The Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 NFL regular season today against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The Seahawks and Patriots meet on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.
Seattle enters the new season as the defending Super Bowl champion after defeating New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, making tonight’s season opener a Super Bowl rematch.
So, what happens if the Seahawks win, tie or lose against the Patriots today?
If the Seahawks beat the Patriots, Seattle will start the 2026 NFL season 1-0. A tie would give Seattle a 0-0-1 record, while a loss would leave the Seahawks at 0-1. None of the three outcomes would qualify or eliminate Seattle from the playoffs because 16 regular-season games would remain.
Here is a closer look at the Seahawks vs. Patriots win, tie and loss scenarios.
What Happens If the Seahawks Beat the Patriots Today?
If the Seahawks beat the Patriots, Seattle will improve to 1-0 and begin its Super Bowl title defense with a victory.
Starting 1-0 would give Seattle an early advantage in the NFC standings and allow the Seahawks to bank an important non-conference victory.
Because New England plays in the AFC East, the result would not count toward Seattle’s NFC West divisional record.
The Seahawks would therefore be:
Overall record: 1-0
NFC West record: 0-0
Conference record: 0-0
Seattle would then turn its attention to its next game against the Arizona Cardinals.
A victory would also give the Seahawks another win over New England following their Super Bowl LX victory.
What Happens If the Seahawks and Patriots Tie?
If the Seahawks and Patriots tie, Seattle will begin the 2026 NFL season with a 0-0-1 record.
NFL ties count as half a win and half a loss when calculating winning percentage.
That means Seattle would technically have a .500 winning percentage after Week 1 despite having neither a victory nor a defeat.
The Seahawks’ records would be:
Overall record: 0-0-1
NFC West record: 0-0
Conference record: 0-0
A tie would not seriously damage Seattle’s playoff hopes this early in the season.
However, it could become important later because winning percentage is used to determine division champions, Wild Card teams and playoff seeding.
What Happens If the Seahawks Lose to the Patriots Today?
If the Seahawks lose to the Patriots, Seattle will begin the season with a 0-1 record.
A loss would give New England some revenge following its defeat against Seattle in Super Bowl LX.
However, the Seahawks would not be eliminated from playoff contention, nor would the loss prevent them from winning the NFC West.
Seattle would still have 16 regular-season games remaining.
After a loss, the Seahawks would be:
Overall record: 0-1
NFC West record: 0-0
Conference record: 0-0
Because New England is an AFC opponent, losing tonight would also be less damaging from a conference-tiebreaker perspective than losing to an NFC opponent.
Seahawks vs. Patriots Win, Tie or Loss Scenarios
| Seahawks Result | Record After Game | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Win vs. Patriots | 1-0 | Seattle starts its title defense with a victory |
| Tie vs. Patriots | 0-0-1 | Seattle remains unbeaten but does not earn a full win |
| Loss vs. Patriots | 0-1 | Seattle starts with a loss but remains fully alive in the playoff race |
The most important takeaway is that Seattle cannot clinch or be eliminated from anything tonight.
It is only Week 1 of the NFL regular season.
Does Seahawks vs. Patriots Affect the NFC West Standings?
Yes, but the game does not count as an NFC West divisional matchup.
Seattle competes in the NFC West alongside the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals.
New England plays in the AFC East.
Therefore, regardless of tonight’s result, Seattle’s NFC West record will remain 0-0.
However, the Seahawks’ overall record still matters when determining the NFC West champion.
A victory would give Seattle an early win before the Seahawks begin playing divisional opponents later in the schedule.
Does Seahawks vs. Patriots Affect NFC Playoff Tiebreakers?
The game could eventually matter in NFL playoff tiebreaking scenarios, although a matchup against an AFC opponent generally carries fewer direct conference implications.
Seattle’s games against NFC opponents are particularly important because conference record can become a playoff tiebreaker.
Because the Patriots are an AFC team, tonight’s result will not change Seattle’s NFC conference record.
Seattle will remain 0-0 against NFC opponents after the game regardless of whether it wins, ties or loses.
The result will still count toward the Seahawks’ overall winning percentage.
Can the Seahawks Make the Playoffs If They Lose to the Patriots?
Yes. The Seahawks can absolutely make the playoffs if they lose to the Patriots today.
A Week 1 defeat would leave Seattle 0-1 with 16 games remaining.
NFL teams regularly recover from opening-week losses and reach the postseason.
Seattle itself provided an extreme example during the previous season.
The Seahawks lost their 2025 season opener to the San Francisco 49ers, 17-13, before recovering and eventually winning Super Bowl LX.
That demonstrates why an opening-week defeat does not determine an NFL team’s season.
Can the Seahawks Make the Playoffs If They Tie the Patriots?
Yes. A tie would not prevent Seattle from making the playoffs.
A tie essentially counts as half a win and half a loss for winning-percentage purposes.
For example, a team finishing 10-6-1 would have a better winning percentage than a team finishing 10-7.
Therefore, a tie can ultimately become either helpful or costly depending on the records of other teams competing for playoff positions.
With 16 games remaining after tonight, however, Seattle would have plenty of opportunities to control its postseason position.
Can the Seahawks Clinch Anything With a Win Today?
No. The Seahawks cannot clinch the NFC West or an NFL playoff berth by beating the Patriots.
It is simply too early in the season.
A victory would give Seattle three important things:
- A 1-0 overall record
- Momentum to begin its Super Bowl title defense
- An early win before NFC West competition begins
Seattle’s playoff position will ultimately be determined by its performance throughout the full 17-game regular season.
What Happens to the Patriots If the Seahawks Win?
If Seattle wins, New England will begin the season 0-1.
The Patriots would still have 16 games remaining and would remain fully eligible to compete for the AFC East championship and an AFC playoff berth.
For New England, however, a loss would mean another defeat against Seattle following Super Bowl LX.
If the Patriots win, the opposite occurs: New England improves to 1-0 and Seattle falls to 0-1.
Seahawks vs. Patriots Game Information
| Game Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Matchup | New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks |
| Date | Wednesday, September 9, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| Stadium | Lumen Field |
| Location | Seattle, Washington |
| Week | Week 1 |
| Season | 2026 NFL regular season |
| Seahawks Record Before Game | 0-0 |
| Patriots Record Before Game | 0-0 |
What Time Is Seahawks vs. Patriots Today?
Seahawks vs. Patriots kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET today.
The Week 1 matchup takes place at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Kickoff times across the United States are:
- Eastern Time: 8:20 p.m.
- Central Time: 7:20 p.m.
- Mountain Time: 6:20 p.m.
- Pacific Time: 5:20 p.m.
Seahawks vs. Patriots Scenarios Today
For Seattle, the scenarios entering the 2026 NFL season opener against New England are straightforward.
If the Seahawks win: Seattle starts the season 1-0.
If the Seahawks tie: Seattle starts the season 0-0-1.
If the Seahawks lose: Seattle starts the season 0-1.
None of those outcomes will determine Seattle’s playoff fate in Week 1.
However, beating the Patriots would give the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks the ideal start to their 2026 campaign and another victory over New England following their Super Bowl LX matchup.