Pro Football Focus’ first look at the Seahawks’ season-opening win over the New England Patriots put the spotlight on a few names that weren’t necessarily at the top of the pregame script.
The obvious headliners still showed up in the grades. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Julian Love landed among Seattle’s best performers, but the more intriguing story was how the backups and reserves helped carry a 13-10 victory.
Drew Lock was the biggest offensive surprise. Thrown into the game cold after taking no practice reps all week, he stepped in and helped the Seahawks beat the defending AFC Champions.
The performance wasn’t spotless, but PFF still tagged him with an 84.1 grade, which was the second-best mark on the offense behind only JSN. Once the penalties, presnap mistakes and huddle issues were stripped away, Lock’s night looked much cleaner.
It was exactly the kind of showing Seattle needed with him likely set to start for at least a couple games.
Cooper Kupp also drew strong marks. Even with only two catches, he posted an 83.6, which gives Seattle at least something encouraging to build on there.
Defensively, Nehemiah Pritchett turned into one of the more unexpected bright spots. There was plenty of concern when it became clear he would play a major role in the game, but Pritchett answered with an 80.7 grade, second only to Julian Love on that side of the ball. His work on the ball was rewarded, and it helped validate the view that he can be a useful depth piece for this defense.
Rodney Thomas II was another reserve who made his mark. The free agent addition didn’t even crack the initial 53-man roster and ended up on the practice squad, but PFF gave him a 74.9 after a solid outing.
Not everyone came out of the opener looking sharp. George Holani checked in at 45.3, Rashid Shaheed at 48.6 and Anthony Bradford at 50.5. Charles Cross, at 55.4, also landed on the lower end of the grading.
On defense, Ernest Jones finished with a 45.1, Derick Hall with a 49.6 and Drake Thomas with a 51.2. Byron Murphy received a 55. The grades suggest there’s plenty for those players to clean up, and the Seahawks will need more from them moving forward.
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 🡒]
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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 🡒]