Sam Darnold is officially OUT for Sunday’s NFC West clash against the Arizona Cardinals, leaving backup Drew Lock to lead the charge for our Hawks in Week 2. This is it, 12s, the first division battle of the season, and it’s gonna be a test, no doubt about it.
The QB Situation and Key Injuries
Alright, so the big man Sam Darnold is sidelined. Coach Mike Macdonald, ever the poker face, is still being coy about the timeline for his return, but we know Darnold is “on his way back.” For now, it’s Lock under center. The good news? Our backup QB will have pretty much the full receiving arsenal available, especially with Tory Horton making his 2026 debut against the Cards! That’s a huge boost for Lock. It’s not all sunshine, though. Nickelback Nick Emmanwori, who was limited in practice this week with ankle and hip issues, is questionable, and his season debut might get pushed back another game. Safety Ty Okada is out for sure. Plus, it looks like a backup lineman might be blocking for Lock, which is always a little nerve-wracking. But hey, our depth is expected to step up, just like it has so far. On the mend front, Zach Charbonnet is “on the mend,” so that’s something to look forward to getting back in full force.
Violent Defense and Rookie Fire
But listen, Emerald City, even with the injury bug biting, our defense is absolutely FIRED UP for this one. Our defensive ends and outside linebackers? They aren’t just chasing sack totals; they’re all about that physical presence. They said it themselves, loud and clear: “We want to be violent, we want to be dominant” in the run game! You saw Josh Jobe snag that pick in the end zone against the Patriots in Week 1, right? That fourth-quarter INT against New England was clutch, showing that bend-but-don’t-break mentality we love. And speaking of clutch, our first-round rookie Jadarian Price is looking to build on his strong debut. He’s got a personal battle coming up against his old Notre Dame backfield buddy, Jeremiyah Love, who’s now on the Arizona side. This Arizona squad is “surprising” us this year, and Week 1 against New England was definitely a grind, a real test where we had to find our footing.
So what’s it gonna be, 12s? Another nail-biter like that Patriots game, where we had to fight to the final whistle to get the win, or are we gonna show these surprising Cards what “violent” and “dominant” really looks like in Lumen Field? This first NFC West matchup of the season has HUGE stakes for setting the tone. Sunday can’t come fast enough. 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 Field Gulls.
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