The time is finally here for the Patriots to seek their revenge on the Seahawks for beating them in Super Bowl LX earlier this year. Unfortunately, it was a devastating loss, and most analysts aren't confident the Patriots can bounce back, especially in Week 1.
But they have made plenty of roster upgrades, especially in the weakest groups we saw in the Super Bowl, which should make a massive difference on Wednesday night.
From improving the offensive line by adding Alijah Vera-Tucker at left guard and moving Jared Wilson to his natural position at center, to signing fullback Reggie Gilliam in free agency, trading for A.J. Brown, and signing Romeo Doubs, the offense has seen its fair share of changes.
The same could be said about the defense, even if there are more question marks surrounding that side of the football.
Regardless, the Patriots go into this matchup as the underdogs, with nearly every analyst and non-New England fan picking the Seahawks to take home the W on banner night. Seattle fans also expect a big-time win, with most predicting a 9+ point difference by the end of the night.
That's only the tip of the iceberg, though, as some of the boldest predictions about the game suggest an absolute slaughter by the home team, which doesn't bode well for the Patriots. But does explain why the 12s are feeling so confident.
Seahawks fans are feeling very confident about their chances to beat the Patriots again
At the start of any NFL season, it's hard to predict winners and losers because anything can happen before teams find their identity and play their best football. There's a reason the saying "any given Sunday" exists in the NFL, and that's even more true in Week 1.
Although many predict a Seahawks win by a large margin, that doesn't mean the Patriots have no shot, even if the latest predictions suggest otherwise.
That's particularly true with OnSI's Randy Gurzi, whose boldest predictions coming true would mean the Patriots have a long way to go, far more than anyone would hope for after their impressive 2025 season, and that might be more devastating than just seeing them lose the game.
Among the worst of the predictions is Devon Witherspoon, the highest-paid cornerback until Christian Gonzalez got his new deal on Monday night, who will record an interception and a sack in his 2026 season debut.
On top of that, Gurzi also predicts that rookie running back Jadarian Price will rack up over 100 yards on the ground, continuing the Patriots' biggest weakness in the second half of the season, which would only further the concerns about not re-signing a player like Khyiris Tonga, who was a big part of stopping the run at a record rate last year.
If all of this, or even a good amount, comes true, it certainly explains why Seahawks fans are feeling extremely confident going into this game.
Maybe it's the right way to feel, or it could be borderline delusional. Either way, the best outcome would be a competitive game where neither team looks much worse than last year, and ideally, the Patriots win.
That would make all of the nonstop talk about their 2025 schedule, their less-than-impressive postseason showing, and the negativity about their chances this year look even worse, while the Patriots start 2026 on a high by beating the reigning Super Bowl Champions.
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