The NFL wait is almost done, and this season gets rolling with a headline game that looks familiar for a reason.
Opening night on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. brings a Super Bowl 60 rematch, with the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the New England Patriots. The Seahawks beat the Patriots 29-13 in February at Levi's Stadium to win their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, and now they’ll try to open the new season by taking the first step toward becoming the first team since the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Seattle enters with quarterback Sam Darnold leading the way, while Drake Maye and the Patriots are looking for payback after what the source described as a disappointing effort in Super Bowl 60.
NBC will carry the game nationally.
One wrinkle this year: the NFL’s first regular-season game lands on a Wednesday night instead of the usual Thursday opener. That shift comes because the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play the league’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia the next night, Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:35 p.m. at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
BetMGM listed the Seahawks as 3.5-point favorites as of Wednesday, Aug. 26, with the over/under set at 44.5.
As for the prediction, the expectation is that this one feels more lively than the February meeting, but the ending looks the same: Seattle controlling the game for most of the night and beating New England again, 27-17.
In Other News...
Braden Fiske Is Feeling The Rams' Blockbuster Move In A Real Way
The ripple effects of a major NFC West move do not stop at Los Angeles, and Braden Fiske is among the players feeling it in a very real way. The Rams latest shakeup has already drawn reaction around the division, with the outside linebacker weighing in on the teams trade for Myles Garrett and the departure of Jared Verse, a development that changes the edge-rush picture in a hurry for anyone trying to block them.
For the Seahawks, it is another reminder that the division landscape can shift quickly, and that every roster decision gets measured against what the teams around you are doing. Seattle has had its own personnel questions to manage, including the recent one-year deal for cornerback Terrion Arnold after thorough background checks and consultations with football personnel, while Arizona added some stability of its own by extending Michael Wilson on a three-year contract with significant guaranteed money and a signing bonus. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Injury Report Just Changed Seattles Week 1 Outlook
The first injury report of the year in New England already gives the Seahawks a little more to think about heading into Week 1. The Patriots listed several notable names on the report, including Henderson and Brown, with Brown having been out since the first preseason game. The team has also added Greg Van Roten as a backup, a sign that it is trying to protect itself along the offensive line as the opener approaches.
Defensive tackle Barmore also missed a practice, adding another layer of uncertainty to a Patriots roster that is still being monitored closely this week. For Seattle, any early wobble on the other sideline matters because opening games are often decided by which team handles the unexpected better. The Seahawks still have to prepare for the full Patriots plan, but this report at least leaves New England with a few more questions than it would like heading into Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Week 1 Concern In The Secondary
The Seahawks first injury report of the 2026 season brought an immediate dose of early September unease, especially on the back end of the defense. Safety Ty Okada showed up with a hamstring issue, and rookie safety Nick Emmanwori remained in recovery mode after ankle surgery, leaving Seattle watching two key pieces of its secondary as Week 1 approaches.
There was a little more encouraging news elsewhere on the report, with wide receiver Tory Horton limited by a hamstring injury and rookie corner Julian Neal a full participant after a quad issue. Still, the early concern is hard to miss for a Seattle defense that wants every available hand in the secondary, especially with the Patriots also dealing with notable injuries of their own on the other side of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]