Multiple reactions to Drew Lock are backed by one of the NFL’s early statistical leaderboards, as Sam Darnold‘s injury was ruled to be a muscle strain with “no consideration of IR at this point.”
The Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback entered the season opener after Darnold injured his hip and proceeded to guide Seattle out of a 10-point hole in a 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots.
That performance prompted the popular Seahawks account HawkMania to take the praise several steps further.
“Yo 😭,” HawkMania wrote on X. “#Seahawks Drew Lock is the best QB in the #NFL right now.”
HawkBlogger Brian Nemhauser also hit on Lock’s leading statistics.
NFC West QBs Ranked By Passer Rating
1. Drew Lock (113.3) 2. Brock Purdy (105.6) 3. Matthew Stafford (61.3)
Hyperbole aside, the numbers attached to the post make the reaction understandable.
Lock completed 16 of 22 attempts for 187 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. His 113.3 passer rating currently sits atop the quarterbacks who have played in the opening slate, ahead of Brock Purdy at 105.6, via NFL.com’s official passing statistics.
Lock’s Numbers Back Up Hot Start for Seahawks
Lock’s final line becomes more impressive considering the circumstances surrounding it.
Darnold went down after only five offensive plays, forcing Lock into a game Seattle never expected him to control. The Seahawks eventually fell behind 10-0 before Lock helped engineer all 13 of their points during the comeback.
His biggest throw came on fourth-and-1, when he connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown that tied the game in the fourth quarter. NFL.com credited Lock with staying away from dangerous throws, taking available underneath options and using his mobility to extend drives.
Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald was even more emphatic afterward.
“Incredible,” Macdonald said, per the Seahawks’ official website. “I should’ve given him the game ball.”
Safety Julian Love floated another telling assessment: “We’ve all been saying Drew has been the best 2 in the NFL for years.”
Lock also averaged 8.5 yards per attempt and produced three completions of at least 20 yards while taking only one sack, via his official Seahawks statistics.
That efficiency represented a dramatic upgrade from his limited 2025 role, when Lock attempted just three regular-season passes as Seattle’s backup.
Seahawks Could Need Lock to Keep Delivering
The praise surrounding Lock carries additional significance because his opportunity is expected to continue.
NFL Network reported that Darnold is expected to miss Seattle’s Week 2 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals because of the hip injury. Testing delivered encouraging news, however, with Darnold avoiding a major injury and potentially missing only a few weeks.
Macdonald acknowledged that his initial expectation was for Lock to start against Arizona.
“In my mind I’m kind of thinking Drew’s going to play,” Macdonald said during a radio appearance, via Seahawks.com.
Lock’s career numbers suggest caution before placing too much weight on one evening. He owns a 79.5 career passer rating with 35 touchdowns and 28 interceptions across 42 appearances, according to Seattle’s records.
Yet Week 1 gave the Seahawks exactly what they needed when their championship quarterback suddenly disappeared from the lineup.
Calling Lock the NFL’s best quarterback might be having some fun with an extremely small sample. For the moment, though, the leaderboard gives Seattle fans something to work with.
Seahawks’ Backup Named ‘Best QB in NFL’ Amidst Darnold Injury News