Great another trip to Seattle. Another prime time nationally televised game from the Pacific Northwest, where we have to endure a trip to the fish market so we can see reporters and sideline commentators trying to catch seafood tossed at them from 10 feet away. Can we get one bigfoot expedition? I mean come on…. Before we dive into it, let’s get one thing out of the way – this is not a revenge game. They won the game that counted. We are on to 2026 and the only thing that should be on the minds of the Patriots, their coaches, and most importantly all of you, is how to start the season 1-0…here are my monster Keys to beating the Seahags.
Up-Tempo
Pretty self explanatory? I’m not asking for a push the red button game, but I do want to see the Pats get tempo implemented into this game and this season’s gameplan. Teams who like to mix coverages like Seattle hate this.
Establish the Run
Run early. Run Often. Run to get the lines feet underneath themselves. I am not expecting the Patriots thin running back corps to have a ton of success. This is more to help an offensive line WHO PLAYED ZERO SNAPS together in preseason games get together on the same page. Run the ball away from the cover two side. More on this below.
Presnap reads and reacts
Mike McDonald and DC Aden Durde love to run cover six. This is just a word for playing cover four on one side and cover two on the other. They also like to play cover three. Maye is going to need to do a much better job of reading these coverages and adjusting at the line of scrimmage. Run the Ball Away from the cover two side – did I mention that?
Run Dagger or Scissors to the Quarters side, deep post routes from the inside and a deep in-route front outside. Force the safety to choose and hit the open window. Get Me YAK !
Now let’s beat the cover two side.
SMASH & FLOOD – Run quick hitches from the outside this should pull down the corners and run corner routes behind him with the TE and slot. Run DIG routes over the middle of the field and exploit the linebackers with shallow drags.
The Weeklies
Own The Early Downs – On both sides of the ball. Get Darnold into obvious passing situations .
Win The Turnover Battle – Darnold put the ball on the carpet 8 times last year losing 6 of those, add in 14 picks, this key should turn.
Limit the Laundry – No Free Downs. Don’t play from behind the sticks – take care of your business.
Own The Red Zone – force them to settle. Bring home sixes yourself.
Eleven and Twelves
Josh needs to mix his personnel packages. I know this is difficult with how THIN this team is at TE but I do see a way. Elevens is not an issue. Hunter Henry is as rock solid as they get – twelve on the other hand, I’d like to see the rookie get his feet wet Wednesday night. I think these two will be a main gameplan for Josh. We didn’t see the rookie at all this preseason, there was a reason for that.
Stopping Seattle new OC
Brian Fleury is a Shanahan disciple so I’m going to do what I would do to stop Shanny.
Set the Edge – I’m worried here. It’s paramount to set this edge hard and stop this outside zone blocking to succeed on Wednesday night. Ends and Backers – I am talking to you now. Do not overpursue, do not get pushed back inside. Mess up the timing and their run game will fail.
Play Action and Bootlegs
Fleury is going to keep everything tight, while using a ton of motion in the process, forcing you to guess on what’s coming. Play action and bootlegs are constants. Take away the easy flat and disrupt the timing of his receivers.
Yes – I’m going Match Quarters
I know you’re shocked, Jam or Soft press Seattle’s receivers before they get into their pattern. Make Darnold either hold the ball or get it out to no one, pressures and hits are more important than sacks. NEVER – FORGET.
That’s it my rabid readers , the start to 2026 is brutal. BUT , each of these first four are winnable. a healthy front, a QB in his second season under McDaniels new “Upgraded” weapons on the roster and of course a new set of Keys every week. As always you can follow / give me grief on Xitter at @Murph207s
