Seattle Seahawks to Host New England Patriots in 2026 NFL Kickoff Game

The 2026 NFL Kickoff Game will feature the same matchup which closed out last season as the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots. The contest takes place on Wednesday, Sep. 9, marking the second time that the NFL Kickoff Game won't be held on a Thursday. Seattle is coming off a 14-3 regular season, which culminated in a 29-13 victory over the Pats in The Big Game. New England also went 14-3 in the regular season in Mike Vrabel's first year as head coach of the team. New England running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) has been ruled out. Seattle has some injury questions in the secondary with starting safety Ty Okada (hamstring) out and safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) questionable. Visit our DraftKings promo code review and get $200 in bonus bets as a new user after $5+ in wagers here:

Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET from Lumen Field in Seattle. The latest Seahawks vs. Patriots odds have Seattle as a 3-point favorite. The over/under for total points is at 44.5. Before making any Patriots vs. Seahawks picks or 2026 NFL Kickoff Game predictions, be sure to see what the SportsLine projection model has to say.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on betting sites on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters the 2026 NFL season on a 53-37 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its picks at NFL betting sites could have seen strong returns.

Now, the model has zoned in on Seahawks vs. Patriots. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Patriots vs. Seahawks:

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Top Patriots vs. Seahawks predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Seahawks vs. Patriots, the model is going Over 44.5 points (-110) at betting apps. These were two of the top three scoring offenses last season, and each upgraded those units in the offseason. New England added three-time All-Pro A.J. Brown, in addition to using its first round pick on an offensive tackle to help protect Drake Maye. As for Seattle, Kenneth Walker III's departure, plus an injury to Zach Charbonnet, means rookie Jadarian Price will get a heavy workload early after being picked in the first round out of Notre Dame.

The Over had a 7-2 record when Seattle was a home favorite last year, which was the best mark in the league (min. three games). Meanwhile, the Over went 11-6 in Patriots' regular season contests in 2025, which was tied for the second-best record in the NFL. Given those trends, and the fact that the Over has hit in each of the last six regular-season meetings between these teams, the model foresees the total being eclipsed. It projects 46 combined points, giving value to the Over. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Seahawks vs. Patriots picks

For Patriots vs. Seahawks in the NFL Kickoff Game, the model says one side of the spread is hitting in well over 60% of simulations. See what it is at SportsLine.