The Seattle Seahawks overcame an early injury to quarterback Sam Darnold as they surged back to beat the New England Patriots 13-10 in the opening game of the new NFL season on Wednesday night at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Darnold, who did not miss a game last season, limped to the dressingroom after the first drive with what doctors later diagnosed as a hip injury.
But Darnold’s replacement Drew Lock led Seattle’s resurgence and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw three costly interceptions in what was a week one rematch of Seattle’s Super Bowl win in February.
The hosts had trailed 10-0 and had a solitary field goal to their name through the first three quarters before Maye’s mistakes began to prove costly for the visitors.
Lock levelled the game at 10-10 when he connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth and one for a 45-yard touchdown, and a 26-yard field goal by Jason Myers nudged the Seahawks into a 13-10 lead.
Maye still had a chance to rescue the night for the Patriots but after driving into field goal range, he was intercepted for a third time by Josh Jobe in the end zone and the Seahawks sealed victory.