Five plays into the 2026 season opener against the New England Patriots, the Emerald City held its breath. We were still buzzing about that new Super Bowl 60 championship banner, then BAM, Sam Darnold gets sacked on the opening drive. He limped off the field, didn’t hit the blue medical tent at first, but then he was gone to the locker room, ruled out. Just like that, our starting QB was done for the day. That’s when Drew Lock’s music hit, and boy, did he walk into an adverse situation. The offense sputtered hard, and we found ourselves down 10-0.
The Defense Bends, But Never Breaks
After that early gut punch, our defense absolutely came alive. They slammed the door shut, forcing turnovers and giving the offense a fighting chance. That momentum was contagious, and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury started cooking, making some damn fine adjustments. We scored 13 unanswered points, and when it came down to the wire, our D bent to the very edge, then did what they do best: slammed it shut. Picking off Drake Maye for the third time to cap off a frankly ridiculous comeback was everything. Our defense is for real, and they showed it when it mattered most.
Lock Steps Up, Fleury Adjusts, and a New Face Shines
Drew Lock, man. He was thrown into the fire, struggled early, but then pulled off some fantastic play down the stretch. His final line, 16/22 for 187 yards and 1 TD, might not wow you, but he out-passed Drake Maye, who was No. 2 in the MVP race last year. Most importantly, Lock took care of the ball. This isn’t the first time he’s shown “Seattle Primetime Magic,” remember that game-winning TD to Jaxon Smith-Njigba against the Eagles? Yeah, that’s our guy. Big props to Brian Fleury, too. Having your starting QB go down on the first drive can’t be on anyone’s bingo card, but he adjusted on the fly, and that’s a great sign for this offense. And hey, Jadarian Price might be pretty good. He had 10 carries for 52 yards, showing off his vision, plus he caught both of his targets. Keep an eye on that kid.
Head Coach Mike Macdonald said postgame that the early news on Darnold is encouraging, with no fracture reported. We should all feel incredibly fortunate if that’s true. We’ve got extra rest until the second game, so we’ll be waiting to see when Darnold can get back on the field. Until then, Lock might be counted on for the next few weeks, and after that opener, who’s complaining? Let’s see what more magic this team has in store.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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