Sam Darnold won’t be under center for the Seahawks in Week 9.
Mike Macdonald said Wednesday that Darnold is out against the Arizona Cardinals because of a quad injury, and the quarterback’s status now hinges on how he responds to treatment. The head coach also revealed that Darnold took two hits in Seattle’s Week 8 loss to the Chicago Bears.
The first came on the second play of the game, when Darnold cracked a rib. The later quad injury is the one that matters going forward.
For now, Seattle is not planning to place him on injured reserve, and Macdonald said there’s a chance Darnold could be back as soon as the next game.
That leaves Drew Lock in line to start against Arizona. It’s a familiar spot for him.
Lock handled most of the first two games of the season after Darnold hurt his glute on the opening drive of Week 1, and he also started in Week 2 - the first meeting with the Cardinals. Seattle rolled to a 31-7 win in that game behind a defense that was locked in and an offense that avoided turnovers.
Lock also kept the ball clean in Week 1.
Darnold’s return, though, hasn’t been smooth. Since coming back, he has thrown interceptions at a pace that has fueled calls from some fans to make the switch back to Lock.
That move isn’t happening as long as Darnold is healthy enough to play, but a strong showing from Lock in Darnold’s absence could at least stir the conversation. And if that happens, it will be because Lock has done his job.
The Seahawks need that kind of performance. They’re 4-4 and staring at a season that could slip away if they can’t get things stabilized. Missing the playoffs is very much on the table unless Lock delivers.
Arizona hasn’t beaten Seattle since the Earth cooled, but the Cardinals are playing better and may be catching the Seahawks at a good time.
There’s also a complication at quarterback beyond Darnold’s injury. Lock has been limited in practice recently because of an elbow issue, though he is expected to play in Week 9. Macdonald did leave open the possibility of Jalen Milroe starting if Lock isn’t fully healthy.
Milroe has never started an NFL game and, as things stand, hasn’t shown that he should. If he ends up playing, it would raise a fair question about how much offense Seattle can realistically expect from a unit that is already short on margin.
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