Mike Macdonald Becomes Youngest Coach to Win 11 Straight as Seahawks Rally 13-10

Q: Did the Seahawks' elite defense win the season opener, or did Drake Maye's late-game turnovers hand them the victory?

Seattle’s defense won this game, and Drake Maye’s late turnovers were the clearest expression of that. The Seahawks were down 10-0, lost starting quarterback Sam Darnold on the opening drive, and still allowed only 10 points all night. That gave Seattle a path back into the game while Drew Lock settled in and the offense found just enough production, including the 45-yard touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the go-ahead field goal. The decisive stretch was not just Maye “handing it away” in a vacuum. Seattle’s defense forced him into mistakes over and over in the second half. Julian Love intercepted Maye and helped flip momentum. Nehemiah Pritchett added another fourth-quarter interception. Josh Jobe then ended it with the late end-zone pick on Maye’s questionable throw with 26 seconds left. Seattle also got sacks from Derick Hall and Leonard Williams and consistently tightened coverage as the game wore on. That said, Maye’s decisions absolutely mattered. New England had chances to control the game, and three second-half interceptions turned those chances into Seattle possessions. The final throw in particular was a poor risk-reward choice. But the broader read is that Seattle’s elite defense created the conditions for those turnovers. This was less a gift than a defensive takeover: disguise, pressure, rally tackling, and timely ball production. Maye made the mistakes, but the Seahawks earned them.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Sep 10

Seattle opened the 2026 season by erasing a 10-0 second-half deficit to beat New England 13-10, extending a streak that includes the playoffs to 11 games.
At 39, Mike Macdonald became the youngest coach in NFL history to win 11 straight, matching a Seahawks franchise record set by the 2005 NFC champion team.
Josh Jobe sealed the opener with a late interception of Drake Maye, sending fans home happy on a night that also included another Super Bowl banner unveiling.
The comeback was tempered by concern over Sam Darnold's injury, but it reinforced Seattle's momentum after Macdonald already delivered the franchise's second Super Bowl.