How the Patriots can remain undefeated after Week 2

The New England Patriots (1-0) opened a lot of eyes following their 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

It remains uncertain whether the Patriots won due to a fluke or a legitimate improvement over the offseason, but they will answer that question this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks for their second game of the regular season.

Since New England's mediocre offense is less than stellar, the path to beating Seattle will primarily involve the defense keeping the game a low-scoring affair. Here are three things the defense must do to move the Patriots to 2-0:

Shut down Seattle's trio

The bulk of Seattle's offense will come via passing, so New England's defensive success depends on cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones shutting down the Seahawks' receiving trio of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

If the Patriots choose to adopt a man-coverage approach, it is important defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington assigns the correct matchups.

Gonzalez has seen success against top receivers including Tyreek Hill (Dolphins) and A.J. Brown (Eagles) in the past, so he should primarily line up against Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler.

Marcus Jones (5-foot-8) should stick to Tyler Lockett (5-foot-10) due to their similar frames, and Jonathan Jones should handle Smith-Njigba.

Navigate strengths and weaknesses on the offensive line

The Patriots should take note of the differing levels of quality on Seattle's offensive line.

At left tackle is Charles Cross, a reliable lineman already improving on his strong 2023 campaign, earning a Week 1 grade of 94.8/100 via Pro Football Focus .

At right tackle is Noah Fant, whose mid-game knee injury last Sunday may force Seattle to start backup Stone Forscythe.

The Patriots should take advantage of this potential weakness by deploying their best names — like pass-rusher Keion White — to target the right side of the line.

Force turnovers

Seattle will likely prove to be a tough team to dismantle. Forcing an interception, fumble or both not only gives the Patriots' offense more opportunities, but it dramatically shifts the momentum in New England's favor.

The Patriots likely would not have won last Sunday if not for their two forced fumbles, one of which was in the redzone. Entering Week 2, they should prepare as if winning the turnover battle will decide whether Seattle emerges victorious.