Patriots vs. Seahawks live updates: Score, news, discussion from Week 1

The New England Patriots kicked off their 2026 NFL season against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday night at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. With both teams coming off a loss in Super Bowl LX, the game marked a pivotal moment for both franchises in their respective offseasons of roster overhaul and preparation.

Initially, the Patriots found themselves on the receiving end of a Seattle touchdown drive, as they surrendered back-to-back first downs to open the game. However, they managed to regain control of the field when a false start penalty called against Seattle gave the Patriots' defense a chance to capitalize, resulting in a sack by Dre’Mont Jones on third down.

Drake Maye, the Patriots' quarterback, had a strong start with two successful pass completions to Mack Hollins and A.J. Brown, but the momentum was short-lived as they ultimately had to punt after Rhamondre Stevenson was tackled for a loss on a 3rd-and-1.

In the second quarter, Seattle's offense managed one first down on their third drive under backup quarterback Drew Lock, who had been replaced by Lock after Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury during the opening series. Seattle's drive came to a halt as Christian Elliss failed to reach the line to gain on a 3rd-and-2 rushing attempt.

However, the Patriots broke through Seattle's defense in the second quarter with their first touchdown of the game. Eli Raridon, a rookie for the Patriots, caught a pass interference penalty on a flea-flicker play, allowing Drake Maye to connect with Eli Raridon for a touchdown. This marked the first-ever NFL catch and touchdown for both Raridon and Maye.

The Patriots continued to build on their momentum, with rookie Gabe Jacas recording his first career sack during the same series. Seattle managed to close the gap momentarily with a 21-yard pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but they were penalized for offsides on the ensuing 4th-and-1, allowing the Patriots to maintain control of the game.