Squirrel’s Nuts & Bolts: Seahawks - Patriots Showdown Strategy (Week 1 NFL DFS)

Sep 09, 2026

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s been seven months since the Seahawks walked off the field with a 29-13 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, and real football is back this Wednesday night as the same two teams meet again at Lumen Field to kick off the 2026 season. No more preseason tune-ups, no more Best Ball drafts, the points count starting tonight, and FanDuel and DraftKings are serving up a full menu of single-game contests to get the year started. Both starting quarterbacks are back for the rematch, and the Seahawks are favored by 3 points at home with the total set at 44.5 points.

The Seahawks’ offense will look different from the one that won the Super Bowl, even with Sam Darnold back under center after throwing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns (against 14 interceptions) last season. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker left for Kansas City in the offseason, and Zach Charbonnet opens the year on the PUP list with a torn ACL, so first-round rookie Jadarian Price gets the start with George Holani handling third downs and pass protection behind him. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is gone as well, taking the Raiders’ head coaching job, with Brian Fleury replacing him. The passing game still runs through Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who caught 119 passes for 1,793 yards last season, with Rashid Shaheed, Cooper Kupp, and TE AJ Barner (52 catches, 519 yards, six touchdowns) behind him. WR Tory Horton is questionable with a hamstring injury.

The Patriots’ offense averaged 28.8 points per game in the regular season last year behind Drake Maye, who threw for 4,934 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. New England went out and got Maye more help this offseason, trading for A.J. Brown (an average of 84 catches, 1,258 yards, and eight touchdowns over his last four seasons in Philadelphia) and signing Romeo Doubs in free agency to go with Demario Douglas and TE Hunter Henry. The backfield is thinner than planned, with TreVeyon Henderson ruled out with an ankle injury, leaving Rhamondre Stevenson as the lead back with Corey Kiner behind him. Starting center Ben Brown is also out with a knee injury, which matters against a Seattle defensive front that sacked Maye six times in the Super Bowl and allowed the fewest points in the league last season.

This opening Showdown gives us a Super Bowl rematch with two new receiving weapons on one side and a rookie running back on the other. Let’s break down this opening night showdown, highlight the key plays, and uncover the strategies that could help you climb the leaderboards.