Seattle’s unusual opener sparks scheduling questions
The NFL’s 2026 season opened with an unusual Wednesday night matchup. Seattle and New England faced off just months after their Super Bowl meeting.
The game took an unexpected turn as injuries, turnovers and a late comeback shaped the result. The unusual schedule also raised questions about how the NFL could approach future season openers.
Why the schedule changed
The Wednesday opener was connected to the NFL’s plan for its first regular-season game in Australia. The Rams and 49ers were scheduled to play Thursday night in Melbourne, which is Friday morning locally.
Federal restrictions prevented the NFL from using Friday night for Week 1. Moving the opener to Wednesday let Seattle host New England while keeping Australia on Thursday in the United States.
A Super Bowl rematch
Seattle and New England entered the opener after meeting in Super Bowl LX seven months earlier. The Seahawks won that game 29-13, making Wednesday’s matchup the third Week 1 meeting between teams from the previous Super Bowl.
The rematch was the 12th time the teams that played in the Super Bowl met during the following season. Seattle opened its title defense at home, while New England began against its February opponent.
Seattle starts with a win
Seattle defeated New England 13-10 after trailing 10-0 during the game. The Seahawks scored 10 fourth-quarter points, including a touchdown pass from Drew Lock to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a field goal from Jason Myers.
The victory gave Seattle another win over New England in the same calendar year. The Seahawks also raised their Super Bowl banner before kickoff.
Seattle loses its starting quarterback
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold left during Seattle’s opening drive after a third-down sack. He went to the medical tent and then the locker room, with Drew Lock taking over at quarterback.
Darnold’s injury changed Seattle’s offensive personnel almost immediately. Lock completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and helped lead two fourth-quarter scoring drives.
Seattle’s offense struggles early
Seattle scored only three points through the first three quarters after Darnold left. The Seahawks struggled to sustain drives, while New England’s defense kept the home team from reaching the end zone.
Seattle committed 10 penalties for 98 yards, including a costly roughing-the-punter penalty. An illegal-shift penalty later erased a Seattle touchdown pass from Drew Lock to Cooper Kupp, forcing the team to settle for a field goal and adding to their early difficulties.
New England builds an early lead
New England led 10-0 before Seattle’s fourth-quarter comeback. Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to rookie tight end Eli Raridon, while Andy Borregales added a 50-yard field goal after a Seattle penalty.
The Patriots held Seattle scoreless in the first half and entered the fourth quarter ahead by seven. New England’s lead disappeared after Seattle scored 10 points in the final quarter.
Maye throws three fourth-quarter interceptions
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter. He finished with 23 completions on 33 attempts for 178 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions and a 54.9 passer rating.
Two interceptions helped Seattle regain possession during its comeback. The third ended New England’s final scoring opportunity after Maye drove the Patriots into Seattle territory.
The final possession ends with a turnover
New England reached Seattle’s red zone during the final minute while trailing 13-10. Maye threw toward the end zone, and Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe intercepted the pass to end the game.
Maye later called the decision unacceptable, while coach Mike Vrabel stressed avoiding turnovers. The interception allowed Seattle to preserve its three-point lead and complete the comeback.
Injuries affect both teams
Seattle lost Darnold early, while New England receiver A.J. Brown left with a high ankle sprain in the third quarter. Brown caught 3 passes for 26 yards before leaving and was placed on injured reserve after the game.
The Patriots had ruled TreVeyon Henderson out with an ankle injury. Seattle safety Nick Emmanwori was also inactive because of an ankle injury.
Interesting fact: The 2026 opener was only the second time in NFL history that the league opened its season on a Wednesday.
A low-scoring opener
The 13-10 final score produced 23 total points in the opener. Seattle had 285 total yards, while New England finished with 277 yards, according to the game statistics.
Despite the limited scoring, the game changed sharply in the fourth quarter. Seattle’s defense intercepted Maye three times, while Lock’s late passing helped erase New England’s lead.
Interesting fact: The Pittsburgh Steelers’ official historical notes say the team played its first four games on Wednesdays in 1933, its inaugural NFL season.
Broadcast attention around the unusual date
NBC and Peacock carried the opener nationally at 8:20 p.m. Eastern. The league promoted the Wednesday start because its season opener normally occupies a Thursday night television window.
The schedule continued Thursday with the first regular-season game in Australia. The 49ers and Rams met at Melbourne Cricket Ground, creating an opening week that stretched from Wednesday through Monday.
The internet is also talking about former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick reconsidering voting and praising Zohran Mamdani.
The Wednesday experiment may return
NFL executive Hans Schroeder said the league could use weekday nights to begin future seasons. A new Netflix agreement includes a Week 1 game through 2029, adding another scheduling factor.
The NFL cannot use the same Friday-night option for Week 1 in 2027 and 2028 because of federal broadcast restrictions. Those limits could keep weekday scheduling relevant to future opening weeks.
In other news, Lane Kiffin addresses critics with direct message after LSU’s victory over Clemson.
What do you think about the NFL’s unusual opening? Like this slideshow and comment with your take!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
Read More From This Brand:
