The knee-jerk reactions to the Patriots 13-10 loss to Drew Lock and the Seahawks will paint an ugly picture.

It's going to be a long 10 days of Monday (Thursday?) morning quarterbacking until the Patriots play the Steelers in Week 2 on Sept. 20. That comes with the territory when you blow a 10-point second-half lead to a backup quarterback. It was a bad loss for the Patriots in Seattle, but I'm not panicking after one game, especially when head coach Mike Vrabel sat his starters for the entire preseason. I wasn't expecting them to come out firing on all cylinders, so just because it was unnerving to watch doesn't change the fact that there's still a long season ahead for this team.

The most worrisome development from Wednesday night's loss was that the Patriots could be without star receiver A.J. Brown due to a high-ankle sprain. Although they weren't lighting it up with Brown, the Pats offense fell apart after he left the game. Here's what they did post-Brown injury by drive: field goal, three-and-out, interception, interception, interception. With Brown on the field, the Patriots had a 46.7% play success rate. Once he left the game, their play success rate dropped to 35.1%. Now, the coaching staff has a week and a half to prepare for the Steelers without Brown. Plus, Brown has extra rest and could recover sooner. But he's the force multiplier that makes this offense more dangerous than last season.

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Along with possibly needing to adjust for Brown's absence, the Patriots also need Maye to be more comfortable with playing boring football. He's far from the first gunslinger to lose his patience in a big game, with Josh Allen coming to mind as a dynamic quarterback who toes that line every week. However, the Seahawks outlasted Maye by living in split-safety zones that forced him to take profits underneath the defense. Maye saw a 57.1% split-safety coverage rate against the Seahawks in the season opener after facing a 51.3% two-high safety rate in last year's playoffs.

By my charting, Maye had eight plus-plays to four minus throws/decisions in the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, that flipped to seven minuses to four plus plays. The bottom line is that Maye will keep seeing this blueprint now that opponents are game-planning to take away his deep ball by putting an umbrella over the Patriots offense. One way to beat the defensive strategy is to play like Maye did in the first three quarters and run the ball effectively against lighter boxes, which the Patriots didn't do well enough against Seattle either.

Although it's fair to be critical of how things went in Seattle, my Week 1 overreaction last season was worrying about the Maye-McDaniels pairing and Maye's sprays in a loss to the Raiders (who finished the season with the No. 1 overall pick). Maye went on to be the MVP runner-up, McDaniels won Assistant Coach of the Year, and the Patriots went to the Super Bowl. Just take a deep breath and let the coaches and players get to work.

Here's a review of the Patriots defense and quick-hit film notes from the loss to the Seahawks in Week 1.

Defense Review: Patriots Defense Shows Identity in Film vs. Seahawks

Although the opening week of the NFL season is hard to read, one thing you want to see on the film is each side of the ball showing its identity: how are they going to win games this season?

As we already broke down, the Patriots offense was too inconsistent and turnover-prone to say it flexed its identity on Wednesday night. That said, the defense, albeit mostly against backup QB Drew Lock, showed the style of play you expected to see. Along with flashing Vrabel's "effort and finish" mentality, there were several instances where you saw how the strength of this defense in the secondary is going to allow the Patriots to win passing downs.

New England majored in single-high safety coverages vs. the Seahawks, with an even distribution of drop-backs in cover one (man) and cover three zones (seven each), while also mixing in some split-safety change-ups with some "tricky" cover two schemes. It's not surprising that the Patriots were comfortable leaving their outside corners, Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, on islands in single-high safety structures, and those two didn't disappoint. In nine man-coverage drop-backs, the Seahawks QBs were 3-of-8 for 35 yards while generating just -0.56 EPA per pass.

Due to their man-coverage ability, the Patriots were able to add on rushers to help generate pressure on the Seahawks quarterbacks. For example, the Pats use "lock-and-level" rules to cover Seattle's bunch formation to Darnold's right. By staggering their corners at different levels, they can run freely to match the receivers without running into each other. Out of the bunch, Gonzalez has star WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a crosser, Davis takes Rashid Shaheed's vertical release, and NCB Marcus Jones covers Cooper Kupp. With tight coverage, the Patriots send six rushers at Darnold, who feels the interior pressure from LB Robert Spillane, who detonates the running back in blitz pickup. Darnold might've had a chance to throw the short out at the sticks to Kupp, but Spillane's pressure forces him to pull the ball down and Dre'Mont Jones gets the sack.

It was encouraging to see the Patriots lean into their high-end coverage ability and commit resources to the pass rush, generating a 54.5% pressure rate with five-plus rushers.

Quick-Hit Film Notes From Pats-Seahawks

Offense

- You can't go into straight drop-back mode vs. Seattle's defense, so I understand why OC Josh McDaniels called 16 runs to only 11 pass plays on first down. It likely aimed to limit the exposure the Pats O-Line and Maye had to the Seahawks pressure package, and the strategy worked for three quarters. That said, the first-down run numbers weren't pretty, especially compared to first-down passes. Maye added +0.20 EPA per drop-back on first-down throws compared to -0.31 EPA per first-down runs. Would they have scored more points with more aggressive early-down play-calling? Maybe. Things also might've unraveled quicker.

- There's some debate about whether Maye's second interception was a cover three variation (cover-3 cloud) or cover six. If it was a cover six call, it's a coverage that continues to trip Maye up. He was 32nd out of 33 qualified QBs in EPA per play vs. cover six in 2025. The Seahawks also got the Patriots twice on the same "glitch" blitz from Super Bowl LX, with CB Devon Witherspoon coming unblocked off the right edge – the Pats still didn't have an answer.

- WR A.J. Brown's promising Patriots debut was cut short due to an ankle injury. Brown drew a 34-yard pass interference penalty to set up the Pats lone touchdown, caught a 14-yard slant for a third-down conversion, and a 5-yard stick route to move the chains. He had a huge impact in the first half. Vrabel offered an update on Brown's status on Thursday: "We will continue to evaluate, continue to get tests run. But I don't know if he will be available going forward here for the next week, but we'll see."

- RB Rhamondre Stevenson played 60-of-71 offensive snaps (85%) without running mate TreVeyon Henderson, who was inactive due to an ankle injury. The Pats struggled to create rushing lanes for Stevenson, who created 50 of his 51 yards after contact. The Patriots lead-back did grind out runs of 12, 8, 7, and 5 yards in the second half and caught a 17-yard check-down. From this perspective, Stevenson didn't have much to work with on the ground but did allow a QB hit in pass protection.

- WR Mack Hollins stepped up with two huge fourth-quarter catches, a 19-yard deep dig to get the offense back on schedule on 2nd-and-21 and an 11-yard slant to move the chains on 4th-and-9. Hollins could be in for a large role if Brown misses time moving forward.

- WR Romeo Doubs struggled in his Patriots debut, going 0-for-3 with a drop and an interception on three targets. The drop hurt because it was a well-scripted "dash" pass where Maye rolled to his right as the Pats ran their double post-cross concept, a staple of their offense last year. They'll need Doubs to be much better, especially if they're playing without Brown for the time being.

- WR DeMario Douglas only had 20 yards on his five catches and was the intended receiver on Maye's second interception. However, there always seems to be one or two instances where, admittedly easy to say from my couch, the all-22 shows Douglas open downfield against Seattle. He and Maye just haven't been able to connect on deep targets vs. the Seahawks.

- Rookie TE Eli Raridon caught his first NFL touchdown and had a nice kick-out block coming across the formation on a 12-yard run. However, he also lost at the point of attack for a three-yard loss and a 1-yard gain against Seattle's physical edge defenders. Raridon played a significant role as an in-line option (38 total snaps) and the Patriots continued giving him big-boy assignments, as they did in camp.

- LT Will Campbell needs to clean up the two penalties called against him and he was on the scene for a sack where he failed to pass off a stunt with LG Alijah Vera-Tucker. Vera-Tucker also allowed a pressure on a T/T stunt where he failed to pass off with C Jared Wilson, so those schemed rushes are a work in progress. Overall, Campbell's punch timing, anchor, and angles were much improved compared to last year's playoff run.

- LG Alijah Vera-Tucker struggled in his Patriots debut with four pressures allowed and a stuffed run. Vera-Tucker was involved in two failed stunt pickups, got beat by Rylie Mills's swim move, and Byron Murphy III beat him with power. It's been a slow start for Vera-Tucker, who is coming off a lost season a year ago due to a torn triceps injury.

- C Jared Wilson battled inside with Murphy and Leonard Williams, allowing just one pressure and a stuffed run in his NFL debut at center. It was tough sledding running inside with Wilson trying to move Murphy and Williams, but that's true for most centers. He did get up to the second level a few times on some of the Patriots successful runs.

- RG Mike Onwenu was backdoored by Mills on a run stuff but had standout blocks on runs of 12 (second-level climb) and seven yards (base block). The Mills rep will stick out in your mind, but Onwenu was solid in the season opener. RT Morgan Moses failing to get DeMarcus Lawrence on the ground on his cut block might've contributed to Maye's final interception. But the veteran tackle had a clean sheet, with his lone blemish being a false start. Moses was also at the point of attack on Stevenson's 12-yard run.

- Pass Protection (38.1% pressure rate): Vera-Tucker (four hurries), Campbell (sack), Stevenson (QB hit), Wilson (hurry), Maye (3 - sack, hit, hurry).

Defense

- Seahawks rookie RB Jadarian Price had gains of 13 (cutback) and 12 yards (bounce outside) on similar zone-blocking schemes that Seattle featured in the Super Bowl. Nearly the entire front seven overran Price's 13-yard rush on the Seahawks opening drive to set up the cutback lane through the middle of the field. It wasn't quite Kenneth Walker-level, but it was unsettling to see the Pats run defense start slow.

- EDGE Dre'Mont Jones had a solid Patriots debut with a team-high seven pressures, a sack, and some sturdy edge sets vs. the run. Jones logged two unblocked pressures on blitz schemes that left him as the free-runner off the edge and his sack was of the clean-up variety, but he also beat blocks on a rip move and an inside counter. Jones fit the scheme well in a disruptive debut.

- CB Christian Gonzalez was outstanding in 10 coverage matchups vs. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, allowing one 5-yard completion on a bubble screen to JSN while logging a PBU on a slant. Gonzalez also played perfect trail technique on a JSN crosser and a corner route out of the slot while logging another PBU in coverage on Cooper Kupp (dropped INT). The Seahawks got Smith-Njigba free against zone coverage, routes out of the backfield, and on the 4th-and-1 play but the damage wasn't done on Gonzalez.

- Second-rounder Gabe Jacas flashed on three separate occasions in his NFL debut: a clean-up sack (first of career), a run TFL on a well-timed stunt, and he fought off a block to chase down a run play into the boundary and limited it to a 4-yard gain. Jacas might be one of those players who needs Monday-Saturday to prepare for an opponent rather than playing without a game plan in the preseason. He was much more disciplined with a week's worth of studying the Seahawks offense than in preseason action.

- DT Christian Barmore got off to a solid start with four total pressures and a stuffed run. The Pats ran a neat traditional 3-4 alignment with Barmore as a zero technique over the center while Jones and Milton Williams lined up as base 3-4 ends. Barmore then beat Seahawks C Jalen Sundell with a two-hand swipe to log his QB hit. There were some shaky run reps for the interior D-Line, but Barmore was noticeable on film.

- DT Milton Williams would probably like to have Price's 13-yard run back, as he overran the zone scheme on the backside setting up the cutback lane. However, Williams bounced back with two stuffed runs, including stuffing a 3rd-and-1 rush attempt where he beat Seahawks LG Grey Zabel across his face, and had two pressures with a bull rush and a late-down retrace after transitioning into the rush against play-action.

- LB Robert Spillane logged a pair of run stuffs, prevented a third-down conversion with a pressure on an interior blitz, and had a great open-field tackle on Shaheed for a third-down stop. However, Spillane missed a tackle on a 4-yard run (could've gone for no gain) and was a tick behind Lock on a 14-yard scramble.

- LB Christian Elliss had a big-boy run stuff on a 3rd-and-1 rush attempt where he stood up the back in the hole, showing off impressive play strength. However, Elliss gave up a third-down conversion when Smith-Njigba released into his zone coverage from the backfield and allowed a 9-yard completion to TE A.J. Barner.

- CB Carlton Davis III had some standout coverage reps against speedy WR Rashid Shaheed. Davis has held up well in two matchups vs. Shaheed, using his physicality in press-man to combat Shaheed's vertical juice. Davis's best rep was running with Shaheed on a deep post in an inverted cover-two scheme, with the drop-back ending with rookie Gabe Jacas's first career sack (coverage forced Lock to hold the ball). Davis also stuffed two runs by standing up the ball carrier when Seattle's backs bounced runs to his side.

- NCB Marcus Jones got unlucky on a 24-yard completion where Kupp made a ridiculous play on the ball at the catch point – nothing Jones could do there. Overall, Jones had a much smaller role in this game with only 24 defensive snaps because the Patriots were matching Seattle's base formations with three-safety nickel. It'll be interesting to see if that trend continues for the Pats defense when teams put heavy personnel on the field.

- S Dell Pettus got the first crack at being the Patriots "big" nickel defender and the results were inconsistent. Pettus allowed completions of 11, 8, and 7 yards into his coverage while the Pats allowed 5.5 yards per rush on 11 runs against their three-safety nickel grouping. The idea behind it was sound given how they played in base defense in the Super Bowl, which we wrote about in our game preview, but DB Jaylen Reed might be in that role soon.

- S Craig Woodson allowed completions of 45 and 21 yards, both when he got matched up on Smith-Njigba as a half-field safety in cover two. On the 4th-and-1 touchdown, Seattle ran a classic play-action concept where the back aborts the fake to release "fast" into the flat. The idea is that the defense is likely selling out to stop the run so that the back can sneak into the flat for an easy conversion. From this vantage point, Gonzalez let Smith-Njigba go to Woodson to jump the back in the flat. If Gonzalez stays on JSN, that's an easy conversion to the back. You would've liked Woodson to fire downhill faster to close down the space before JSN could turn upfield. Either way, he's gotta get him on the ground there.

- S Kevin Byard allowed a 13-yard completion when he replaced Gonzalez in coverage on Smith-Njigba on a corner blitz. He also appeared to be playing as the pole-runner in cover two when Lock hit Smith-Njigba on a 21-yard dig on 3rd-and-22. JSN ran the dig from the backside of the formation with Byard opening to the three-receiver side, which is probably the right process, but I always feel like the pole-runner is the best option to cover deep digs in Tampa-2.

- QB Pressures: D. Jones (6 - sack, three QB hits, two hurries), Barmore (4 - QB hit, three hurries), Williams (two hurries), Jacas (sack), one hurry each (Ponder, Gonzalez, Durden, Spillane). Run stuffs: two each (Jacas, Woodson, Williams, Spillane, Davis), one each (Barmore, Elliss, Jones).

- Coverage: Woodson (2/2/66 yards/TD), Spillane (4/4/30 yards), M. Jones (2/2/29 yards), Pettus (3/3/26 yards). Elliss (3/3/19 yards), Byard (1/1/13 yards), Davis (3/1/13 yards), Gonzalez (5/1/5 yards/2 PBUs).

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