Just a day out from their 2026 season opener against the Seahawks on the road, the Patriots have a lot of new preparation to incorporate that could be instrumental in avenging the embarrassment they suffered in this year's Super Bowl.
For over a decade, playing in Seattle has become an even greater disadvantage for road teams because of the ever-increasing volume of home fans, which the Seahawks welcome with open arms, as they should.
It has led to them being a stadium that sees a lot of delay-of-game penalties, or even forced timeouts, because their opponents can't hear what they're saying to each other, and captains can't hear the commands in their helmets.
So it's always an element that they have to properly prepare for, to the best of their abilities, and that could be a difference-maker in this week's matchup. Because the Patriots are a young team, it's something they'll have to work on to perfect, but it'll be crucial to their success in Week 1.
That's likely why it was a focus of practice over the past week, in particular, which Drake Maye discussed with reporters in recent days. The plan is to use more silent counts and non-verbal communication so they don't get thrown off by the crowd noise, and hopefully that'll be enough to combat it.
The Patriots implemented a new strategy at practice to prepare in the best way possible for the Seahawks
It seems to be what Maye feels comfortable with leading up to the big game on Wednesday night: he believes there are pros and cons to not yelling out plays, but he recognizes how important that is in a hostile environment.
We saw some of the silent count late last season, but this will be a big test for a much different looking team.
“I think there’s advantages and disadvantages to working in the silent [count], and I think it’s mostly just us repping it. I think coach Vrabel and the offensive staff did a great job preparing us. And I think we’ve got a lot of work at it.
I think those guys got a good grip on it. So we’ve got to stay out of penalties — avoid penalties — and keep the positive plays going.”
His confidence certainly eases some concerns, considering this wasn't a big part of their game plan throughout the 2025 season. So it's fair to assume they've been working on this much longer than just in preparation for the Seahawks in recent weeks.
It's especially important that the entire offense worked on it this summer, since it's not just the quarterback who needs to call plays or signal a teammate.
Things can change on a dime in the NFL, with defenders changing their plan in the midst of a play call, so the offensive line and the wide receivers need to be on the same page, too.
That's something quarterback coach Ashton Grant pointed out this past week, and we can only hope they put in enough work to ensure it will go smoothly in Seattle.
“I just think it’s the communication; getting guys on the same page. You know, a lot of what we do is verbal communicating. So when you go into a loud environment where you can’t use your voices, I think just trying to get everyone on the same page when we’re trying to snap the ball and what other communication we’re trying to get done, I think it becomes important.”
The fans will be extra hyped for this matchup, as the Seahawks will have their banner ceremony ahead of kickoff, so the excitement will be in the air and then some.
It will give them more motivation to wreak havoc with their voices all night long, hoping they'll do enough to make the night even harder for the Patriots, while also taking home the win and taking away their chance at revenge seven months later.
It puts a lot of pressure on Maye and the offense to manage the noise and not get overwhelmed, while also avoiding careless mistakes because of it. This game could come down to the difference in penalty yards, as it has for the Seahawks at home countless times, and that would be a frustrating way for the Patriots to lose again.
Add us as a preferred source on Google