The 2026 NFL season opens with a Super Bowl LX rematch, and the betting market has Seattle exactly where you’d expect: favored at home over New England in a game that’s being lined as a tight one.
The Seahawks host the Patriots on Wednesday night, with sportsbooks making New England a 3.5-point underdog in some spots and a 3-point dog in others. A few books are even offering the Patriots at plus money on the spread, which only adds to the intrigue around a matchup that already feels familiar.
Seattle rolled through the Super Bowl last season behind Sam Darnold, while Drake Maye and the New England offense never found much rhythm early. Kenneth Walker III powered the Seahawks on the ground and took home Super Bowl MVP honors.
Walker is now in Kansas City, and both teams have changed since then, with A.J. Brown standing out as the biggest addition for New England.
The SI Betting team split on how to approach the opener, which fits the shape of this game. Senior editor Iain MacMillan backed Seattle to win by four or more in his Road to 272 column, pointing to the defending champions and the home-field edge.
“I see absolutely no reason why we shouldn't ride with the defending Super Bowl champions in this game. I was big on the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, as I felt that these two teams weren't in the same tier, and I was proven right. Now, seven months later, I don't think enough has changed between the two teams for me to think things will be any different, especially with this now being a home game for the Seahawks.
The Patriots had a historically easy schedule last season and went 7-3 in one-score games. They had things break their way in the postseason, playing nothing but injured teams throughout the AFC side of the bracket. Now, they have a much tougher schedule, and it will be hard for them to replicate the same success in close games.
The Patriots are certainly better at wide receiver, but they have to face arguably the best defense in the NFL in this game. Will Campbell was overpowered in the Super Bowl, and I'm not so sure he's going to have a better game in the rematch.”
The case for New England is the number. Seattle has been 8-11 against the spread at home under Mike Macdonald, and there’s also a new playcaller on offense to monitor early in the season. That’s enough for one side of the betting preview to lean toward the Patriots staying inside the number, even if the Seahawks are still viewed as one of the league’s best teams and sit No. 2 in the latest Power Rankings.
New England also enters with a notable 2025 profile, ranking in the top 10 in EPA/Play on both offense and defense. On top of that, the Patriots were 7-2 against the spread on the road in 2025, which gives them a real argument to hang around again even after Seattle lost several important pieces in the offseason, including the Super Bowl MVP.
The pick here is Seattle to win, but the Patriots to cover through the key number of 3, setting up a close finish to kick off the season.
In Other News...
Drake Maye Hit Could Leave Patriots Fans Wanting More After Loss
Drake Maye gave the Patriots a mixed afternoon in Seattle, moving the ball well enough to keep New England in striking range but also giving the Seahawks plenty of help along the way. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, yet the three interceptions and three sacks were enough to tilt a tight game that ended 13-10 in Seattles favor.
The sequence that drew the most attention came when Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall was flagged for unnecessary roughness after a late hit on Maye, a play the NFL is now reviewing for possible further punishment. Maye stayed in the game after the hit, and while the Patriots left with another narrow loss, they now have a short week to reset before facing the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Keep Targeting Seahawks Talent After Another Seattle Departure
The Raiders interest in former Seahawks talent has not slowed down, and Bryce Cabeldue is the latest name to follow that path. Las Vegas claimed the rookie offensive lineman off waivers after Seattle moved on, adding another player with familiarity to the Seahawks recent roster churn and another piece for a group that has been reshaped under head coach Klint Kubiak, who previously served as Seattles offensive coordinator.
Cabeldue entered the league as a 2025 sixth-round pick and saw action in a small but useful sample last season, logging snaps at multiple spots along the offensive line. For Seattle, his departure is another reminder of how quickly late-round development projects can become roster casualties, while for the Raiders it continues a clear pattern of looking toward familiar Seahawks connections as they build out their depth. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Opener Chaos Turned A Tense Win Into Something Else
The NFL season opener at Lumen Field had enough on-field edge already, but the scene in the stands briefly stole the attention away from the Seahawks and Patriots. A dispute over seating escalated when a Patriots fan allegedly would not move from seats belonging to other spectators, and what began as an argument turned into a physical confrontation that drew in ushers, security and police before order was restored.
For a few tense minutes, the football game was secondary to the disruption above it, a reminder of how quickly a night at the stadium can veer off script. The fan was eventually handcuffed, and while the crowd settled back in, the incident lingered as one of the stranger moments of an opener that already had plenty of bite. [Read more 🡒]