The Seattle Seahawks overcame an early quarterback injury and a 10-0 deficit to defeat the New England Patriots 13-10 in Wednesday's NFL season opener, but the victory came at a significant cost.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was ruled out with a hip injury sustained on Seattle's opening drive, forcing backup Drew Lock into action for most of the game. Darnold suffered the injury when he was sacked by Patriots defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones on third down during a five-play, 30-yard march.
The injury appeared serious from the start. Darnold was clearly hobbled as he headed to the sideline and initially waved off medical staff, according to the NBC broadcast. He eventually went to the blue tent during New England's opening possession before limping to the locker room as Seattle's offense took the field for a second time.
Seattle initially listed Darnold as questionable to return, but the team ruled him out shortly before halftime. At that point, Darnold had completed just 1 of 2 passes for 13 yards, and the Patriots held a 7-0 lead.
Lock, who attempted only three passes last season for the champion Seahawks, stepped in and guided Seattle's remarkable comeback. The Seahawks scored 13 straight points to secure the victory, with Lock drawing on his experience from 2023 when he started two games and made four appearances for Seattle, going 1-1 with 543 passing yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions and a 63.2 completion percentage.
The comeback was highlighted by a 45-yard touchdown pass from Lock to receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, according to NBC News coverage of the game. The Patriots struggled offensively throughout the contest, with rookie quarterback Drake Maye throwing three interceptions in what proved to be a costly performance.
Darnold's injury casts uncertainty over Seattle's immediate future. The 29-year-old quarterback was excellent in his debut season with the Seahawks, throwing for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in the regular season. He was even better in big games, including two key wins over the Rams, and threw for 346 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the NFC Championship before the defense led the way in the Super Bowl.
Lock now faces the possibility of extended action if Darnold's hip injury proves serious. The veteran backup has significant starting experience, first with the Denver Broncos and then with the New York Giants, but he's struggled with consistency throughout his career. Overall, Lock is 10-18 as a starter with a career completion percentage under 60%, though he did play solidly during the preseason.
The Seahawks have Jalen Milroe as their emergency third quarterback, but the team will be hoping Darnold's injury isn't as severe as it initially appeared. For now, Seattle can celebrate a hard-fought season-opening victory that showcased their resilience, even as questions loom about their quarterback situation heading into Week 2.
