The Seattle Seahawks kicked off their 2026 NFL season by absolutely defying the odds, battling back from a 10-0 third-quarter deficit to snatch a thrilling 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. It was a wild ride from the jump, with Sam Darnold going down on the fifth play of the game, a defense already missing starters Nick Emmanwori and Ty Okada, and penalties absolutely killing Seattle across all three phases. Our offense spent most of the night struggling to sustain drives. But then, in a blink, the flags vanished, the defense pulled off three massive interceptions, and Drew Lock led the charge to score the game’s final 13 points. What a start!
Offensive Snap Counts Tell a Story of Scrappy Adjustments
With Darnold out early, the offense had to get creative. We basically rolled with four key targets from the receiver and tight end spots: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, A.J. Barner, Cooper Kupp, and Rashid Shaheed. Montorie Foster Jr., our fourth receiver on the depth chart with Tory Horton unavailable, was limited strictly to special teams work. The tight ends, Elijah Arroyo and Eric Saubert, saw just 21 snaps combined, with only 10 of those coming on passing downs.
But who stepped up big in a new role? Fullback Brady Russell, who is taking over with Robbie Ouzts out for the season, played a career-high 17 offensive snaps. He even caught the first two passes of his entire NFL career! In the backfield, Jadarian Price and George Holani split RB1 duties for the night. Our rookie, Price, had 11 snaps on passing plays but zero reps in pass protection. Holani, however, took 23 snaps and handled several pass-rushing assignments on passing downs. It looks like that split is here to stay, at least until Zach Charbonnet returns from injury or the coaching staff feels Price is ready for those responsibilities. Emanuel Wilson had a quick three snaps, including the failed 3rd and 1 right before Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s touchdown. Talk about being on the field for the clutch moments, right? Josh Jones also got his lone snap on that critical 3rd and 1 play.
The Defense Was Absolutely Heroic
While the offense was figuring things out, our defense, even with Emmanwori and Okada sidelined, put on a clinic when it mattered most. Rodney Thomas II was an absolute beast, playing almost every single snap after being called up from the practice squad to replace Okada. That’s a serious performance, especially considering A.J. Finley, who was signed directly to the active roster, ended up being a healthy scratch. The only snap Rodney missed was on the Patriots’ goal-line touchdown. But let’s not forget those three game-changing interceptions. They were the backbone of that comeback, completely swinging momentum our way and proving this defense has some serious grit.
This gritty opener gives us a clear look at the Emerald City’s fighting spirit. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t dominant, but coming back from a 10-point hole with your starting QB out and key defensive pieces missing? That’s the kind of never-say-die attitude that defines an early season identity. We have a lot to look forward to, seeing how this team continues to fight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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