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?
Seahawks receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp versus Patriots cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones: Few cornerbacks - and teams in general - had much success slowing down Smith-Njigba as he nearly hit 1,800 receiving yards and captured Offensive Player of the Year honors. But under the Super Bowl lights, the newly-paid Gonzalez and the rest of New England’s cornerback cohorts came as close as anyone to completely shutting him down, limiting him to just four catches for 27 yards and a single of those receptions coming before halftime. Shaheed had even less production, catching two passes for 27 yards while Gonzalez denied him on a deep post route with a spectacular pass breakup at full extension. Gonzalez allowed just one catch for 16 yards on five targets, with Sam Darnold struggling to beat the star cornerback with his arm, while Davis only yielded three catches for 27 yards
Trying to replicate that success will be easier said than done, especially playing in Seattle’s home confines instead of a neutral setting. Smith-Njigba only had fewer than 70 receiving yards in a game once in the regular season a year ago, while Shaheed had a whole offseason to continue building chemistry with Darnold. But don’t discount the impact of Kupp, who easily had the best game for the Seahawks heralded receiving group against the Patriots, frequently winning his battles against the smaller Jones in the slot with six catches for 61 yards. A healthy Tory Horton could also be an under-the-radar factor, if he’s able to play after being listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, providing another speedy, big target for New England to have to deal with on the outside.
Seahawks defensive line versus Patriots offensive line: A reliable veteran who has been starting for most of his dozen NFL seasons, right tackle Morgan Moses had a respectable game against Seattle’s bevy of edge rushers in Super Bowl LX, not allowing any quarterback hits or sacks with three total pressures. But opposite of him, Campbell endured the roughest game of his young career, particularly dealing with the trifecta of Hall, Lawrence, and Nwosu, who each feasted on him when given opportunities to bully him with speed turned to power, overwhelming him all night long while racking up eight pressures and a sack working against the first round pick out of LSU. That trio made life miserable for Drake Maye for four quarters, emphasizing a clear area that Patriots needed to improve in the offseason.
Interestingly, New England will be opening the season with the same starters at the bookend spots, with first round pick Caleb Lomu not quite ready to push for snaps against Moses. However, the Patriots did sign guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, formerly of the Jets, which allowed them to slide second-year blocker Jared Wilson back to his natural position at center after he got exploited by the Seahawks’ defensive front in the big game, including allowing a ferocious sack to Rylie Mills where both he and Maye got tackled to the turf. Wilson will replace Garrett Bradbury, who was traded to Chicago, and the franchise will be counting on those two changes in the middle to shore up protection for Maye this time around with Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, and company aiming to lead an ambush from the interior once again.
Seahawks tight ends AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo, running backs Jadarian Price and George Holani versus Patriots linebackers Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss: Struggling to air it out as the offense had all season long, Seattle couldn’t get much going with Darnold targeting his receivers in Santa Clara. However, the veteran quarterback got things going with his tight ends, particularly Barner, who caught all four of his targets for 54 yards. This included the lone offensive touchdown of the game for the Seahawks, a 16-yard score on a corner route that busted things open in the second half. Paired with a healthy, budding Arroyo, Darnold will have two complementary weapons at his disposal on Wednesday night to try and take advantage of that matchup once again. Running backs also created issues for New England’s linebackers in the passing game, as Super Bowl MVP Ken Walker III caught a 20-yard pass with Elliss on him in coverage and Holani added a seven-yard reception on his lone target.
The Patriots will both Spillane and Elliss back from last year’s squad, while Jack Gibbens departed in free agency. If there’s a silver lining for the returning starters at linebacker, they won’t have to worry about Walker, who now resides in Kansas City. Capable handed Zach Charbonnet will also be out as he continues to recover from a torn ACL, leaving an inexperienced backfield stable without either player. With that said, Holani found success catching the football in the playoffs last year and caught 90 passes at Boise State, while Price’s limited pass catching reps at Notre Dame still produced a trio of touchdowns on 15 receptions. Both players were highlighted often as receivers during training camp, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury continues to scheme ways to get them the ball in space against a defense that struggled at times last year with receiving threats out of the backfield.
Seahawks cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, and Nehemiah Pritchett versus Patriots receivers AJ Brown, Romeo Doubs, and Demario Douglas: While Seattle will have the same receiving corps going up against the same New England secondary offensively that faced off in February, the same cannot be said flipping sides of the ball for each team respectively. Unhappy with their lack of big plays in the Super Bowl and wanting to upgrade their pass catchers around Maye, the Patriots reunited coach Mike Vrabel with Brown, acquiring the star wideout from Philadelphia for a future first round pick to replace the released Stefan Diggs. The team also signed Doubs in free agency, adding the savvy route runner with slot flexibility to replace Kayshon Boutte, who was traded to Houston in August, providing plenty of weapons for the Seahawks to be concerned about.
Meanwhile, Seattle opened camp without Riq Woolen, who bolted to join Philadelphia in free agency after four uneven seasons full of plenty of highs and plenty of lows. Leaving big shoes to fill, Pritchett ultimately beat out Noah Igbinoghene for the job, while third round pick Julian Neal wasn’t healthy to compete for most of training camp and the preseason, though recent moves to add veteran Trevon Diggs to the practice squad and sign the embattled Terrion Arnold suggest the coaching staff isn’t thrilled with the current situation behind Witherspoon and Jobe. It will be interesting to see how aggressively Maye tries to attack Pritchett or whoever else checks in as the third corner/nickel back, while Brown’s arrival presents a worthy opponent to test Witherspoon with in a matchup that should be far more evenly matched than seven months ago.
Seahawks guards Grey Zabel and Anthony Bradford versus Patriots defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Milton Williams: For the most part, the Seahawks did an adequate job protecting Darnold during the Super Bowl, but the duo of Zabel and Bradford had their share of issues dealing with an athletic, talented defensive front line. The two young blockers combined to allow eight total pressures, with Bradford allowing a sack to Williams, surrendering more pressure than line coach John Benton would have liked to see. With another offseason under their belts, particularly in the case of Zabel, the bar has been set higher for both players as part of an offensive line that returns all five starters, and Wednesday will present a great litmus test to see where they are at.
Known more for his run stuffing ability, Barmore will surprise from time to time as a rusher, and he put together his best all-around season for the Patriots last year, nearly hitting 60 pressures in the regular season and playoffs. But Williams presents the toughest challenge with elite explosiveness for a 290-pound defensive tackle, as he still surpassed 50 pressures last year despite missing several regular season games with an injury and had six pressures and a sack in the Super Bowl. Those two players will once again be key cogs in New England’s defensive attack and it will be crucial for Zabel and Bradford to keep them from wreaking havoc in the backfield if Seattle wants to snag a win hours after unveiling its latest title banner.
Seahawks safeties Julian Love, AJ Finley, and Rodney Thomas versus Patriots quarterback Drake Maye: If the Seahawks were anywhere close to full strength, this would be as enticing of a matchup as any on this list. But that’s not the case, and not even close, for Macdonald’s squad, with star Nick Emmanwori unlikely to play as he continues to work back from offseason ankle surgery, rookie Bud Clark out for the season with a broken ankle, and Ty Okada ruled out on Tuesday with a hamstring strain. Expected to be without all three players in the opener, Seattle made necessary moves to sign Finley to the 53-man roster hours before kickoff and elevated Thomas from the practice squad, ensuring three healthy safeties would be available.
Anchoring the group, Love already has had Maye’s number, picking him off in the second half of the Super Bowl, and the veteran excels at getting his hands on the football as one of the experienced leaders of the “Dark Side” defense. But Thomas has not been a starter in two seasons after being benched in the 2024 season by the Colts, so it has been quite some time since he has played extensive defensive snaps. Meanwhile, Finley has just 75 career defensive snaps on his resume, primarily playing special teams with the Chargers and Seahawks, and he’s coming off a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2025 season. Whoever ends up playing the second safety spot with have their hands full against one of the NFL’s premier deep ball throwers in Maye, who will hope to capitalize with his revamped receiving corps and take some shots over the top against a battered secondary.
