The NFL is back, baby. That’s right; the 2026 regular season is finally upon us. Seven months after last season’s festivities came to an end, this year kicks off with the exact same matchup: the New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle triumphed in Super Bowl 60 and will now try to take care of business in front of its home fans on Wednesday night.
Let’s dive into my Patriots vs. Seahawks predictions.
New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks odds
Money line: Patriots +142 / Seahawks -170
Spread: Patriots +3 (-102) / Seahawks -3 (-118)
Total: Over 44.5 (-110) / Under 44.5 (-110)
New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks best bet #1: Seahawks -3 (-118)
The Seahawks utterly dominated the Patriots in the Super Bowl back in February, cruising to a 19-0 lead before New England finally scored some relatively meaningless points in the fourth quarter en route to a 29-13 final. That game, of course, was at a neutral site (Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara). Now the ‘Hawks get to play on their home grass of Lumen Field, one of the toughest venues for visiting teams in the entire league. In a rematch between two teams that look similar enough to what was on display last season, why should we think the Pats will turn the tide on the road? We shouldn’t!
New England’s offseason did not exactly go according to plan — largely due to head coach Mike Vrabel’s off-the-field personal issues involving his relationship with reporter Diana Russini. From a personnel standpoint, which is probably more applicable to this game and moving forward, the Patriots appeared to make some upgrades on offense. Still, it could take a while for a new group to gel. If there are growing pains, as expected, perhaps no team is better equipped to exploit those than the Seahawks. After all, these are the defending champions with well-respected veterans all over the field on both sides. Yes, the Pats compiled a 14-3 record last season season — but that was largely due to the easiest schedule in football. This year’s schedule begins with the hardest possible matchup: Seattle on the road.
New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks best player prop bet: Jadarian Price Over 51.5 rushing yards (-113)
Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III left the Seahawks in free agency to join the Chiefs. Zach Charbonnet remains on the roster, but he is out with a torn ACL. As a result, Price heads into 2026 as RB1 in Seattle after being selected at the end of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s safe to say that Price got drafted into a dream situation. He is on a good team (maybe the best?), immediately dives into a starting role, and has one of the NFL’s best offensive lines in front of him. Price also does not have any serious threat behind him on the depth chart while Charbonnet is out. George Holani will get some carries tonight, but he has rushed only 25 times for 83 yards through two professional seasons.
The Notre Dame product was relatively prolific in college even though he was playing behind Jeremiyah Love. As a sophomore, Price rushed 120 times for 746 yards. He followed that up with 674 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 carries last year. It is true that New England’s defense is very good, but the Patriots added a whole lot to their offense during the offseason and did next to nothing on defense. Their 4.2 yards per carry allowed last season was unspectacular. It should also be reiterated that the Seahawks are -3 favorites and will likely win this game, just like they did in their Super Bowl romp. If Seattle plays from from ahead, it will will be more inclined to keep the ball on the ground — giving Price more chances to rack up yards.
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