Finally, we have arrived: the 2026-27 NFL season kicks off tomorrow night at Lumen Field in Seattle, 8:20 p.m. EST, for a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and the champion Seahawks.<\/p>\n
The Seahawks will unveil their championship banner to start things off (the Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29-13 in February).<\/p>\n
Then the focus turns to the showdown itself \u2013 especially on Patriots\u2019 quarterback Drake Maye, who according to the NFL odds at Betway is +1000 in regular season MVP futures, behind Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills (+650), Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens (+800) and Joe Burrow of the Cincinatti Bengals (+850).<\/p>\n
Maye\u2019s in his third season, but just his second as an established starter. Was last season an anomaly, with Maye representing the next generation of star NFL QBs, or is he the real deal, on a level with veteran guys like Allen and Jackson, and the L.A. Rams\u2019 Matthew Stafford (+1200), who won the MVP award last season?<\/p>\n
Maye was sacked six times in the Super Bowl, so eyes are going to be on that \u2013 can the Patriots solve Seattle\u2019s pressure packages under coach Mike Macdonald?<\/p>\n
And is that countered at all by the new weapons Maye has at his disposal \u2013 led by A.J. Brown, a physical, game-changing receiver, who, along with Romeo Doubs, replaces Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte?<\/p>\n
And how will the Seattle running game look now that Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III has moved on (off to the Kansas City Chiefs), with rookie Jadarian Price now the centrepiece in that backfield?<\/p>\n
New offensive coordinator Brian Fleury is keeping Seattle\u2019s wide-zone foundation, so we\u2019ll have to see how his in-game play calling impacts Price\u2019s production in Game 1.<\/p>\n
Seahawks\u2019 QB Sam Darnold was third in the NFL in interceptions last season (14), although he didn\u2019t throw one in the Super Bowl. What are we going to see out of him tomorrow night?<\/p>\n
The Patriots and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez agreed to terms on a four-year, $135 million contract extension yesterday, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history (eclipsing the $132 million extension that the Seahawks\u2019 Devon Witherspoon received last month).<\/p>\n
Gonzalez\u2019s contract was the biggest question facing the Patriots going into Week 1. Getting that out of the way is a huge plus.<\/p>\n
If I am focusing on key matchups, it would have to be Maye versus Macdonald\u2019s defence; how the Patriots\u2019 offensive line holds up against the Seahawks\u2019 pass rush; and Brown versus Witherspoon- how Seattle can prevent Brown from controlling third downs and out-battling the Seahawks\u2019 secondary with contested catches.<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"editor_block","content":"Patriots vs Seahawks Odds<\/h2>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"editor_block","content":"