Seahawks rally past Patriots 13-10 as Maye throws three fourth-quarter interceptions

Fourth-quarter turnovers decide opener

The Seattle Seahawks opened the 2026 NFL season on Wednesday night by overcoming a 10-0 deficit to defeat the New England Patriots 13-10 in Seattle. Seattle's defense forced turnovers on New England's final three possessions of the fourth quarter, intercepting quarterback Drake Maye three times and sacking him three times during the final period. Maye, who finished the game 23 of 33 for 178 yards and one touchdown, had entered the fourth quarter with a 10-3 lead before Seattle's defensive pressure shifted the contest. The decisive turnover occurred with 21 seconds remaining when cornerback Josh Jobe intercepted Maye's pass intended for Mack Hollins in the end zone on third-and-5 from the 16-yard line. The miscue concluded a drive where New England had converted two fourth downs and stood within range for a game-tying field goal by Andy Borregales, who earlier connected from 50 yards.

Lock steps in after Darnold hip injury

Seattle achieved the comeback despite losing starting quarterback Sam Darnold just five plays into the contest. Darnold suffered a hip injury on a third-down coverage sack by defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones on the opening drive, completing one of two passes for 13 yards before leaving for evaluation. Backup quarterback Drew Lock entered the game in relief, completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown to lead the offense. Lock connected with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 45-yard touchdown on fourth down with 11:28 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 10-10. Following an interception by safety Julian Love, kicker Jason Myers made a short field goal with under six minutes remaining to put Seattle ahead 13-10. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald later provided an update on Darnold's status.

“The hip is intact, and it's good. It's more like a muscle thing. So that's good. So how long that is? We don't know yet.”

Drew Lock (Seahawks)187

Drake Maye (Patriots)178

Sam Darnold (Seahawks)13

Drew Lock (Seahawks)

187 yards

Drake Maye (Patriots)

178 yards

Sam Darnold (Seahawks)

13 yards

Data from the article text

Brown leaves Patriots debut with ankle sprain

New England suffered an injury setback of its own when wide receiver A.J. Brown exited early in the third quarter with a right ankle injury. Brown was injured while falling to the ground during an incomplete pass from Maye, when Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett's knee contacted Brown's ankle and twisted it inward. Brown, acquired by the Patriots in an offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles in early June, recorded three receptions for 26 yards in the first half before departing to the sideline medical tent. Initial X-rays were negative for a bone fracture, with reports indicating a suspected high-ankle sprain pending further MRI testing on Thursday. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed Brown's status and the team's upcoming plans.

“I don't know if he'll be available going forward here for the next week, but we'll see. Once we get the report, we'll figure out what the treatment plan is.”

Team schedules and offensive outlook

The defeat marked the first three-interception game of Maye's career, following New England's offensive difficulties against Seattle in their previous 29-13 meeting in February. Maye became the second quarterback in the last eight seasons to throw at least three interceptions in the fourth quarter while leading, tied, or trailing by one score. Seattle's offense received a team-high performance from Smith-Njigba, who caught eight passes for 122 yards and the game-tying touchdown. Both teams will resume their schedules on Sept. 20 for Week 2 of the regular season. The Seahawks travel to face the Arizona Cardinals, while the Patriots return to Foxborough for their home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.