Samwise NFL Newsletter
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Seahawks Stun Patriots 13-10 in Super Bowl LX Rematch, Drew Lock Stars After Darnold Exits
The Seattle Seahawks opened the 2026 NFL season with a gritty 13-10 comeback victory over the New England Patriots on Wednesday night, in a rematch of Super Bowl LX. Starting quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury on the final play of Seattle's opening drive and was replaced by Drew Lock. Trailing 10-0 at the start of the fourth quarter, Lock completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, guiding three scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Drake Maye threw a costly interception to Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe with 26 seconds remaining, sealing Seattle's victory. The Seahawks had beaten the Patriots 29-13 in February's Super Bowl.
Seahawks Get Good News on Sam Darnold Hip Injury: Fracture Ruled Out
The Seattle Seahawks received encouraging news Thursday regarding quarterback Sam Darnold, who suffered a right hip injury during the season opener against the New England Patriots. Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that X-rays and initial tests ruled out a fracture, calling it 'great news.' Darnold was injured on the final play of Seattle's first series and was declared out before halftime, with backup Drew Lock finishing the game. The Seahawks beat the Patriots 13-10. Macdonald said it remains too early to determine whether Darnold will be available for the team's Week 2 matchup against Arizona, stating 'I really don't know' about the extent of the injury.
Sources: Seattle Seahawks
NFL Makes History in Melbourne: 49ers vs. Rams Open Season at the MCG Tonight
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will make history Thursday night when they kick off the 2026 NFL regular season at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, marking the league's first-ever regular season game on Australian soil. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. PT, which translates to 10:35 a.m. Friday local time in Melbourne. The NFC West rivalry game streams exclusively on Netflix. The Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of the world's largest sports stadiums, holds over 100,000 spectators. The game counts in the standings, adding competitive stakes to what is already a landmark moment in the NFL's international expansion efforts.
Raiders Lose All-Pro TE Brock Bowers to Start Season After Meniscus Procedure
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers will miss the team's season opener against the Miami Dolphins after undergoing a meniscus procedure on Tuesday in Dallas. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter, Bowers is expected to miss approximately one to two games following the surgery performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Daniel Cooper. The injury developed during training camp but was not diagnosed until last week. The procedure is described as a meniscus trim. Raiders officials confirmed Bowers is out for Week 1 and will be re-evaluated as he recovers, leaving Las Vegas without its featured tight end to open the season.
Giants’ Malik Nabers Practicing in Full, On Track for Week 1 Debut vs. Cowboys
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers practiced in full Wednesday and appears on track to make his return for the team's Week 1 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Nabers is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. He participated throughout training camp but did not appear in any preseason games. Nabers told reporters he feels 'real good, to be honest.' The Giants' decision to release wide receiver Darius Slayton was interpreted by ESPN's Jordan Raanan as a positive indicator of Nabers' availability, suggesting the team has confidence in the receiver's readiness to play Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
Patrick Mahomes Confirmed to Start Chiefs’ Monday Night Football Opener vs. Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is set to return from injury when Kansas City hosts the Denver Broncos in Monday Night Football on September 14. Head coach Andy Reid confirmed Thursday that Mahomes will start barring any setbacks, saying 'he'll be the guy' and estimating a 'pretty good chance' the quarterback takes the field. Mahomes suffered an ACL and LCL tear during the 2025 season and missed the entire 2026 preseason as he worked through his recovery. The Chiefs kept Mahomes on the sidelines throughout all preseason games. His return comes nine months after the injury.
Sources: FOX4 Kansas City
Cowboys vs. Giants Sunday Night Football: New Coaches, Same Rivalry
The New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 1 on Sept. 13 in a matchup loaded with storylines. New Giants head coach John Harbaugh, hired in January after 18 years in Baltimore, makes his debut alongside offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who is tasked with developing second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. The Cowboys counter with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and a rebuilt defense featuring new coordinator Christian Parker. New York closed the 2025 season by stunning Dallas 34-17 on January 4, snapping a nine-game losing streak in the series. NBC's Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will call the game.
Seahawks Place Charbonnet on Reserve PUP; Rookie Jadarian Price to Lead Backfield
The Seattle Seahawks placed running back Zach Charbonnet on the reserve/physically unable to perform list ahead of the 2026 season, meaning he will not be available for the team's first four games. First-round rookie Jadarian Price is positioned to take on the featured backfield role during Charbonnet's absence. The Seahawks made their backfield situation clear by keeping Price on the active roster and relying on him to handle the bulk of the rushing work. Seattle won its season opener 13-10 over New England on Wednesday, with the backfield situation already a factor as the team navigates its early schedule.
Sources: NBC Sports
AFC Standings — Week 1 in Progress
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC East | |||
| Buffalo Bills | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| New York Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AFC North | |||
| Baltimore Ravens | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AFC South | |||
| Houston Texans | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AFC West | |||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NFC Standings — Week 1 in Progress
| Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFC East | |||
| Dallas Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Commanders | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFC North | |||
| Detroit Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Green Bay Packers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFC South | |||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NFC West | |||
| Seattle Seahawks | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Every newsletter preserved and searchable
Curated by JD · samwise.agency