The Patriots open their 2026 season on Wednesday night with a familiar opponent on the other side: the Seahawks, the same team that beat them in Super Bowl LX. New England won’t say it out loud, but this is the kind of game that can land like a message if the Patriots go into Seattle and come away with a win.
They’re getting 3.5 points from FanDuel Sportsbook, and the question is whether they can beat that number in one of the toughest road settings in football.
The predictions around the matchup lean toward a close one, but most of the panel still sees Seattle holding serve at home.
Bernd Buchmasser thinks the game should look far more even than the Super Bowl did seven months ago, even if the setting could make things tricky for New England. With the championship banner coming out and the noise at a peak, he sees a chance the moment gets a little too big for the Patriots. His pick: Seahawks 20, Patriots 16.
Matt St. Jean also expects a tighter game than the last time these teams met.
He pointed to the addition of A.J. Brown, along with a healthy Drake Maye and Will Campbell, as reasons New England should move the ball more consistently this time around.
Still, he likes Seattle in a back-and-forth game. His pick: Seahawks 23, Patriots 16.
Dylan Klayman offered the most skeptical read on the Seahawks’ offseason, saying they didn’t improve much and may have actually taken a step back after losing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker and replacing him with a rookie running back. Even so, he still called Seattle a Super Bowl-caliber team and said he’s not sure the Patriots are ready to win on banner night in Seattle.
He does expect a tight finish. His pick: Seahawks 24, Patriots 20.
Pat Lane is the one taking New England. He believes the Patriots are better on offense than they were last season and should have a better shot against a tough Seattle defense.
He noted that New England will be without TreVeyon Henderson, while the Seahawks have questions at safety. He also pointed to Seattle turning to a rookie as its bell-cow after moving on from Kenneth Walker, saying he expects some growing pains from Jadarian Price, especially with no Zach Charbonnet just yet.
In the end, he sees the Patriots as having their best shot to beat Seattle. His pick: Patriots 27, Seahawks 24.
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