Seahawks Edge Patriots 13-10 as Smith-Njigba Posts 122 Yards and New England Offense Stalls
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 10
Seahawks Edge Patriots 13-10 as Smith-Njigba Posts 122 Yards and New England Offense Stalls
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 10
Summary
Seattle opened its title defense with a 13-10 win, leaning on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 8-catch, 122-yard, 1-touchdown night even after Sam Darnold exited early and Drew Lock took over.
New England’s offense again looked structurally limited: Drake Maye misfired downfield, protection broke down against Seattle’s pressure looks, and A.J. Brown left in the third quarter with a high ankle sprain.
Seattle’s defense controlled the line much as it did last season, holding Patriots running backs to 37 yards on 18 carries and allowing negative yards before contact on those runs.
Smith-Njigba’s usage underscored Seattle’s offensive design advantage, with the Seahawks moving him across the formation while Brown ran 94% of his routes outside in a far more static Patriots attack.
The opener reinforced two early themes for 2026: Seattle still looks built around elite defense and flexible play design, while New England leaves Week 1 with mounting questions about its offense.