The New England Patriots had the same Week 1 result (a loss) against the Seattle Seahawks as they had a year ago.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky doesn’t sound ready to treat it as a warning sign.
New England fell 13-10 to the Seahawks on Wednesday after carrying a 10-0 lead into the second half. Drake Maye threw three fourth-quarter interceptions, while A.J. Brown exited with an ankle injury that has quickly become the more significant concern.
Still, Orlovsky pointed to the bigger picture Friday on ESPN’s “First Take”.
“They have a phenomenal defense,” Orlovsky said. “They lost last year in Week 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders. Mike Vrabel in Week 1 games is 2-6.”
Orlovsky then highlighted the way Vrabel’s teams have historically improved as seasons progress. That argument has recent evidence in New England, with the Patriots losing their 2025 opener 20-13 to Las Vegas before finishing the regular season 14-3 and reaching Super Bowl LX.
The concern Orlovsky did identify centered on what comes next for Maye without Brown.
Orlovsky Sees Reason for Patience With Patriots
The Patriots’ loss in Seattle looked ugly late, particularly after Maye turned the ball over on each of New England’s final three possessions. Yet the defense gave the offense enough opportunities to win.
Seattle finished with 285 total yards, and the Patriots held the defending champions scoreless until the third quarter. New England also led 10-0 before Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 45-yard touchdown catch helped spark the Seahawks’ comeback.
That defensive performance helps explain Orlovsky’s reluctance to overreact to the 0-1 start.
There’s also a direct comparison to last season with the loss to the Raiders in Vrabel’s first game as Patriots coach was followed by one of the NFL’s sharpest turnarounds. The Patriots finished 14-3, a 10-win improvement from 2024, and won three playoff games before losing to Seattle in the Super Bowl.
One poor September result did little to define that team. Orlovsky appears to see the possibility of a similar trajectory this time, especially with a defense capable of keeping games within reach while the offense works through its mistakes.
Brown Injury Creates Initial Test for Maye
Brown’s injury boosts the urgency of New England’s response.
Reuters reported Friday that Brown was placed on injured reserve after an MRI confirmed a high ankle sprain. He must miss at least four games, with Week 6 representing the earliest possible return. Brown caught three passes for 26 yards before leaving his Patriots debut and also drew a 34-yard pass-interference penalty that set up New England’s only touchdown.
Orlovsky described Brown’s absence as adversity for Maye and raised the question of how the quarterback will respond without the receiver acquired to headline New England’s passing game.
Maye already put the responsibility on himself after the Seattle loss.
“You’ve got to stick together,” Maye said in his postgame news conference, adding that he has to “keep on putting better football out there.”
That response will matter because the mistakes against Seattle were concentrated in the biggest moments. Maye completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, but the three interceptions erased multiple chances to either protect the lead or steal the game late.
Brown’s absence removes one of the offense’s most proven answers as Maye tries to rebound.
Orlovsky feels, though, the larger verdict on New England remains unwritten since Vrabel’s first Patriots team showed how quickly a Week 1 loss can become a footnote.
The next stretch will reveal whether this group can follow the same direction while its quarterback navigates an unexpected early-season challenge.
Patriots’ Week 1 Loss Doesn’t Faze NFL Analyst, But A.J. Brown Injury Does