The Seahawks are reeling, sitting at 4-4 after losing three of their last four games, including a brutal 34-17 beatdown by the Chicago Bears at home Monday night. But the biggest gut punch just landed: Sam Darnold, our starting quarterback, is out for Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals due to a quad injury, and get this, he *cracked his rib* on the second play of that Bears game. He played the whole damn thing with a cracked rib!
Darnold’s Double Whammy and the QB Room Questions
Head coach Mike Macdonald dropped the bomb Wednesday, confirming Darnold is week-to-week and won’t be under center this Sunday. Macdonald doesn’t expect to put Darnold on injured reserve, but the door is wide open for the team to add another quarterback to the roster, especially with second-year QB Jalen Milroe already here. Think about that: Darnold completed just 50.0% of his passes, 17 of 34, against Chicago, all while nursing a cracked rib he sustained practically right out of the gate. That’s some serious grit, but also raises questions about player safety and game management. Last season, Darnold was a Pro Bowler, guiding our Hawks to a Super Bowl LX victory with a 99.1 passer rating and 67.7% completion percentage. This season, he is at a 79.5 rating with 60.2% completion, and a concerning nine interceptions against 10 touchdowns. It’s a stark contrast, and these injuries aren’t making it any easier.
Lock Steps Up, Despite His Own Woes
So, who is stepping in? Drew Lock, baby! He will start against the Cardinals. The catch? Macdonald also said Lock has been dealing with an “elbow injury” and “hasn’t thrown much.” Seriously, what in the world is going on with our QB room? Despite that unsettling update, Lock has actually been pretty efficient in his two appearances this season. He’s tossed for 422 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions, boasting a stellar 127.3 passer rating and completing 72.9% of his passes. Remember back on September 20, when Darnold went down with a glute injury in Week 1 against the New England Patriots? Lock stepped up and led us to a dominant 31-7 win over these very same Cardinals in Arizona. Maybe that’s the good omen we desperately need.
This team is at a crossroads, sitting at 4-4 and desperately needing a win to turn things around. It’s gut-check time, folks. The Cardinals are coming to Lumen Field this Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, and the 12s need to be absolutely LOUD. Drew Lock, banged-up elbow and all, has a chance to galvanize this team and remind everyone what he can do. Can he deliver that spark? We’re about to find out, Emerald City. 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 Fox Sports.
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