​Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesPatriots news: Stephen A. Smith gets honest on New England’s chances vs. Seahawks appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New England Patriots will be opening their season against the last team they saw, the Seattle Seahawks, in a Super Bowl rematch. The Patriots were one of the surprise teams of last season, as they dominated on both sides of the ball during the regular season and into the playoffs. This season, many are skeptical on if they could return to that level of play, and Stephen A. Smith is one person who is not convinced it can happen.In fact, he doesn’t give them a chance against the Seahawks again to open the season.“The New England Patriots, on record last year, had the easiest schedule that had existed for an NFL team since 1999,” Smith said on his show. “And not only did that happen, you go into the playoffs against a Chargers squad down two elite, All-Pro offensive linemen.”Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Patriots, I am not convinced! Watch the full episode of the Stephen A. Smith Show on YouTube for my full take! pic.twitter.com/Ouok67W1qs— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 9, 2026Smith went on to talk about their next matchup in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans.“There’s no Nico Collins. There’s no Tank Dell. There’s no Joe Mixon, and CJ Stroud clearly was struggling,” Smith said.He then mentioned how they faced the Denver Broncos without Bo Nix, who had suffered an injury in the game before against the Buffalo Bills.“New England was lucky as hell. And then when they showed up in the Super Bowl against a team loaded and ready to pull, they got completely outclassed. I don’t see it being any different tonight,” Smith said.Unfortunately, this feels like a year where the Patriots will have to prove that they weren’t a fluke last season. They still have the talent on the roster to win, and they added more talent in the offseason to improve the team.Related: Patriots elevate RB for Seahawks clash after ruling out TreVeyon HendersonRelated: Seahawks vs. Patriots: How to watch 2026 NFL Kickoff Game