7 takeaways as Patriots collapse in season-opening loss to Seahawks

Week 1 is not always indicative of what’s to come. Just look at the Patriots’ last two openers.

In 2024, the Patriots went to Cincinnati and beat the Bengals in Jerod Mayo’s first game as head coach. They then lost six straight games, finished 4-13, and fired Mayo immediately after the season.

Last year, the Patriots lost to the Raiders at home in Week 1. They then went 14-3, tied for the best record in football, and reached the Super Bowl. The Raiders, meanwhile, went 3-14 and ended up with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

So, no, the Patriots’ season is not going to be defined by what happened on Wednesday night.

That said, a fourth-quarter meltdown, coupled with Drake Maye being outplayed by Drew Lock after Sam Darnold left with a hip injury on the opening drive, leaves a sour taste for a team and fanbase that now has to wait 11 days for its next opportunity in Week 2.

Here are seven takeaways from a disappointing opening to the Patriots’ 2026 season.

Drake Maye had his worst game as a pro

Drake Maye threw an interception on all three of the Patriots’ fourth-quarter drives. His three interceptions were a career high in both the NFL and college, and they came on three consecutive drives.

It’s not hyperbolic to call this the worst game of Maye’s professional career. He was underthrowing passes throughout the night before completely imploding in the fourth quarter. It was the first time the Patriots had thrown three interceptions on three straight drives since 2001.

It was a worst-case scenario for Maye, who entered this season with sky-high expectations after finishing as the MVP runner-up last season.

“It’s a long season. Hold our head up high. Nothing but the utmost confidence in him and everyone on this football team,” Mike Vrabel said. “He’s going to make a lot of plays for us.”

The game completely changed when A.J. Brown left

A.J. Brown’s Patriots debut was off to a great start before the 29-year-old suffered an ankle injury on the Patriots’ opening drive of the second half and did not return.

Brown finished with three receptions on a team-high four targets for 26 yards, with two of those receptions coming on third down.

His biggest contribution, however, won’t show up in the stat sheet. Brown drew a defensive pass interference penalty on a deep pass from Drake Maye near the goal line, setting the Patriots up at the two-yard line and leading to their first touchdown of the season.

Brown got behind Seattle cornerback Josh Jobe, who was flagged for the penalty, and had a chance to score, but the ball was underthrown by Maye.

The game completely changed after Brown left. The Patriots had five drives and ran 32 plays after Brown’s departure. They totaled just 93 yards and turned the ball over on the aforementioned three straight.

Of course, that’s no excuse for Maye and his play, but the offense was noticeably different after Brown’s departure.

Romeo Doubs had a brutal debut

It was a tough night for Romeo Doubs, who signed a four-year, $68 million contract with the Patriots this offseason.

The 26-year-old came over from the Packers after spending the first four years of his career in Green Bay and finished without a catch on three targets.

His first target ended with Maye throwing into double coverage, with the pass getting intercepted off a deflection.

Then, early in the fourth quarter, Doubs had a brutal drop that would’ve gone for 25-plus yards. Maye was intercepted on the very next play.

It was a debut to forget for Doubs, who was held without a catch for just the fifth time in his 60 career games.

Two rookies made an immediate impact

It was hard to predict what to expect from the Patriots’ 2026 rookie class coming into the season. However, two rookies in particular stood out in Week 1.

We’ll start with third-round tight end Eli Rairdon, who hauled in the first touchdown of the NFL season after not scoring a single touchdown in 12 games with Notre Dame last season. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Rairdon was also used as a blocker and looked plenty capable in that role, which is a welcome sight for the Patriots, who are thin at tight end behind veteran Hunter Henry.

Second-round EDGE rusher Gabe Jacas, who appeared to be very much a work in progress entering the season after arriving at camp, also made his presence felt. He recorded a sack and three tackles, two of which were for a loss. Jacas, whom the Patriots traded up for in the second round, looked like he belonged.

Dre’Mont Jones had a solid debut

Entering the season, the Patriots’ EDGE rusher group was by far their biggest weakness on the roster, with Dre’Mont Jones and Elijah Ponder as the starters and Jacas as the top rotational option. Along with Jacas, Jones also gave the Patriots a reason to feel better about the group after Week 1.

The veteran, who signed a three-year, $39.5 million contract this offseason after posting a career-high 8.0 sacks in 18 games last season with the Titans and Ravens, was active in the Seattle backfield.

He recorded the sack on the opening drive that unfortunately caused Darnold to leave the game and finished with a game-high four quarterback hits.

If the Patriots can get more of that from Jones, who wasn’t all that disruptive in camp, it would go a long way toward improving what was their biggest weakness coming into the season.

The Patriots struggled to get the run game going

It was an alright game for the offensive line. Things unraveled in the fourth quarter, as penalties and pressures began to pile up, but throughout most of the night, the protection was decent.

They did, however, struggle to create holes in the run game. Rhamondre Stevenson ran the ball 18 times for 51 yards (2.8 per carry), and with TreVeyon Henderson out, Corey Kiner carried the ball six times for 11 yards (1.8 per carry). In fairness to the offensive line, the running backs didn’t create much of their own.

Maye was able to create some off-script plays with his legs, but that was really it in the run game.

The Patriots probably could’ve used more Christian Gonzalez on Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba had eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown. However, none of those receptions came against Christian Gonzalez, whom the Patriots signed to a record-breaking contract extension on the eve of the season, according to Next Gen Stats.

I would have liked to see more Gonzalez on Smith-Njigba. There wasn’t enough.