Man, you thought Week 1 was gonna be all celebration for our Super Bowl champion Seahawks, right? Think again. The biggest news out of the opener isn’t some highlight reel play; it’s a gut punch for the Emerald City. Our guy, Sam Darnold, is sidelined. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport dropped the bomb: Darnold will miss a “couple games” because of a glute injury that happened right in the opener. Just like that, the champs are facing an early curveball.
Reigning Champs Facing Early Adversity
This is a massive hit for Coach Mike Macdonald and OC Brian Fleury. After winning it all, you expect to ride that momentum into the new season, but now the team has to pivot instantly. Darnold’s unexpected absence means the team has to adjust their entire game plan for these crucial early weeks. It puts a ton of pressure on whoever steps in under center to keep the ship steady and the wins coming while Darnold recovers. This ain’t how you want to kick off your title defense, no siree. Every game counts, especially for the reigning Super Bowl champs. We gotta keep that title defense strong.
Week 1 Kicks Off With QB Chaos Across the League
And it’s not just us dealing with quarterback drama, folks. Week 1 felt like an injury report special across the league. Down in New England, Drake Maye’s life just got way harder with his top target, AJ Brown, hitting injured reserve. He’s expected to miss at least six weeks. Ouch. Then you got Kyler Murray over with the Minnesota Vikings, who barely got started before a concussion knocked him out of his debut with the team. What a brutal welcome! Even the Atlanta Falcons were down to their QB3, Cooper Rush, BEFORE they even faced the Pittsburgh Steelers. Talk about being thrown into the fire. What a wild start to the 2026 season for so many teams trying to find their footing.
Early Quarterback Grades Are In
Amidst all that chaos, some QBs still had to ball out, and Bleacher Report is dropping their weekly grades. Jacoby Brissett, who everyone wrote off, led his Arizona Cardinals to a surprising 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He was 27 of 37 for 277 yards and a touchdown, running Mike LaFleur’s system efficiently. Brissett even said, “Me and [Coach LaFleur], I felt like we were in-synch from Play 1,” despite an ill-advised late second-quarter heave. The Cards offense still racked up 393 yards. Brissett earned a B. On the flip side, Cooper Rush, the Falcons’ QB3, got a D after a tough 20-13 loss to the Steelers. Battling back spasms and missing his top two QBs, he managed 12 of 22 for 143 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. His wide receivers only caught three passes, with most completions going to Bijan Robinson. Rough. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson looked like a different kind of playmaker for the Baltimore Ravens in their 41-23 win against the Indianapolis Colts. He went for 324 yards and a touchdown through the air, plus 40 yards and a score on the ground. Sumer Sports’ Shawn Syed noted Jackson posted his highest career percentages working from under center and dropping back from center. The Ravens amassed 506 yards, showing they could do whatever they wanted.
So, yeah, it’s Week 1, and the NFL is already a rollercoaster. For our Seahawks, the immediate focus shifts to managing Darnold’s glute injury and figuring out who steps in under center for the next “couple games.” Who’s ready to step up and fight for the Emerald City while our starting QB is on the mend? Let’s go, 12s!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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