Drew Lock is back under center for the Seahawks this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, but here’s the kicker: the dude has been battling “severe tendinitis” in his throwing elbow, according to Tom Pelissero. Yeah, you read that right. Our backup signal-caller, who is filling in for an injured Sam Darnold, has been fighting through an injury so bad it stopped him from throwing at times over the last couple of weeks. Talk about grit, 12s. Despite the tendinitis issue making his availability questionable, Lock apparently looked good enough in limited practice reps to lead us into a crucial Week 9 divisional matchup at Lumen Field.
Playing Through Pain, Eyeing a Future
So, Sam Darnold is sidelined with a strained quad, which means Lock gets his second start of the season. It’s also against the Cardinals again, which feels like deja vu. The twist? This time, we know the mystery of his elbow injury: severe tendinitis. It’s a tough break, especially with free agency looming for Lock in March. You gotta respect the guy battling through that to get on the field. This isn’t just about this week though. Our sophomore QB, Jalen Milroe, is ready to go as backup, and you know the developmental third-stringer has to be mentally prepped to play if that tendinitis flares up even worse. Meanwhile, we’ll see another passer with Seattle ties, Gardner Minshew II, leading the Cardinals, making it a backup-QB duel.
The Numbers Are Screaming “Ride the Hot Hand”
Let’s be real, Lock’s limited action this season has been fire. He’s made two appearances and put up a ridiculous 127.3 passer rating, which would lead the entire NFL if he had enough throws to qualify. We’re talking a 73% completion rate, 422 yards, 4 touchdowns, and zero, zip, nada interceptions. Oh, and PFF just dropped a stat that shows Lock has the highest Big Time Throw Rate this season at 9.8% (for QBs with min 50 dropbacks). That’s ahead of guys like J.J. McCarthy and Joe Burrow! When you put those numbers next to Sam Darnold’s turnover struggles, it’s no wonder some of us fans have been clamoring to just keep Lock as the starter. Now, thanks to Darnold’s strained quad, we get to see that idea come to fruition for at least one week.
This Sunday against the Cardinals, who’ve allowed the 2nd-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, is a massive opportunity for Lock to really light it up again. The question on everyone’s mind has to be: will the Seahawks’ decision-makers choose to ride the hot hand if the offense looks effective once more against a low-end opponent? That’s a question for another day, maybe, but for now, let’s just watch Lock sling it. Catch the game this Sunday at Lumen Field. You know we’ll be watching to see if Lock’s hot streak, even with that brutal tendinitis, can push us forward.
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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