Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Rally Behind Drew Lock, Intercept Way Past Patriots for 13-10 Win
SEATTLE, Wash. - Overcoming an early injury that knocked Sam Darnold out of action, the Seattle Seahawks roared back from a 10-point second half deficit to open the 2026 season with a 13-10 win over the New England Patriots.
Filling in admirably for Darnold, Drew Lock outplayed Drake Maye, completing 16 out of 22 passes for 187 yards and a 45-yard touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who finished with 122 receiving yards to kick off the new year. The trio of Julian Love, Nehemiah Pritchett, and Josh Jobe recorded fourth quarter interceptions, with the latter picking off Maye in the end zone to ice the game inside 30 seconds to play.
Diving into a wild, adversity-filled opener, here are five takeaways from a big-time win in a Super Bowl LX rematch at Lumen Field:
1. Despite Darnold scare and a slow start for the backup, Lock comes up clutch again in relief.
On the path to a Lombardi Trophy a year ago, Seattle had relatively positive fortunes on the injury front. But only a few minutes into Wednesday’s opener, that luck got twisted upside down in a heartbeat, sending a frenzied crowd into a silenced panic. Sacked by Dre’Mont Jones on third down to end the opening series, Darnold gingerly jogged off, trying to shake off the discomfort as he headed to the sideline. Only a few minutes later, he spent a brief spell in the blue injury tent before hobbling to the locker room, sending Lock in for sub duty.
Key Matchups to Watch as Seahawks Battle Patriots in Week 1 Super Bowl Rematch
Finally beginning their march to “run it forward” after winning Super Bowl LX in February, the Seattle Seahawks will open their title defense against the same New England Patriots that they defeated in Santa Clara in a statement Week 1 Wednesday night battle at Lumen Field.
While both teams return many of the same players who played in that matchup seven months ago, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald understands that his team can’t put too much stock into what worked that night in an always unpredictable opener, especially with the changes that the Patriots have made to improve their roster over the course of the offseason.
“First game of the year is a little tricky,” Macdonald said on Saturday. “You don’t want to fall in the trap of applying last year’s things you see too much to what’s going to happen this year. Teams grow and evolve and change and there’s different personnel on both sides. Our focus is trying to do the things that we do that our guys can go play the best they can and also try to apply as much pressure as you can as well but understanding how the game goes, there’s going to be some things that we’re going to be required to make adjustments in game.”
With the Seahawks looking to start off with a win and the Patriots seeking redemption in prime time, which matchups will dictate which reigning conference champion grabs a marquee season opening victory?
Reign Overcome Slow Second Half to Beat Short-Handed Wave
SEATTLE, Wash. — The Seattle Reign are growing up.
With the chance to sweep a San Diego Wave side that has been at or near the top of the standings all season, the Reign found themselves up 1-0 and up a player in the second half.
The talented Wave (12-8-3, 5th in NWSL), who Reign head coach Laura Harvey called "the most enjoyable (NWSL team) to watch" postgame, controlled nearly the entire second half, as stars like Ludmila and Kenza Dali helped San Diego outshoot Seattle 9-1 in the back 45 alone. Seattle had looked like the more organized team early, and capitalized as Maddie Dahlien delivered a perfect ball to breakout leading scorer Maddie Mercado in the area for a powerful header in the 29th to snatch the lead.
But the young Reign (10-8-4, 8th in NWSL), thanks in part to some late defensive changes, kept San Diego out of goal — protecting a lead Harvey knew would’ve been even more fickle earlier in the season with meltdowns and near-meltdowns against Gotham and Bay FC in mind.
"There's been moments this year, a lot of it in the first half of the season, where maybe we'd have crumbled in those moments, but we didn't," Harvey said.
Indeed, Seattle constantly got players behind the action to thwart transition chances while keeper Claudia Dickey managed six saves in the win. At the end of the game, Dickey collided with Ludmila, leaving the USWNT keeper needing stitches postgame at a local hospital. But after a lengthy stoppage to tend to Dickey, who was replaced by Cassie Miller for the final 10 minutes, Harvey reengineered her press.
San Diego didn't manage another shot on frame to close the game.
"We just couldn't get pressure on the ball and protect what we needed to protect," Harvey said of the second half before she made changes. "We decided to get our wingers to press… we should've done that earlier."
Still, Harvey knows her team needs points however it can get them. Sunday was about survival — ask Dickey and her battle scars.
“Really happy with the results. Huge three points, you know, to take six points off that team is massive,” Harvey said.
Huskies Retain Apple Cup With Sloppy 24-10 Win vs. Washington State
It lacked the offensive outburst the Washington Huskies expected, but the Apple Cup trophy will stay in Seattle this year.
Washington pulled away from an outcome that was in doubt until the final minutes for a 24-10 victory to secure the second straight win over the Washington State Cougars after head coach Jedd Fisch lost his first attempt in 2024.
Gonzaga Women’s Soccer Falls 1-0 to Wyoming in Back-and-Forth Affair
Squaring off in another close match, Gonzaga women’s soccer (2-4-1) returned to Spokane for its home game in two weeks, taking on Wyoming (4-2) at Luger Field on Thursday.
The pendulum swung constantly throughout the 90 minutes, with both sides having ample opportunities to score, but to no avail for the first 75 minutes. But similar to the Zags’ last game on Sunday against Seattle U, the game-winner came in heartbreaking fashion, as an own goal was GU’s undoing in the 1-0 defeat.
It was otherwise a banner night for both defenses and goalkeepers, who resisted persistent attacks from opposing strikers and forwards for nearly the entire match. That’s what makes this another tough result for Gonzaga, which dropped its second straight game.
Neither team had trouble pushing the ball into the attacking third, but the backlines buckled down as more players clustered around the net, and there were some tremendous saves throughout. Zags keeper Sydney Head put together the best game of her career, with the lone goal on her ledger being a similar set piece that has recently plagued GU’s defense. Head collected five saves, including a couple of athletic parries, playing well enough to notch her first career shoutout. Cowboys’ keeper Haley Bartel, on the other hand, logged her 21st career shutout, saving seven of the Bulldogs’ shots.
Gonzaga Women's Soccer Drops Tightly Contested Match With Seattle U 3-2
Wrapping up a three-game road trip against a former WCC foe, Gonzaga women’s soccer (2-3-1) nearly escaped the stretch away from Luger Field without suffering a loss. But in a match that could’ve gone either way, it was Seattle U (3-1-2) that pulled away in the end, besting the Zags 3-2 with a late goal.
There were a couple of missed opportunities for GU offensively, but it will likely be kicking itself on the defensive lapses that led to all three Redhawk goals. Two of Seattle U’s scores came courtesy of set pieces, and the game-winner was notched after a bad gamble on the Bulldogs’ backline.
Weathering the storm overall since its last home game, Gonzaga logged a 3-1 win at New Mexico before drawing with No. 11 Washington 1-1. This latest result, however, leaves a bad taste in the team’s mouth after being so buttoned up in their two previous contests.
The Zags dominated the pace during the first 10 minutes of play, generating three corner kicks in that span. On that final CK, Amelia Severn crossed the ball from the left side to the front post, where freshman midfielder Sienna Jenson was positioned. Jenson attempted a header, and Redhawks keeper Rachael Remnet made a great initial play, stretching to get a hand on the ball for the save. But the ricochet rolled right to sophomore forward Kalia Franklin, who tapped it in for her first collegiate goal and an early GU 1-0 advantage.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Fall Back to Earth in Blowout Loss to Sparks
The short-handed Seattle Storm started and finished poorly en route to a 90-74 blowout loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, Aug. 30, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle (8-32), which is missing Awa Fam due to international play and Natisha Hiedeman due to injury, couldn’t get much going for most of the game. Flau’jae Johnson led the Storm with 19 points, while Dominique Malonga totaled 17 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks.
Zia Cooke, though she did most of her damage in the first half, still finished with 14 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Los Angeles (15-25) was led by 23 points and 12 rebounds from former Storm star Nneka Ogwumike. Rae Burrell totaled 22 points, four rebounds and three assists, and the Sparks won their second-straight game for the first time since early July.
Joveljić Picks Up Brace in Debut, Sounders Manage Thrilling Draw With Solid Chicago
It was the kind of debut every Seattle Sounders fan dreamed of for their new striker, Dejan Joveljić.
Facing a Chicago Fire squad that signed European legend Robert Lewandowski recently, Joveljić scored a brace in a 90-minute game to combat two Chicago goals and secure a 2-2 draw. For a Sounders team that is just two games removed from an eight-game MLS losing streak, the 7-9-5 squad splitting points with an 11-4-6 and in-form Chicago squad was a solid result. For one, Joveljić’s big game marked Seattle’s first time scoring two goals in a game since May 13.
Still, a missed late chance from Albert Rusnák that would've put Seattle on top 3-1 was one of a few moments that left Seattle skipper Brian Schmetzer wanting more out of the performance.
"This draw feels like a loss. Because of the way we played, the potential that was there… we need to obviously close that game out," Schmetzer said. "It hurts, but that locker room feels like they have something."
The locker room certainly has a striker it can count on.
Joveljić scored in close in the 12th minute before giving Seattle the lead back on a showstopping shot to the top-left corner in the 48th. It was, almost without a doubt, the best strike by a Sounder all season.
Rapid Reaction: Jalen Milroe Impresses Despite Seahawks Settling for 9-9 Preseason Tie vs. Chiefs
Ushering in the regular season with a draw, Jalen Milroe threw his first touchdown pass of the preseason as the Seattle Seahawks tied the Kansas City Chiefs by the score of 9-9 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Enjoying the best performance of his young career, Milroe completed 16 out of 26 passes for 223 yards and connected with Nick Vannett on a four-yard touchdown while adding 20 rushing yards. Cornerback Trevon Diggs kicked off his time as a Seahawk with a bang, intercepting a pass on the second series of the game, while defensive linemen Jared Ivey and Bubba Thomas each finished with two tackles for loss apiece to lead the defense.
Finishing the preseason with a tie after two losses to Dallas and Tennessee earlier in exhibition season, here are five quick takeaways from Seattle’s final dress rehearsal in Kansas City:
1. More decisive and in rhythm, Milroe takes the positive step forward Seattle hoped to see with a full game of action.
Desiring a more extended opportunity to evaluate the young signal caller and let him establish a rhythm, the Seahawks opted to start Milroe with the plan to play for him the entirety of the preseason finale after an uneven first two games rotating in behind Drew Lock. Making strides less than a week after getting intercepted twice against the Titans, he came out firing with confidence on Friday night, launching a 40-yard completion on a post route to Cody White and connecting with tight end Elijah Arroyo for a 24-yard completion over the middle on the team’s opening series to set up a Jason Myers field goal.
Jalen Milroe Under Microscope as Seahawks Play Final Dress Rehearsal in Kansas City
As he did in the preseason finale during his rookie season, Jalen Milroe will play all four quarters under center for the Seattle Seahawks when they travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Friday's exhibition finale.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith analyzes what he has seen thus far from Milroe through two preseason games, breaks down what he hopes to see him improve upon with a full game of action in Kansas City, including more decisiveness from the pocket and willingness to let it rip as a passer, and examines three position battles with the most on the line from a 53-man roster standpoint heading into the last audition.
Cougars Women's Soccer Pulls Away in Closing Minutes, Steals 2-0 Win vs. UC Irvine
After 45 minutes, Washington State head coach Chris Citowicki slowly got up from his red fold up chair. He shook his head and inched forward. Hanging his head, he grabbed a white erase board and conversed with his coaching staff.
Citowicki might have been going over formations or plays, but the message between the coaches at halftime stuck with his team and was the deciding factor in the Cougars 2-0 victory over UC Irvine Thursday night at Lower Soccer Field.
The score remained 0-0 through 82 minutes. Both teams had good looks but solid goalkeeping from both sides kept the score at nothing a piece. Citowicki liked the looks his team got, and honing in on a specific look finally broke the stalemate in the 83rd minute.
“All our best chances are the crosses from these areas [sideline] because they were over shifting the backline. Now, we had numbers up in the middle of the box, so it was just like wait until we get another one of those and then execute,” Citowicki said. “We knew where the ball had to be and got people there and look at that, the ball goes in.”
Instant Takeaways: Storm Capture 2nd Win in 5 Games vs. Tempo
Flau’jae Johnson, Dominique Malonga and Jade Melbourne combined for 54 points, and the Seattle Storm finally clinched a close game with a 90-78 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle (8-31) snapped a three-game losing streak, won its second game in the last five, and still has a chance to reach double-digit wins by the end of the season. Toronto (11-27) has now lost 14 of its last 15 games and dropped its first against the Storm all season.
Melbourne turned in a solid game from the point guard spot with 16 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one steal. Johnson had a team-high 20 points, and Malonga added 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Big Dumper Returns: Cal Raleigh’s Three Homers Power Mariners Past Phillies
With both teams sending their top starters to the mound, a low-scoring game was expected between the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night. A pitching duel it was not, however, as the Mariners bludgeoned Zach Wheeler and the playoff-bound Phillies by a score of 9-2.
The M’s offense got hot early and stayed hot, scoring five runs in the first inning to give their starter Logan Gilbert quite the cushion. Cal Raleigh finally found his stroke, blasting three home runs and working a walk as well.
Gilbert continued his Cy Young-worthy campaign by battling through five innings, and Seattle’s bullpen put up zeros the rest of the day to put Philadelphia on ice.
The team is being resilient and finding a way to win, as their superstar catcher noted.
“We’ve endured a lot this year,” Raleigh said afterward. “We are fighting with everything we’ve got right now.”
Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Start Hot vs. Titans’ Starters, Fall 19-16 in Preseason Road Tilt
In the aftermath of a 17-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys to begin exhibition season, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald issued a challenge to both his players and coaches, sharing his unhappiness about the team’s “process” in all three phases.
While the final result didn’t go as planned, it appears everyone in the locker room received the message this week on the practice field and in the film room, as Drew Lock and the Seahawks bounced back nicely with 16 first quarter points for a fast start on the road against the Titans before losing their lead late in a 19-16 loss at Nissan Stadium.
Lock played a near-flawless game under center, completing 12 out of 14 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown pass to Elijah Arroyo, while running back Jacardia Wright paced the rushing attack with 81 yards on eight carries. Defensively, Connor O’Toole led a resurgent pass rush, tallying 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and two tackles for loss to help keep the Titans out of the end zone until late in the fourth quarter.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Suffer Worst Loss in 8 Weeks vs. Wings
Paige Bueckers scored 18 of her 32 points in the first quarter to help the Dallas Wings build a massive early lead, and the Seattle Storm fell flat in a 92-70 loss on Sunday, Aug. 23, at College Park Center.
Seattle (7-31) was sluggish and mistake-prone in its first game in the last seven days. Dallas (22-16), on the other hand, looked like a team prepared to make a playoff run.
Flau’jae Johnson led the Storm with 23 points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals. Jade Melbourne added 15 points, four rebounds and two steals. Bueckers gave the Wings their early lead and helped them never look back after a 34-point first quarter.
Kade Anderson Debuts, Randy Arozarena Delivers as Mariners Walk Off Cubs Again
Looking to gain ground in a tight wild-card race, Seattle welcomed the Chicago Cubs back into T-Mobile Park after walking them off the night before. The Mariners elected to go the exciting route again, advancing from a walk-off single to a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.
This was the Randy Arozarena game. Coming into the night, everyone thought the story would be about the phenom pitcher making his debut for the Mariners. Randy had other ideas, blasting a two-run home run 404 feet to dead center. If Seattle makes the playoffs this year, this game could mark the turning point of the season.
Seattle saw its top prospect, and one of the top prospects in all of baseball, make a promising debut. The bullpen was also able to keep the game close to set up a dramatic ninth inning.
Grand Ole Audition: Seahawks to Watch in Second Preseason Game at Titans
While starters won't play once again for the Seattle Seahawks in their second exhibition tuneup, Sunday's matchup against the Tennessee Titans still carries plenty of weight for several players sitting on the roster bubble.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith breaks down which players he will be watching most closely in Nashville, including a pair of backup running backs set to see a heavy workload, a handful of EDGE defenders who need to pick up their play after underwhelming preseason debuts, and the duo of Montorie Foster Jr. and Cody White being under the microscope after Jake Bobo's season-ending knee injury.
Takeaways: Reign Survive for Draw in Kansas City
The Seattle Reign bounced back from a midweek loss with a 1-1 draw at defending NWSL Shield-winner Kansas City Current on Saturday afternoon, defending chance after chance to split the points.
The result, Seattle's first at Kansas City since 2021, moves the eighth-place Reign to 8-8-4, two points ahead of the Houston Dash with 10 games remaining. Getting the point was monumental, as Seattle was left preserving the 1-0 advantage it picked up off an early Kayla Sharples own-goal forced by dangerous service from Seattle defender Sofia Huerta.
By the end of KC's onslaught, however, the Reign didn't concede a goal in the run of play. Only when striker Mia Fishel's elbow crept up to make contact with a Current pass in the box in the 51st did Seattle concede a goal off a penalty from star midfielder Debinha.
From there, Seattle defended for its life as defensive fixtures Jordyn Bugg (five tackles), Phoebe McClernon (six tackles) and Madison Curry (eight tackles) seemed to only get stronger as the game went on. By the end, KC ended up dwarfing Seattle's 0.7 expected goals with 3.3, but had to split the points.
Reign head coach Laura Harvey knew what type of effort she was going to need from her young team without star midfielder Sam Meza (thigh) for a third straight game, and she got it.
"We know coming here is really difficult," Harvey said postgame. "There's been moments this season and last season where I think some of our inexperience has shown. And I think tonight we looked like an experienced team at times.
"And look. If you'd have said to me before the game started, 'Would you take a point on the road in Kansas?' Probably."
WATCH: Sounders Snap Eight-Game Losing Streak, Draw with Cincinnati Despite Rotated Team
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down the Seattle Sounders’ 1-1 draw at FC Cincinnati on Saturday night.
The result marked the end of a franchise-worst eight-game MLS losing streak as Kalani Kossa-Rienzi bagged the equalizer in the 83rd minute off service from Albert Rusnak. Seattle also managed to split the points with a heavily rotated squad that saw Stuart Hawkins and Ryan Sailor notch 90-minute games while winger Paul Rothrock wore the captain’s armband for the first time.
Gonzaga Women's Soccer Can't Punch Back in Contentious Match, Falls 2-1 to Arizona
After Oregon handed them their first loss in a 3-0 result Sunday, Gonzaga women’s soccer (1-2) couldn’t rebound upon returning home to Luger Field.
Although they struck first against Arizona (2-1) on Thursday evening, the Zags made several lapses they couldn’t recover from, even with ample opportunity.
The first half transpired fairly briskly, as the flow between the two sides was initially smooth. But after halftime, there were more interruptions, leading to increased physicality and tension. And unfortunately for GU, it didn’t have much to show for it during the final 45 minutes, resulting in a frustrating loss for the Bulldogs.
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