Sam Darnold is officially out for Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders, but the real story is backup quarterback Drew Lock not just stepping up, but absolutely lighting it up while Darnold’s on the sidelines dealing with a quad injury and a cracked rib. Lock’s got an oblique injury himself, a fresh battle scar from the Week 9 win over Arizona, but the team expects him to manage it and be ready to start this Sunday. Talk about guts!
The Backup Who Won’t Back Down, Even with a Busted Oblique
Look, our guy Sam Darnold has had a rough go. He missed that Cardinals win with the quad and rib issues that he picked up in the Week 8 loss to the Bears. Now, Coach Mike Macdonald confirmed to Seattle Sports, ESPN’s affiliate, that Darnold’s out again. But what happens when your starter goes down? The next man up, and for us, that’s Drew Lock. He stepped in against Arizona, kept us rolling to a 5-4 record, and snagged a win, even after picking up this oblique issue. Jalen Milroe warmed up, just in case, but Lock stayed in the game. That’s the grit we need, especially with the Emerald City sitting second in the NFC West, chasing those 7-1 49ers.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Is Lock a Steal?
This is where it gets WILD, 12s. Darnold has played in seven games this season, going 3-4 in those starts. He’s thrown for 1,478 yards, with 10 touchdowns, but also NINE interceptions. Now, look at Lock’s two starts filling in for Darnold: two games, two WINS for Seattle. He’s piled up 597 yards, thrown FIVE touchdowns, and get this, ZERO interceptions. Yeah, you read that right. ZERO. He hasn’t exactly been running wild with just 29 yards on seven carries, but who cares when he’s protecting the ball and getting us wins? That’s what we need right now.
After we handle business against the Raiders this Sunday, the Seahawks get a much-needed bye week. That’s huge for Darnold to heal up and get ready. Because when we come back in Week 12, it’s a monumental divisional showdown against those San Francisco 49ers. The question isn’t just if Darnold will be back, it’s what happens if Lock keeps this magic going? This season just got a whole lot more interesting, and you know we’ll be watching every single snap.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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