5 Takeaways from Seahawks Comeback Win Over Patriots in Super Bowl Rematch

The Seattle Seahawks' comeback win over the New England Patriots despite losing Sam Darnold in the first quarter perfectly personified the manner in which this team was able to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy a season ago:

Game-wrecking defense, star players making key plays, and a relentless support of one another that is rooted in a rowdy home-field advantage.

Seattle escaped Lumen Field with a 13-10 win that saw Patriots young signal caller throw three interceptions in the fourth quarter as the Seahawks came from double-digits down.

READ MORE: Seahawks Lose Darnold, Stun Patriots with Second-Half Surge in Week 1

Here are my top takeaways from a dramatic Week 1 opener to the new NFL season:

The right hip injury could be significant for the 29-year-old journeyman just looking to settle into his potential forever home.

Darnold was sacked to end the Seahawks' first possession of the game. After a brief visit in the blue medical tent and a limp to the locker room, Darnold reportedly visited Harborview Medical Center in Seattle's by game's end.

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter said initial CT scans of Darnold's hip were "encouraging but inconclusive." The quarterback is set to have an MRI on Thursday.

The injury comes as Seattle remains without running back Zach Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in the playoffs. Hours before kickoff, the Seahawks also announced that starting safety Nick Emmanwori would sit out the opener.

Rookie ball-carrier Jadarian Price filled Charbonnet's void with 52 yards on 10 carries. George Holani added 29 yards on eight rushes. The Seahawks' defensive backfield was effective in capitalizing on questionable decisions by Maye despite Emmanwori's absence.

It will be determined just how well Seattle can do this season with Darnold out, but one thing has carried over from the Seahawks' 2025 parade: points will be hard to come by against this Mike Macdonald squad.

Aside from the trio of fourth-quarter takeaways, Seattle's front seven showed why it continues to deserve respect as one of the best units in football. Maye was sacked a total of three times - by Drake Thomas, Leonard Williams and Derick Hall - and held to a QBR of just 54.9.

It's worth noting that as impressive as the Seahawks' 2026 edition of the "Dark Side Defense" was, it wasn't without its own shortcomings.

There were several crucial miscues that helped the Patriots get on the board.

An unfortunate defensive pass interference on a deep ball to A.J. Brown (before he left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury) was misplayed by Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe. The penalty set New England up with position to hit a rookie tight end uncontested in the end zone one play later, which was also the result of broken coverage stemming from a late substitution.

Seattle also gave New England new life with a running-into-the-punter flag that extended a drive that ended in the Pats' next score, a field goal by Andy Borregales.

Even on offense, Seattle threatened to get in its own way and nearly forfeit its best chances to score. A short slant was caught by Cooper Kupp for a touchdown shortly after his impressive one-hander on third down. The TD was called back due to an illegal shift and Seattle settled for a field goal to at least get on the board for the first time.

Arguably the turning point of the game was Smith-Njigba disregarding the swarm of white jerseys around him when he jetted past the Patriots defense for a 45-yard touchdown catch - Seattle's lone play ending in the end zone.

With Darnold out and the air sucked out of the 12th Man, the Seahawks turned to their reigning Offensive Player of the Year award winner to tie the game with a heroic effort.

Smith-Njigba begins his 2026 season - now as the new highest-paid wide receiver in league history - with 122 receiving yards on eight catches and that touchdown.

Last season, the Rockwall, Texas native led the league with 1,793 receiving yards. He finished last season with the fourth-most receptions (119) and tied for the sixth-most touchdown catches (10).

But will he sustain that level with Drew Lock looking in his direction?

The biggest wrinkle Lock adds to Macdonald and Brian Fluery's offense that Darnold cannot replicate is his ability to scramble and run for yardage.

Lock used that skillset several times during the Seahawks' second-half surge, keeping the offense moving when the run game stalled.

The sixth-year veteran saw his most action in a game since he backed up Daniel Jones on the New York Giants in 2024, where Lock started many of the games in the back half of that season before joining Seattle in 2025.

Lock was 16/22 for 187 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers. The numbers don't jump off the stat sheet, but he isn't being called upon to turn into a superstar overnight.

If the Seahawks can improve the young run game and continue giving Lock as many opportunities as possible to find Smith-Njigba or Cooper Kupp downfield, this defense will be good enough to keep Seattle afloat until Darnold's return.