Seven months ago, the New England Patriots struggled mightily in their Super Bowl loss against the Seattle Seahawks. They did compete fairly well defensively, but on offense simply did not do enough to prevent a relatively lopsided 29-13 defeat.
With the 2026 season about to be kicked off by those very same teams, we will get an instant look at each’s development since the Super Bowl and a first point of reference for 2026. For the moment and considering all the information available, however, here
is how we think they stack up heading into their meeting on Wednesday night.
Passing game
Patriots pass offense vs. Seahawks pass defense: Based on the Super Bowl, there would not be a question about who had the edge in this particular matchup; Seattle effectively shut down New England’s passing game all day due to a mix of relentless pressure and tight coverage — a combination the Patriots found no remedy against. However, the last seven months saw the AFC champions made some significant moves at wide receiver and along the offensive line to prevent a similar outcome from happening in 2026. The Seahawks themselves also suffered some personnel losses in the backend; you can see why Drake Maye and company should be better equipped to go up against the unit this time around. It will be for naught if the offensive line can’t hold up, but we are optimistic and therefore giving this head-to-head to the visitors by a small margin. | Edge: Patriots
Patriots pass defense vs. Seahawks pass offense: Had the Christian Gonzalez contract situation not been resolved, we might have gone in a different direction here. With the star cornerback signing a four-year, $135 million pact earlier this week, however, this question has been answered. Others do remain such as the source of New England’s pass rush particularly off the edge, but on the whole we like this matchup for the visitors: the interior defensive line and Zak Kuhr’s aggressive pressure packages could create problems against Seattle’s O-line, while Gonzalez and company have the coverage prowess to limit Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and the rest of Seattle’s aerial attack. | Edge: Patriots
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Running game
Patriots rushing offense vs. Seahawks run defense: One of the Patriots’ offensive goals this season is running the ball more effectively, and they should be better based on the personnel available compared to 2025; the additions of Alijah Vera-Tucker and Reggie Gilliam alone should make a positive difference. That said, one big part of the core personnel, TreVeyon Henderson, will not be playing on Wednesday, putting pressure on Rhamondre Stevenson and RB3 Corey Kiner. Add the fact that the Seahawks have one of the best front sevens in all of football, and you can see why New England — no pun intended — might be running into some trouble on the ground against the Seahawks. | Edge: Seahawks
Patriots run defense vs. Seahawks rushing offense: Kenneth Walker, who had 135 rushing yards in the Super Bowl and took home MVP honors, left Seattle for Kansas City in this year’s free agency. Zach Charbonnet, the projected RB1 with Walker gone, will open the year on the physically unable to perform list. As a consequence, first-round draft pick Jadarian Price will be the top dog in the Seahawks’ backfield facing New England — a tall task for a rookie. That being said, he will be going up against a Patriots defense that had its issues versus the run this summer. Edge-setting in particular looked problematic throughout training camp and with Harold Landry on PUP as well remains a massive concern going into Lumen Field. | Edge: Seahawks
Special teams
Both the Patriots’ and the Seahawks’ are among the stoutest special teams units in the NFL. And yet, we are giving Seattle the edge for one particular reason: their kick return game as a whole looks more dangerous with Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton both capable of breaking big plays as punt and kickoff returner, respectively. Marcus Jones is as well, of course, but New England is missing that proven top-tier player to return kickoffs. Other factors such as Brenden Schooler’s absence and Andy Borregales’ accuracy also push this head-to-head toward the home team, at least on paper. | Edge: Seahawks
Coaching
The last time these two teams met, the Seahawks out-classed the Patriots every step of the way — including from a coaching perspective. The main actors in this battle, head coaches Mike Vrabel and Mike Macdonald, are still calling the shots for their respective teams. However, Wednesday’s game will be the first for new Seattle offensive coordinator Brian Fleury and his new-look staff. Any growing pains could help tip the scales in New England’s favor, which is why we are giving the slightest of advantages to Vrabel and a crew that is largely unchanged from a year ago. | Edge: Patriots
Verdict
The Patriots lost Super Bowl LX by 16 points and were unable to get out of their way particularly on offense for much of the day. That being said, their eventual deficit was inflated by untimely turnovers: early in the fourth quarter, the team was still down only 12 points and finally started to build some momentum. Obviously, that was undone by back-to-back series ending in interceptions, but the gap up until that point was not unbridgeable either.
The question now becomes whether or not New England’s offseason investments and natural progression in Year 2 under Mike Vrabel will be enough to bridge the gap against an opponent who appears to have a few more uncertainties within its ranks nowadays. At the very least, the game should be more competitive for four quarters.
