The great Drew Lock gave the Seattle Seahawks a reminder of why they brought him back.
Now comes the tougher part of proving he can sustain it.
Lock was singled out by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox as Seattle’s player with the most to prove entering Week 2, placing a spotlight on the veteran quarterback before his start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 20.
Seattle lost Sam Darnold to a glute injury on the opening series of its 13-10 Week 1 victory over New England, forcing Lock into a complex function without a week of starter preparation.
He responded by completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 113.3 passer rating as the Seahawks erased a 10-point deficit.
“If the Seahawks are going to stay near the top of the loaded NFC West,” Knox wrote, “Lock will have to prove that Seattle’s faith in him isn’t unfounded.”
This time, there’s no surprise entrance. Lock has run Seattle’s offense knowing the job belongs to him Sunday. On the flip side, Arizona has had time to prepare for him.
Lock Gets Full Week to Answer Challenge
Lock described the difference between preparing as the starter and entering cold as “night and day,” via Seahawks.com’s Week 2 preview.
The added work means live repetitions with players such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and AJ Barner instead of relying primarily on walkthroughs and mental preparation.
Lock’s teammates have been equally direct about their confidence in him.
Leonard Williams called Lock “the best second-string quarterback in the league” and pointed to his previous work in Seattle, including the dramatic 2023 win over Philadelphia.
Head coach Mike Macdonald brought out his own endorsement, calling Lock a “proven, really good player” and approving of the quarterback’s ability to stay prepared when his opportunities have been few and far between
That confidence now gets tested against an Arizona team coming off a 26-14 road victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The Cardinals produced 393 total yards in their opener and enter Sunday with a chance to make a harrowing statement inside the division.
Over to Seattle, it’s Lock’s first Seahawks start since a memorable December 2023 comeback against Philadelphia.
Darnold Timeline Undefined for Seahawks
How long Seattle needs Lock is less certain.
Bleacher Report cited ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in reporting that Darnold likely will miss roughly four weeks. Seattle, however, has stopped short of setting that timeline themselves.
Macdonald said Sept. 18 that Darnold is “on his way back” but acknowledged he does not know whether the return comes next week or later, via the team’s latest update.
The Seahawks also have no plans to place Darnold on injured reserve, a move that would require him to miss at least four games.
Either way, Seattle necessitates Lock now.
Week 1 showed he can steady the offense when thrown into an unexpected situation.
Week 2 is a road divisional game, though, awakening the ire of a divisional opponent whose fans are enjoying a recent victory (a rare one) — and want more.
Lock does have full week of preparation and an astonishingly good defense to boot.
Against Arizona, he’ll have the occasion to validate his efforts and ability with an entire game in his hands.
Seahawks’ Drew Lock Gets Pressure-Filled Outlook With Sam Darnold Injured