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Seahawks Rally Past Patriots; Rams and 49ers Make NFL History in Australia

Seattle’s defense rescued an injury-disrupted season opener Wednesday night. The NFL spotlight now shifts to Melbourne, where the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will play the league’s first regular-season game in Australia.

By North American Talk Radio Sports Staff | September 10, 2026

The Seattle Seahawks began their Super Bowl defense with an uneven but memorable victory Wednesday night, rallying from a 10-point deficit to defeat the New England Patriots 13-10 at Lumen Field.

Seattle’s offense lost starting quarterback Sam Darnold to a hip injury during its opening possession, but backup Drew Lock survived a slow start and helped produce 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks’ defense supplied the decisive plays, intercepting New England quarterback Drake Maye three times during the final period.

Now the NFL’s opening week moves more than 8,000 miles away from the United States. The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will meet Thursday night in a historic NFC West showdown at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Seahawks Defense Turns Season Opener Around

Seattle’s championship banner went up before Wednesday night’s game, but the defending champions spent most of the evening looking nothing like the team that finished the previous season on top.

Darnold injured his hip after being sacked by Dre’Mont Jones on Seattle’s first drive. He went into the medical tent and then the locker room, forcing Lock into the game with little warning. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said initial examinations indicated that Darnold had not suffered a broken bone, although further evaluation will determine the severity of the injury.

New England took advantage of Seattle’s early problems. A pass-interference penalty against cornerback Josh Jobe helped move the Patriots into scoring position, and Maye connected with rookie tight end Eli Raridon for a two-yard touchdown.

Andy Borregales added a 50-yard field goal following a Seattle roughing-the-punter penalty, extending the Patriots’ advantage to 10-0 during the third quarter.

Seattle finally found some offensive rhythm late in the game. After a field goal put the Seahawks on the scoreboard, cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett intercepted Maye and gave Lock another opportunity.

Facing fourth-and-1, Lock connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown that tied the game at 10. It was Seattle’s biggest offensive play of the night and the moment that awakened both the team and the home crowd.

The Seahawks’ defense quickly struck again. Safety Julian Love intercepted Maye on New England’s next possession, helping Seattle move into position for Jason Myers’ go-ahead 26-yard field goal.

Maye still had one final opportunity to rescue the Patriots. New England moved into Seattle territory during the closing minute, but Jobe made a toe-tapping interception in the end zone to secure the victory.

The three interceptions all came in the fourth quarter, turning what had been a frustrating championship celebration into a 1-0 start for Seattle. The Associated Press reported that Seattle had been limited to only a field goal through the first three quarters.

Patriots Let Winnable Game Slip Away

New England’s defense played well enough to win, especially after Darnold left the game. The Patriots contained Seattle for most of the night and carried a 10-3 advantage into the fourth quarter.

However, Maye’s late turnovers erased that work. His first two interceptions allowed Seattle to tie the game and then move ahead. His third ended New England’s final drive inside the Seahawks’ end zone.

Maye acknowledged after the game that his final pass, intended for Mack Hollins, did not have enough distance to get safely out of bounds.

The Patriots also lost wide receiver A.J. Brown to a right ankle injury during the third quarter. Brown, one of New England’s major offseason additions, did not return.

Seattle will visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 20, while New England will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on the same date.

Rams and 49ers Take Their Rivalry to Melbourne

The NFL will enter new territory Thursday night when the Rams face the 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.

The Week 1 game will kick off at 8:35 p.m. Eastern and 5:35 p.m. Pacific on Netflix. Because of the international date difference, kickoff will occur at 10:35 a.m. Friday in Melbourne.

This will be the first regular-season NFL game played in Australia. It will also bring one of the league’s longest-running rivalries to one of the world’s most recognizable sporting venues.

The 49ers arrived in Australia more than a week before the game, allowing their players additional time to adjust to the travel and time-zone difference. The Rams chose a dramatically different plan, continuing to practice in California before arriving in Melbourne approximately one day before kickoff.

Los Angeles tested different travel strategies during the offseason and decided that keeping its players closer to their normal routine offered the best chance of performing well Thursday and recovering before Week 2. Still, the contrast between the teams’ approaches creates one of the game’s biggest unknowns. Reuters reported that the Rams are intentionally trying to keep their players’ body clocks aligned with their normal American schedule.

Stafford Leads a Loaded Rams Offense

Los Angeles enters the season with legitimate Super Bowl expectations and one of the NFL’s most imposing rosters.

Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford returns to lead an offense featuring Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and running back Kyren Williams. The Rams retained all six wide receivers who appeared on their final 53-man roster last season, giving Stafford valuable continuity within Sean McVay’s offense.

The Rams also made a major defensive addition by acquiring two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. Pairing Garrett with Jared Verse gives Los Angeles the potential to create pressure without relying heavily on blitzes.

Aaron Donald has come out of retirement, but he will not play in Melbourne. Because his return was finalized relatively recently, the Rams are giving the three-time Defensive Player of the Year additional time before putting him back into game action.

The question facing Los Angeles is whether its extensive travel plan will leave the team sharp or sluggish. If the Rams start slowly, the 49ers will have an opportunity to control the game with their rushing attack and defensive pressure.

Injuries Test the 49ers’ Defensive Front

San Francisco’s preparations suffered a major setback when starting defensive tackle Alfred Collins tore his patellar tendon during practice in Melbourne. Collins is expected to miss the entire season.

The 49ers also lost defensive end Sam Okuayinonu to a broken foot. Those injuries leave San Francisco thinner along the defensive line before facing one of the NFL’s most dangerous offenses.

CJ West and rookie Gracen Halton are among the leading candidates to replace Collins alongside Osa Odighizuwa. How that reconstructed interior handles Williams and the Rams’ running game could determine whether San Francisco can create favorable passing situations against Stafford. Kyle Shanahan confirmed Collins’ season-ending injury Wednesday.

Offensively, the 49ers’ formula remains familiar: establish the run, create movement before the snap and use play-action to generate openings downfield. San Francisco must also protect the football against a Rams defense built to turn pressure into mistakes.

Three Keys to Rams vs. 49ers

1. Which team handles the travel better?

San Francisco prioritized acclimation, while Los Angeles prioritized maintaining its normal schedule. The early possessions should provide clues about which plan was more effective.

2. Can San Francisco survive its defensive-line injuries?

The 49ers cannot allow Williams to consistently reach the second level. If Los Angeles controls the running game, Stafford will have favorable opportunities against play-action coverage.

3. Can the 49ers protect their quarterback?

Garrett and Verse present a difficult challenge for any offensive line. San Francisco must avoid obvious passing downs and prevent the Rams’ pass rush from taking over the game.

NFL’s Opening Week Moves Onto the Global Stage

Wednesday night belonged to Seattle’s defense. The Seahawks overcame Darnold’s injury, an ineffective offense and a 10-point deficit by forcing Maye into three fourth-quarter interceptions.

Thursday night carries a different kind of significance. The Rams and 49ers are not simply opening their seasons or renewing a division rivalry. They are introducing regular-season NFL football to Australia on one of the largest stages the league has ever used.

The location will command international attention, but the result will still matter in a competitive NFC West race. Once the opening ceremony ends, the unusual travel plans, historic setting and global promotion will give way to a familiar rivalry with immediate playoff implications.

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