Wednesday evening, the 2026 regular season is officially kicking off right here in Seattle, and you absolutely will not believe the schedule makers on this one. It’s a full-on Super Bowl LIX rematch, baby! The Seahawks are squaring off against the New England Patriots on our home field for banner night, with kickoff slated for 7:20 p.m. This isn’t just another game; it’s the very first of 272 professional football clashes we’ll be devouring all fall and winter long. Talk about starting the season with a bang for the Emerald City!
MVP Race: Who’s Gonna Steal The Show?
Alright, so while our Hawks are getting ready to dominate, the buzz around the league is already deafening about who’s taking home MVP. Josh Allen from Buffalo is, no surprise, the overwhelming favorite, sitting pretty at +550 on FanDuel. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, though, he’s tied for the second-lowest odds at +1000, right there with Justin Herbert from the Chargers. Honestly, Burrow’s got a legitimate shot, especially with the Bengals looking so dominant in the AFC North. The Ravens got a first-year head coach, and Pittsburgh’s letting Aaron Rodgers live out his “last-dance fantasy” , c’mon, seriously? Plus, the AFC North gets to feast on the NFC South and the Washington Commanders in interconference games. That’s a perfect storm for a massive season for Burrow, and he could totally lead the Bengals to one of the conference’s top seeds. Patrick Mahomes? He’s sitting way back at +1700, the ninth-lowest odds.
Rookie Watch: Is There A Defensive Phenom Emerging?
Now, let’s get into the trenches and talk about the new blood, specifically the rookies making noise on defense. There’s a lot of chatter about Mansoor Delane for Defensive Rookie of the Year at +1000. The original writer called this a “homer pick,” and I can totally see why. But Delane’s been legitimately impressive through training camp and the preseason, seriously turning heads. This award usually goes to pass rushers or defensive backs who snag a ton of interceptions and break up passes. Delane, in his first year, before quarterbacks even figure out not to test him, could absolutely put up those kind of numbers. He’s also a willing tackler with lightning-fast read-and-react skills to get on the ball instantly. Big tackle numbers and highlight coverage plays? That’s how you get yourself in the driver’s seat. Peter Woods is out there at +5000, and R Mason Thomas at +7500, those long odds on Thomas are definitely tempting for a sneaky flier.
AFC West Drama: Will The Broncos Crash Out?
And speaking of drama, let’s talk about the AFC West. FanDuel is putting the Denver Broncos to miss the playoffs at +136. Man, remember last season, 2025? Bo Nix and those Broncos were absolutely clutch, elite at finishing close games. Nix delivered in the biggest moments for Denver, even hosting the AFC Championship! But hey, football is a fickle beast. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are sitting at +152, which gives them the highest odds of the three top AFC West competitors. Whatever’s brewing in Denver, you can bet it’s gonna be a dogfight in that division.
Alright, Seattle, the season is officially ON, baby! We kick things off tonight, 7:20 p.m., Seahawks vs. Patriots at Lumen Field for that Super Bowl LIX rematch and banner night! Get loud, 12s, let’s start this season with a bang and show the entire league what Emerald City football is all about. This is just the beginning, and you know we’ll be watching every single play from here on out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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