Musket Fire
FanSided

Patriots: Ranking the 2020 regular season opponents

By Patrick Morgan

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 22: Jarrett Stidham #4 of the New England Patriots looks on during the preseason game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 22: Jarrett Stidham #4 of the New England Patriots looks on during the preseason game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
16 of 17
Next
SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 14: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks escapes the grasp of Jerod Mayo #51 of the New England Patriots and as Vince Wilfork #75 of the New England Patriots watches during a game at CenturyLink Field on October 14, 2012 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – OCTOBER 14: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks escapes the grasp of Jerod Mayo #51 of the New England Patriots and as Vince Wilfork #75 of the New England Patriots watches during a game at CenturyLink Field on October 14, 2012 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

2. Seattle Seahawks (AWAY – Week 2)

Since Pete Carroll arrived in 2010, the Seahawks have gone 100-59-1 during the regular season. Only the Steelers (102-57-1), Packers (102-56-2), and Patriots (125-35-0) had better overall winning percentages during the past decade (2010-2019).

Part of what has made Seattle so special under Carroll is their dominance at home. The Seahawks have gone 57-23 over the past 10 years while playing at Qwest Field/CenturyLink Field. That translates to a 71.25 winning percentage at home, which trails only the Patriots (84.7%), Ravens (75%), and Packers (74.7%) for the top marks this past decade.

The Patriots and Seahawks have met twice in the regular season during Carroll’s tenure. Both games were wins for Seattle: a narrow 24-23 home win in 2012 and an impressive 31-24 road win in 2016.

Of course, the only meeting that really mattered was the one that came right in the middle of those two: Super Bowl XLIX following the 2014 season. The Patriots famously won that game 28-24 on the heels of Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception off Russell Wilson.

The all-time series between Seattle and New England is tied at nine games apiece (including the Super Bowl, which was obviously played at a neutral site). The Patriots have hosted the Seahawks 10 times and gone 4-6 in those games. The Seahawks have hosted the Patriots seven times and gone 3-4.

Seattle might not be as dangerous a team as they were back in 2013 when they won a world championship over Denver or in 2014 when they narrowly lost to New England in their second straight Super Bowl appearance, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with under Carroll.

The defense, in particular, isn’t what it used to be, but a strong argument could be made that the offense is better than ever. Or at very least: Russell Wilson is better than ever.

The Patriots should have their hands full with this one.

Home/Patriots News