FOXBOROUGH - I couldn’t remember the score.
That’s how one-sided the Patriots' Super Bowl loss to the Seahawks was. I had to look it up (29-13 was the final). Quite frankly, my recollection was it wasn’t that close.
Seven months and one day later, the two teams meet again, this time to kick off the 2026-27 season. The Pats have dabbled in Seattle ‘stuff’ at various points during training camp, but Mike Vrabel told me they didn’t want to overwhelm their players.
“I think you have to be careful how much you do early on. I don't know how much gets retained,” he said, adding, “There were times during training camp or times last week that we tried to do stuff, but I think you just have to be careful.
“You know, it's the first game. They got a new coordinator, and some things will be different. I'm sure they'll have some plays that are similar that they like, and you know, I think their defensive structure may be the same. It may not. It's a good defense. They're very talented. So you have to, I guess, be careful how much you show them, and try to focus on what it is that we're trying to accomplish.”
The second half of that answer was a good reminder that week ones tend to be the outlier more than a true tell of what’s to come. Just look at the start of the 2024 season under Jerod Mayo (a buttoned-up win at Cincinnati). But neither team made wholesale changes. The Patriots are returning their entire coaching staff and most of their key performers from a year ago. We’ve covered all that. But what has changed in Seattle as they look to become just the 9th team to repeat as Champions?
Departures: Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III (Kansas City), cornerback Riq Woolen (Philadelphia), pass rusher Boye Mafe (Cincinnati), safety Coby Bryant (Chicago).
Additions: Edge Dante Fowler (Dallas), RB Jadarian Price (1st round pick), RB Emanuel Wilson (Green Bay), CB Avery Smith (LA Chargers/UDFA), first-year play caller Brian Fleury (previously the San Francisco 49ers’ tight ends coach).
Second-round pick, safety Bud Clark, was spending a lot of time running with the first-team but suffered a broken ankle and has been lost for the season. He was going to be Bryant’s replacement, and with his ball skills and ability to play some at corner (that’s where Bryant began his NFL career), it really had a chance to be a 1-for-1 move.
In addition, that physical freak Nick Emmanwori had