The Seattle Seahawks kicked off their season as reigning Super Bowl champions by beating the New England Patriots 13-10 at Lumen Field on Wednesday, but it was a victory overshadowed by massive concern. Quarterback Sam Darnold went down with a hip injury on the team’s opening possession, turning what should have been a pure celebration into a nail-biting fight.
Lock’s Rocky Start After Darnold Exits
What a gut punch to start the season, right? After all the hype of raising that Super Bowl banner, Darnold suffered his hip injury immediately, paving the way for Drew Lock to take over under center. You could tell Lock was just getting settled, too. The offense struggled to find its rhythm early, managing only six first downs compared to four punts in a scoreless first half. Meanwhile, the Patriots, led by Drake Maye, got on the board first with a two-yard touchdown pass to Eli Raridon in the second quarter. That score was set up by a pass interference drawn by New England’s A.J. Brown, who then unfortunately suffered an ankle injury himself early in the third quarter and was lost for the game. Talk about a brutal start for both teams’ key players.
JSN’s Heroics and Clutch Picks
Our Hawks finally got on the board with a field goal, thanks in part to an incredible catch by Cooper Kupp that showed he’s still got it. The momentum really started swinging our way when Nehemiah Pritchett picked off Maye, injecting some much-needed energy into the 12s in the stands. Even with that, we were still down 10-3 heading into the fourth quarter, which felt like an eternity. But then, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, man, that dude is special! On a critical 4th-and-1, he hauled in a short pass and absolutely exploded through the Patriots’ defense for a game-tying 45-yard touchdown. He ended the night with 8 catches for 122 yards and that huge score. From there, after a brutal drop by Romeo Doubs, Maye threw another interception, this time to Julian Love, setting up the go-ahead field goal for Seattle. Lock just couldn’t punch it in for a touchdown despite the ideal field position, leaving us with just a three-point lead.
Maye’s Fatal Mistake Secures the Win
With the Patriots down by three, Drake Maye had a chance to be the hero, but he couldn’t deliver. Instead, he threw an extremely ill-advised pass that Josh Jobe picked off in the end zone in the final seconds, clinching the victory for your Seahawks! What a relief! Lock finished the night 16-of-22 for 187 yards and 1 touchdown with no interceptions, while Maye was 23-of-33 for 178 yards, 1 touchdown, and a costly 3 interceptions. Jadarian Price also put in work with 10 carries for 52 yards. What a start to the season, 12s. We got the win, but the immediate future of this team just got real complicated. Everyone is going to be watching for updates on Sam Darnold, and Drew Lock has to keep this offense moving in the weeks ahead. It’s never easy being a Super Bowl champ, right? Let’s go Hawks!
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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