The Patriots found their formula to success in Week 1 by leaning on running back Rhamondre Stevenson and what appears to be a top-tier defense in a 16-10 win over the Bengals.

Now we’ll find out Sunday against the Seahawks how the Patriots will play when they need to make adjustments. Because the Seahawks know the Patriots’ strategy and have the pieces in place to stop it.

The Patriots are 3.5-point underdogs Sunday despite the fact that the Seahawks are traveling east for a 1 p.m. game.

Here are five Patriots players who need to shine to come away from the home opener with a win.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson

The Seahawks know the Patriots are going to be a run-first team if they listened to head coach Jerod Mayo’s radio interview on WEEI on Monday. Mayo almost challenged the Seahawks, telling opposing teams, “You got to stop us. At some point in time, like you got to stop us.”

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Well, let’s see if Stevenson can keep averaging 4.8 yards per carry now that he has a target on his back after Sunday’s 120-yard performance.

It would help if he got a little bit more help from his offensive line. Stevenson gained 118 yards after contact against the Bengals.

He’s also going against what should be a more difficult Seahawks run defense that features Pro Bowler Leonard Williams and rookie first-round pick Byron Murphy II up the middle and free-agent pickups Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson at linebacker.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett isn’t going to carry the Patriots this season, so Stevenson will need to be efficient even when opposing teams know exactly what the offense is planning.

WR Ja’Lynn Polk

The Patriots almost always had a running back and tight end Hunter Henry on the field Sunday. Then there was essentially a six-man rotation for the other three skill-position spots between wide receivers K.J. Osborn (39 snaps), DeMario Douglas (38 snaps), Tyquan Thornton (37 snaps) and rookie Ja’Lynn Polk (35 snaps), tight end Austin Hooper (35 snaps) and jumbo tight end/rookie offensive tackle Caedan Wallace (18 snaps).

Polk ranked well in advanced separation metrics in Sunday’s game, so Brissett should be looking to him more often against the Seahawks. He could have an advantageous matchup too. Douglas will face 2023 first-round pick Devon Witherspoon in the slot, and Tariq Woolen will likely take on Thornton in the “X” role. That very well could leave Polk against Tre Brown, the Seahawks’ third best cornerback.

Thornton has more speed, but Polk, a 2024 second-round pick, was a more consistent target in training camp and should be the team’s best big-play option with his ability to make downfield contested catches.

The Patriots will need more big plays to beat the Seahawks this week.

LT Vederian Lowe

One of the Patriots’ keys to victory last week was their decision to replace Chukwuma Okorafor at left tackle with Vederian Lowe midway through their second offensive series.

Lowe was by no means perfect. He let up three pressures and garnered a 59.6 PFF pass-blocking grade. But he was considerably better than Okorafor, who scored a 0.0 pass-blocking grade on six snaps.

Lowe was running with the first-team unit in practice this week, so this appears to be a permanent change on offense. And if Lowe plays well, then he could stick at left tackle for the rest of the season.

If Lowe begins to struggle, then the Patriots could turn to rookie Wallace, who played well as a run-blocking jumbo tight end.

The Patriots viewed Lowe as their most consistent left tackle in training camp. He barely practiced before Sunday’s game as he worked back from an abdomen injury. With a full week under his belt, Lowe should play better against the Seahawks, when he’ll mostly be matched up against Dre’mont Jones.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald likes to run stunts and games, which will make the entire offensive line’s job more difficult.

OLB Joshua Uche

Defensive end Keion White ranked among the NFL’s best pass-rushers in Week 1 after coming away with 2.5 sacks against the Bengals. That should lead to more attention for the 2023 second-round pick, who played everywhere from outside linebacker, inside linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle in the win.

If White does draw more attention, that means good things for Uche, who had three of his own pressures against the Bengals.

Uche was at his best in 2022 when he was playing opposite Matthew Judon. Judon has been traded to the Falcons, but if White can be a suitable proxy, then perhaps Uche can go off again this season while commanding single blockers.

CB Marcus Jones

The Patriots really only had to worry about one top wide receiver in Sunday’s win over the Bengals after Tee Higgins was inactive with a hamstring injury. The Patriots limited Ja’Marr Chase to six catches for 62 yards, and cornerback Christian Gonzalez only allowed three of those catches for 15 yards.

In Week 2, the Seahawks will be trotting out DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, making the secondary’s job considerably more difficult.

It makes sense for Gonzalez to take on Metcalf, the biggest option. That leaves Jonathan Jones on Lockett, the Seahawks’ other outside receiver, and Marcus Jones, who’s 5-foot-8, 188 pounds, in the slot with Smith-Njigba, a 2023 first-round pick with a size advantage at 6-feet, 196 pounds.

Sunday’s win was Jones’ first game taking over the Patriots’ full-time slot role. He was excellent, allowing just two catches on three targets for 14 yards.

Now, he needs to prove he can be consistent in that role against a more dangerous player.