The New England Patriots are still reeling from a Super Bowl rematch loss to kick off their 2026 season, and guess who helped hand them that disappointing opener? Our very own Seattle Seahawks, right here at Lumen Field! That low-scoring 13-10 loss to the Hawks in Week 1 saw the Pats’ offense absolutely sputter, and things only got worse when their big-ticket offseason addition, AJ Brown, went down with a high-ankle sprain that landed him on injured reserve.
Maye’s Week 1 Nightmare Unveiled by the 12s
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who was an MVP candidate in 2025, put up a rough three-interception performance against our Hawks on that big stage. It was a seriously disappointing start for a player who, just a year ago, led one of the league’s most up-and-coming teams. While Maye is a massive threat and definitely a bigger challenge than Cooper Rush, who the Steelers faced last week, he looked like he was trying to do way too much against Seattle. That final interception was just a reckless decision, sealing the loss for New England. Ouch. The 12s sure know how to make an impression.
Patriots Offense Looking for Answers After Seattle Beatdown
Looking at the numbers, it’s clear the Patriots offense is struggling early. They’re averaging a mere 10 points per game, tied for 28th in the league. Their passing attack is putting up just 168 yards per game, ranking 25th, and their rushing game isn’t much better at 109 yards per game, good for 17th. This is an offense that entered 2026 with a largely similar setup to their Super Bowl team, albeit with a new wide receiver room that saw Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs out, and AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs in. But with Brown gone, Maye is back to relying on a middling receiver group, just like he did last season. In 2025, Maye still managed 4,394 passing yards with an impressive 72% accuracy. That was partly thanks to Josh McDaniels’ short-game scheme, but the guy also showed off one of the best deep balls in the league and excelled without top-tier help. Plus, his mobility is no joke, he scrambled for 47 yards in Week 1 alone, and made plenty of highlight reel plays under pressure last season. He’s got talent, but that Week 1 performance was a head-scratcher.
Now, Maye and the Patriots are desperate for their first win of the season as they head into their first AFC action of 2026 against the 1-0 Steelers. He’s hoping for a bounce-back performance, but doing it without AJ Brown against a team coming off a closer-than-it-needed-to-be win is a tough ask. What version of Drake Maye shows up this week? The MVP candidate or the guy who threw three picks to our Seahawks? We’ll be watching to see if they can turn things around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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