187 passing), one touchdown, no turnovers, and a 113.3 passer rating.[/p][p]Head coach Mike Macdonald said that the team has ruled out a fractured hip, stating, [b]"We got some great news back. Let's just say it's good news right now."[/b][/p][p]Newly signed Patriots linebacker [a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097844745217233207?s=20" target="_blank"]Dre'Mont Jones recorded the first sack[/a] of the 2026 NFL season, while teammate on the opposite side of the ball, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-aj/vPaZCjNK/"]A.J. Brown[/a], recorded [a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097849942371119179?s=20" target="_blank"]his first three catches[/a] with his new team before being helped off the field with an ankle injury later in the game.[/p][p]Head coach Mike Vrabel provided no updates on his injury after the game, but he was seen leaving the locker room with a boot on.[/p][embed guid="9cd80d7e-ffc8-4125-8919-81a9a82efc3e" url="https://x.com/SportsCenter/status/2097868329708892374?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It wasn't until the second quarter that fans saw the first score of the season and the only score of the half.[/p][p]New England drove down to the Seattle two-yard line following a 45-yard defensive pass interference. That led to rookie tight end [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raridon-eli/EFreeiAl/"]Eli Raridon[/a] picking up his first career touchdown on his first career catch for the first touchdown of the 2026 season.[/p][embed guid="54e35bb8-932b-43f3-818c-be0c2b1eb4eb" url="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097854431220187587?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]2nd half[/h2][p]Shortly after Brown's injury, Seattle forced a punt but committed their seventh penalty of the game after roughing the kicker. Following the automatic first down, the Patriots put up three points with a 50-yard field goal from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/borregales-andres/AB9ABKfB/"]Andy Borregales[/a] to make it 10-0 with almost 12 minutes to go in the third. [/p][p]Seahawks showed some life in the third quarter after a fantastic grab by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kupp-cooper/OYKcfz7P/"]Cooper Kupp[/a] near the sideline before grabbing what was originally thought to be a seven-yard touchdown. [/p][p]But it was called back due to an illegal shift penalty, leaving the Seahawks to settle for a field goal. (10-3)[/p][embed guid="4a42271f-a12e-43a3-b1c0-0d0b22907804" url="https://x.com/NextGenStats/status/2097875834967335119?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Things started to shift in the Seahawks' favor once more after they committed the first turnover of the season. [a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097877763898180082?s=20" target="_blank"]Nehemiah Pritchett recorded his first career interception[/a] and returned it for 30 yards. The throw intended for Romeo Doubs would've been his first reception of the game. He had another chance on a crucial 2nd-and-long soon after and [a href="https://x.com/UnderdogNFL/status/2097880842018111540?s=20" target="_blank"]dropped a wide-open pass[/a].[/p][p]Seattle capitalized. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-njigba-jaxon/txwNaLzE/"]Jaxon Smith-Njigba[/a] found the end zone for the first time this season with a 45-yard touchdown to make it 10-10 with 11:28 to go. All seven of his receptions up to that point had come against Patriots defenders that weren't [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gonzalez-christian/hC6muijH/"]Christian Gonzalez[/a]. [/p][embed guid="5cf2178e-48ef-4f8c-96d4-ec5f5d04622d" url="https://x.com/NFL/status/2097878710779306133?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/love-julian/MukjKUbP/"]Julian Love[/a] picked up the Seahawks' second interception of the game the following drive to give his team a chance to take the lead. [/p][p]Despite getting down to the Patriots' eight-yard line, Seattle couldn't find the end zone, but still put up a field goal to make it 13-straight points to take the lead for the first time in the game. (13-10)[/p][p]But Maye led the Patriots down the field and ran off as much time as possible, but a third interception instead of a possible game-tying field goal shut the door on the night as the Patriots were handed their first loss of the season.[/p][h2]Game final stats[/h2][p]Neither team had more than 100 yards in either passing or rushing in the first half. New England outgained Seattle by a measly 10 yards (130-120) before both teams headed to the locker room. [/p][p]Seattle had six penalties to New England's zero, picked up only six first downs, and were 1-for-6 on third down.[/p][p]But they rebounded in the second half for the win. [/p][p]The Seahawks finished with 285 yards to the Patriots' 277. Both teams combined for a brutal 17 penalties (NE - 7, SEA - 10) and went 7-for-27 on third downs. [/p][p]Smith-Njigba led all receivers with 122 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions (11 targets). Ernest Jones IV led the Seahawks with 13 tackles. Drake Thomas, Leonard Williams, and Derick Hall recorded a sack each. Seattle's defense had nine tackles for loss in total compared to New England's three.[/p][p]Rhamondre Stevenson had 51 yards on 18 carries and 44 yards on five receptions (six targets). Mack Hollins led Patriots receivers with 51 yards on four receptions (five targets).[/p][infobox id="20b251ad-200b-415c-a27c-559697b10377" /]