Week 1 of the NFL season is finally here. For Drake Maye and the New England Patriots, that means a Super Bowl rematch with the Seattle Seahawks to kick things off.
That Super Bowl, of course, went sideways for the Patriots and Maye. It’s impossible for the team to be there as the Seahawks reveal their banner and not be very aware of that history.
“You like to think it’s a new year,” Drake Maye said. “You’d like to think that, but at the same time, you go against an opponent you just lost the Super Bowl against. The last game I played that I was out there, we lost against, in the biggest game that’s why you play the game for.”
Many people would call it a revenge game for the Patriots. That’s not the attitude Maye has, though, because the Super Bowl and Week 1 are massively different. Instead, it’s a chance to get off to a hot start in 2026.
“It’s definitely, I wouldn’t say extra, just a little bit — It’s a chance to start the season off strong, on a good foot, and knowing that the opponent we have, you get to say a bit of your revenge game. But I wouldn’t say revenge game. They won the big one. We’ve got to start the season off and you can’t get that game back that we lost. So, we’re on to something new,” Maye said.
The New England Patriots Offense, Drake Maye, Struggled in the Super Bowl
Going into the Super Bowl, the Patriots faced a few different concerns. First, there was the offensive line that had been porous for the entire playoff run. Then, there was Drake Maye himself, who was battling a shoulder injury.
Both would become major issues. Maye struggled with turnovers, throwing two interceptions and coughing up a costly fumble. He was also sacked 6 times and hit 11 total times. Maye did throw for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also leading the Patriots in rushing with 37 yards, but it was far from enough.
That led to a level of revamping on the offensive side of the ball during the offseason for the Patriots. New England added new weapons in the wide receiver room to help Maye, including Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown. They also used their first-round pick on Caleb Lomu, a tackle, to try and better protect for him.
But does that mean the Patriots are in a better position to take on the Seahawks defense? It’s hard to say until they actually play a game.
“That’s a tough question,” Maye said. “We’ve got to see what it’s like. We’ve got some new faces and we’ve got to experience it and learn from it. You’d like to think you are, but it’s really when you’re out there, you’ve got to react, have some urgency, and get ready to play… It’s going to be a tough environment. They’re well coached. They’ve got great players.”
When and How to Watch the Patriots Take on the Seahawks
In a first for the NFL, the season is set to begin on a Wednesday. The Patriots and Seahawks are set to play in Seattle on September 9th, with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. EST.
That’s going to be a tough cross-country trip for most Patriots fans. So, they’ll need to rely on the networks instead. NBC currently holds the rights to the game, and it should also be available to stream on Peacock as well as FuboTV.
The Patriots are the underdog in Seattle. FanDuel currently has the spread at New England +3.5 with the moneyline at +154 for the Patriots. The over/under, for its part, is at 44.5 points.
Patriots Drake Maye on ‘Revenge Game’ Ahead of Super Bowl Rematch with Seahawks