Part of the reason the NFL continues to reign supreme in this country is its inherent unpredictability, which was on full display this morning in Foxboro, MA. The Seattle Seahawks took on the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, and many expected this to be a defensive slugfest.

Well, neither team has much trouble against either defense. After both New England and Seattle throw away their opening possessions, the fireworks are on.

The Patriots took their second drive of the game, 60 yards in eight plays, to take an early 7-0 lead, thanks to former UW receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.

Tweets by JBrissett12

The Seahawks responded appropriately on the next drive, when Geno Smith found DK Metcalf for a 56-yard touchdown.

New England regained the lead by marching 59 yards in 15 plays to kick a field goal for a 10-7 lead. It didn’t last long, however, as Smith similarly drove Seattle to its second touchdown drive of the morning. The first nod went to Zach Charbonnet over the injured Kenneth Walker, who also dove into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season.

The Patriots managed to answer somewhat, as they added another field goal on their next possession — their third straight scoring drive, aided by two unnecessary penalties by cornerback Devon Witherspoon, to make it a 14-13 game. After forcing a run just after the two-minute warning, New England had to back off Seattle’s points with less than a minute left in the first half.

Geno Smith took advantage of the last chance, getting the ball in the reach of Jason Myers just before halftime, and Seattle’s Pro Bowl kicker scored from 44 yards out to extend the Seahawks’ lead to 17-13 just before halftime. Interestingly, 17-13 was my final score prediction.

First half statistics:

• Geno Smith: 16 of 19, 169 yards, 1 TD

• DK Metcalf: 4 receptions, 78 yards, 1 touchdown

• Total Distance: Seahawks Lead Patriots 182-165

• Time of possession: New England 17:53 to Seattle’s 12:07

Seahawks get the ball early in the second half.

Follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter for live updates, analysis and highlights throughout the game!

More Seahawks Wire Stories

Week 2 Preview and Prediction: Seahawks at Patriots

Kenneth Walker officially inactive against Patriots

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 Things You Need to Know About the New England Patriots

Watch: DK Metcalf catches a 56-yard touchdown

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: First Half Highlights: Seahawks Lead 17-13 Over Patriots