SEATTLE -- Like most of the NFL’s backup quarterbacks, Drew Lock doesn’t get regular reps during a game week. But he still has to be able to visualize a play when he hears it in his headset, and his preferred method for doing so -- without being able to get under center in practice -- is to draw out the Xs and Os every day on a whiteboard that he has set up in his bedroom.
When the Seattle Seahawks’ QB2 is not using it to memorize Brian Fleury’s playbook, it’s covered in his young son’s scribbles.
“Every day I get home to do that, I have to erase things that were not drawn by me,” Lock said. “I think it’s a good time-killer for my wife at home with the kiddo. So it’s fun. I get to smile right as I start to do it and kind of remember why you’re doing it.”
The Lock family whiteboard might get more use than usual in the coming days -- and perhaps weeks -- given the situation with Sam Darnold. The Seahawks’ starting quarterback is dealing with a hip injury he suffered in the season opener Wednesday against the New England Patriots. While coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday that test results brought “really good news,” a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Darnold is expected to miss time.
That means it will likely be Lock’s show to run next Sunday, Sept. 20, when the Seahawks open NFC West play on the road against the Arizona Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox), and potentially beyond. The Seahawks travel to face the Washington Commanders in Week 3 and host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4.
Unless Darnold’s absence is a lengthy one, the way Lock played in the opener should inspire confidence that he can keep the Seahawks’ hopes of a Super Bowl repeat afloat in the short-term -- especially with the ample offensive supporting cast and an elite defense that’s backing him.
After taking over for Darnold on Seattle’s second possession, Lock went 16-of-22 for 187 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. His clean performance -- plus three takeaways by Mike Macdonald’s defense -- was enough for the Seahawks to rally for a 13-10 win at Lumen Field.
“He did a phenomenal job,” said wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who regularly sits in on Seattle’s quarterback meetings. “He basically took no reps with any of the guys that were out there all week. You can see the onus that he puts on himself to be ready, though, when the time comes. There’s extra time he spends out there on the field, extra time that he spends with the coaches to make sure.
“The last thing you want is for Sam to have to not be there, but Drew has done an unbelievable job preparing and did a great job for us today.”
What would have been Lock’s first touchdown pass -- a 7-yard throw in the end zone to Kupp -- was nullified by an illegal shift. It was one of seven offensive penalties for the Seahawks, something they have to clean up lest they continually put their backup quarterback in pure passing situations. But even on one such moment Wednesday night, Lock delivered -- hitting Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 21-yard gain on third-and-22.
“We’ve all been saying that Drew has been the best [No. 2 QB] in the NFL for years,” said safety Julian Love, who had one of Seattle’s three interceptions of Drake Maye. “It was such calm on our sideline defensively that folks didn’t realize until ... towards the second half that he was in, because it’s just so seamless, he’s such a leader, he makes plays all the time in practice. So it’s really cool to see him. We just have so much belief, not just in him but anyone who steps in for us. ... That’s how we operate.”
Seattle’s faith in Lock was evident before the outcome was decided against New England. In the fourth quarter of his playcalling debut, Fleury faced a pivotal decision. Instead of calling a tush push with tight end AJ Barner, a play that became a short-yardage asset for the Seahawks last season, Fleury put the ball in Lock’s hands.
The result was a 45-yard touchdown pass to Smith-Njibga that tied the game at 10-10.
“Drew’s a ballplayer,” Smith-Njigba said. “He comes in and demands the huddle, and he wants to sling [it], throw the ball around. ... Full confidence in 2.”
Former coach Pete Carroll once described Lock as having some gunslinger to his game. To be sure, he did not simply dink and dunk his way down the field in the opener. The 21-yard completion to Smith-Njigba came on an over-the-middle throw that he fit between defenders. He dropped another throw over Kupp’s shoulder for a 24-yard gain. As Macdonald put it, Lock was “aggressive when he needed to be” without putting the ball in jeopardy.
But with last season’s top-ranked scoring defense showing that it remains a dominant force, Seattle will ask Lock to be more game-manager than gunslinger.
With a much different Seahawks team in 2023, Lock went 1-1 in two fill-in starts while Geno Smith was sidelined with a groin injury. He signed with the New York Giants the following offseason and threw six touchdown passes to five interceptions in five starts. The Giants -- who would finish 3-14 -- lost four of those games, bringing Lock’s career record as a starter to 10-18.
“I’ve definitely grown,” Lock said, comparing the quarterback he is now to when he last saw extensive action. “I’ve learned a lot about football. But having an opportunity on a team like this can shift your mindset. Knowing the type of defense that we have, there’s no rush to push the ball down the field. Let’s find ways to get the ball in our guys’ hands. Now, when the ones downfield are there, I’ve never been one to be afraid of those, but having the mindset of taking care of the football, getting it in our guys’ hands.
“You’ve got the best defense in the world, in my opinion. Let’s keep the ball moving forward and see what the scoreboard looks like at the end of this.”
Macdonald said Thursday that the Seahawks will have a better sense of Darnold’s prognosis when they return to practice on Monday. The quarterback was back at the team’s facility that day after spending Wednesday night at the hospital, in part because of how much discomfort he was in. While Macdonald wasn’t ready to declare Darnold out for Seattle’s next game, he said his early read is that Lock will start against Arizona.
“He’s been tremendous,” Macdonald said of Lock’s approach since he returned to Seattle last season. “He operates like a starter does in terms of preparation. The chemistry and the personality of our quarterback room is one that is very supportive of each other and also trying to bring out the best in one another. Drew provides a cool confidence, loose and focusedness to the whole equation, which you need -- you need that.
“On top of that, since he’s got here, I feel like he’s just played great football in practice and in the preseason. We saw what he could do last night. If he has to play again, then we expect the same moving forward.”
