The Lumen Field faithful just watched their Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Sam Darnold, exit the season opener against the New England Patriots after only the first drive, suffering a hip injury. What a gut punch to kick off a new campaign. This wasn’t some late-game fumble, this was the first damn drive, and our guy was ruled out of the game entirely before halftime even hit.
The Unsettling First Drive Saga
It all went down on the final play of the Seahawks’ opening possession, when Patriots defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones got to Darnold for a sack. You saw him get up, right? He didn’t even look hurt. In fact, the source tells us he brushed off the training staff, telling them he didn’t need a look on the sideline. But you know how these things go. He eventually got evaluated in that blue medical tent, then made his way to the locker room, and just like that, the news dropped before the half: done for the day. This isn’t just an injury, this is a reigning Super Bowl MVP going down, sending a shiver through the Emerald City faithful right when we were ready to celebrate a new season.
Lock Takes Over, The Offense Stalls
With Darnold out, Drew Lock got the call, stepping in for the second drive. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 51 yards in the first half, which, on paper, isn’t terrible, but the results on the field tell a much different story. Lock struggled, big time, to get the offense into any scoring position. His first three drives? All punts. The fourth drive of the half? Just ran the clock out. Heading into halftime, our Seahawks were trailing the Patriots 7-0. That’s a stark contrast to the explosive offense we’re used to seeing with Darnold under center, and it shows just how much we rely on our starter. The 12s are used to fireworks, not punts, especially not in the season opener.
Remembering Last Season’s Glory
Let’s not forget what Sam Darnold did for us last year. He led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title, tossing for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in the regular season. That was a franchise-record 14 wins, a historic season that had all of Seattle buzzing. Now, here we are, just moments into the defense of that title, and the energy feels… different. We’re down by a score, and our starting quarterback, the man who brought us so much joy last season, is already on the sidelines. What happens in the second half of this game, and what this hip injury truly means for Darnold’s return, will set the tone for the entire early season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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