Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson will be the first real test of the Seahawks’ run defense in 2024. Seattle allowed the second-most rushing yards in the NFL last season (2,352), but gave up just 64 rushing yards on 20 carries to the Broncos’ running backs in Week 1.

That’s thanks to head coach Mike Macdonald’s game plan and the players’ preparation. Seattle was able to limit Denver to just 13 points for nearly 58 minutes, even though the Seahawks gave the Broncos the ball in the red zone twice before their only touchdown drive.

Stevenson rushed for 118 yards after contact (120 total yards rushing) in the Patriots’ Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He fell off the radar as one of the league’s top rushers after missing five games last season and rushing for just 619 yards and four touchdowns. Now, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound player is back in full swing.

The Seahawks will have to shut down Stevenson while defending a mediocre passing attack under quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Seattle did well against the Broncos, but Stevenson will be a tougher task.

Running back Kenneth Walker III, Seattle’s best runner the past two seasons, was listed as questionable to play Sunday on the team’s injury report Friday. Walker is battling an oblique injury that he initially indicated was not a problem after the game against the Broncos. Now he is unlikely to play against the Patriots.

That’s where Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh come in. That’s why Seattle has invested so heavily in its running back stable – so injuries aren’t an issue. Charbonnet could be a lead back on any other team (second-round pick out of UCLA in 2023), but instead he splits the runs with Walker. Last season, he had 462 rushing yards on 108 carries and finished the Seahawks’ season opener against the Broncos with eight carries for 12 yards. McIntosh was Seattle’s leading runner in the preseason and could be used in this game as well.

Walker is a special talent, especially as an explosive play threat, which is neutralized when he’s not on the field. However, Charbonnet offers a different style of tempo and penalty running that has still allowed him to be effective in the NFL.

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb should have a contingency plan for exactly that situation if Charbonnet becomes the lead back. His numbers weren’t great in Week 1, but Charbonnet has a chance to play well against New England. Undrafted rookie George Holani will also be available after being promoted from the practice squad on Saturday.

In some ways, this game is about the coaches. Either Patriots coach Jerod Mayo or Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald will have a 2-0 record as an NFL head coach – unless, of course, the game ends in the horribly disappointing third result of a tie.

Mayo, 38, is the third-youngest head coach in the league, while Macdonald, 37, is the youngest. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay is between them.

Both filled in for long-time head coaches of their respective franchises this season. Bill Belichick was head coach of the Patriots for 24 seasons and Pete Carroll was head coach of the Seahawks for 14 seasons. Needless to say, they have big shoes to fill. Starting their tenure with two wins would be a huge accomplishment for either coach.

Not allowing their opponents four points in the first half from safeties would be a good start for the Seahawks’ offense, but they will have to work harder against a New England defense that was third-best in the NFL in yards allowed last week (224 yards).

Aside from the safeties and the poor starting lineup, the Seahawks’ first offensive drive this season consisted of just two plays: a sack of Geno Smith, then another near-sack that ended in an interception. Grubb and Co. probably would have much preferred a touchdown drive to start the Week 2 game.

The early offensive performance will be especially important considering this could be a low-scoring, defense-dominated game. New England’s passing game only managed 120 yards of offense in Week 1. Seattle’s defense can handle that task, but an early offensive touchdown would help the Seahawks take control early.

The Seahawks’ defense didn’t leave much to be desired in their Week 1 win over the Broncos. They held Denver to 231 yards of offense, allowed a touchdown on just one of four red zone trips, and came away with three takeaways (T-2nd in the NFL).

They also played with a rookie quarterback who seemed to have only a portion of the playbook at his disposal. Bo Nix barely threw the ball forward – part of the game plan Denver head coach Sean Payton created to avoid negative plays from his playmaker. So can Seattle repeat its defensive performance against the Patriots?

Brissett was similarly limited to Nix in Week 1. Against the Bengals, he completed 2 of 5 passes for 32 yards when targeting a receiver more than 10 yards downfield, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Nix completed 2 of 12 passes for 42 yards and two interceptions when targeting the same area against Seattle.

This plays to Seattle’s strength. Safeties Julian Love and Rayshawn Jenkins were excellent in back-end coverage and cornerbacks Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Tre Brown gave Denver’s receivers little room to maneuver.

According to Pro Football Focus, New England’s offensive line allowed 13 pressures and just one sack in Week 1. Seattle generated 18 pressures against the Broncos and recorded two sacks. This will be another battle in the trenches to keep an eye on and will have a big impact on this game. Whether linebackers Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson can play for Seattle will also have a big impact on the contest. Both were listed as questionable on Friday.