Seahawks vs Patriots betting: NFL opener pick, player prop

By Zachary Cohen VSiN September 8, 2026 - 2:20 pm On Wednesday, a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 NFL season. The game is set for Lumen Field, where a strong atmosphere is always anticipated. In last year’s Super Bowl, the Seahawks cruised to a 29‑13 victory at Levi’s Stadium. Drake Maye, a former second‑year phenom, struggled after performing at an MVP level during the regular season. He threw two interceptions, lost a fumble, and finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 29.9. Heading into this Week 1 showdown, Maye will need to improve considerably. Given New England’s offseason, there are reasons to believe he will. The Patriots lacked sufficient weapons at wide receiver last year, so they added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Brown has recorded at least 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns in each of the past four seasons and is among the league’s top receivers. He is a big, physical presence, enjoys playing for Mike Vrabel, and grew up as a Patriots fan. Doubs does not match Brown’s eye‑popping numbers, but he could thrive in a new situation. New England’s offensive line should also improve. Left tackle Will Campbell is steady after limping through the end of last season, and the Patriots added a stud interior lineman in Alijah Vera‑Tucker. Keeping Maye upright and throwing from a clean pocket should be easier than it was in last year’s playoffs. Another factor favoring the Patriots is that Nick Emmanwori, Seattle’s jack‑of‑all‑trades in the secondary, is likely to miss this game. On the other side of the ball, New England no longer has to contend with Kenneth Walker III, who amassed 161 total yards in the Super Bowl. Seattle still has talent in the backfield, with Jadarian Price appearing poised to become an early‑year star. However, it remains uncertain whether the rookie will be ready to shine in his first meaningful outing, and it will be interesting to see if he has resolved his fumbling issues. The Patriots also added defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, who posted seven combined sacks against the Titans and Ravens last year. That could make it easier for New England to apply pressure on Sam Darnold. Outside of Vrabel’s off‑field activities, the Patriots simply appeared to have a better offseason than the Seahawks. New England will also be playing for revenge, a factor that is hard to ignore in a season opener. Taking all of the above into account, it is difficult not to side with the points for the road team. I also appreciate that our Circa betting splits page indicates New England is the sharper side. This line opened at Patriots + 5½ on May 15 but has moved to + 3 at Circa despite the majority of tickets being on the Seahawks. The Patriots are also 4‑0 both straight‑up and against the spread as road underdogs under Vrabel. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are just 8‑10‑1 ATS in home games under Mike Macdonald. **Patriots vs. Seahawks player prop** **Drake Maye Over 226.5 Passing Yards (‑117)** I’m playing Maye to spell Over 226.5 passing yards successful this game. Last year, the MVP runner‑up averaged 248.7 yards per game across 21 contests. And although he struggled in the Super Bowl, he still threw for 295 yards against this defense. With TreVeyon Henderson banged up, together with the additions of Brown and Doubs, I see this as another contest in which Maye will be asked to use his arm frequently. **Patriots vs. Seahawks pick** **Seahawks (‑3) over Patriots** I know the wide statement surrounding New England is that the squad is owed for regression due to the fact that its docket is overmuch tougher than it was a play ago. However, I strongly judge the Patriots improved their roster significantly, and I am not definite Seattle’s extent illustration looks immoderate amended than it did a twelvemonth ago. **Prediction:** I’ll take the points in what should be a competitive game, and I’ll also sprinkle the moneyline at +165.