The 2026 NFL season begins Wednesday night with a rematch of Super Bowl LX, as the defending champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
Both teams finished the 2025 regular season with 14-3 records before meeting on football‘s biggest stage, but Seattle controlled the game from start to finish in a 29-13 victory. The Seahawks sacked Drake Maye six times, intercepted him twice and kept New England scoreless through three quarters, while Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III rushed for 135 yards.
Seattle returns most of the defense that led the NFL by allowing only 17.2 points per game, but its offense will have a different look. Brian Fleury takes over as coordinator after Klint Kubiak left to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, while Walker signed with the Kansas City Chiefs during the offseason. First-round pick Jadarian Price out of Notre Dame is expected to share the backfield with George Holani and Emanuel Wilson in his NFL debut.
New England responded to February’s loss by strengthening its supporting cast around Maye. The Patriots acquired A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to reshape the receiving corps while adding Alijah Vera-Tucker to an offensive line that struggled against Seattle’s pressure. Their backfield will be shorthanded for the opener, however, with TreVeyon Henderson ruled out because of an ankle injury. As a result, Rhamondre Stevenson is positioned to handle the lead role.
Wednesday’s matchup will be the first Week 1 rematch of the previous season’s Super Bowl since Denver hosted Carolina in 2016. The Seahawks also enter the opener riding a four-game winning streak against the Patriots.
Patriots vs. Seahawks Odds Today
The Seahawks enter tonight’s opener as home favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Moneyline: Patriots +150, Seahawks -180
- Spread: Patriots +3.5 (-115), Seahawks -3.5 (-105)
- Total: Over 44 (-115), Under 44 (-105)
Referenced odds are subject to change.
Patriots vs. Seahawks Best Bet
Before placing any bets on Patriots vs. Seahawks, head over to Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub to explore matchup trends, team insights and other useful data to help you shape your betting card. Here’s one angle that stood out for tonight’s game:
Under 44 Total Points (-105): Seven of New England’s previous eight season openers have finished under the total. Another lower-scoring game would fall in line with what these teams produced in February, when their Super Bowl matchup ended with 42 combined points despite two late Patriots touchdowns.
Seattle led the NFL by allowing only 17.2 points per game last season, while New England ranked fourth at 18.8. The Seahawks overwhelmed the Patriots’ offensive line in the Super Bowl, holding Maye to 48 passing yards in the first half and preventing New England from scoring until the fourth quarter.
There are also legitimate questions surrounding both run games. Seattle no longer has Walker after his departure for Kansas City, and Price will make his NFL debut after sitting out the entire preseason. New England, meanwhile, will turn to Stevenson as its primary back with Henderson ruled out due to an ankle injury.
New England’s additions at receiver should eventually raise the offense’s ceiling, but opening on the road against Seattle’s pressure-heavy defense presents an immediate challenge. With two elite defenses and uncertainty in both backfields, the Under is our best bet for Wednesday night’s opener.
- Best Bet: Under 44 Total Points
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Seattle is receiving the majority of the moneyline action, while players have taken a more divided position on the spread:
- Moneyline: The Seahawks have drawn 70.4% of the tickets and 66.4% of the handle.
- Spread: Seattle -3.5 accounts for 51.7% of all bets and a 57.1% share of the money.
- Total: The Over at 44.5 has attracted 84.1% of tickets and 85.1% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for NE-SEA
Touchdown scorers are dominating the player prop board ahead of tonight’s matchup, headlined by a pair of star wideouts:
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Over 0.5 Touchdowns
- A.J. Brown – Over 0.5 Touchdowns
- Jadarian Price – Over 0.5 Touchdowns
- Rhamondre Stevenson – Over 0.5 Touchdowns
- Sam Darnold – Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns
Patriots vs. Seahawks Game Info
- đź“Ť Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
- đź“… Date: Wednesday, September 9
- ⏰ Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET
- đź“şđź’» TV/Streaming: NBC and Peacock
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