Sam Darnold has been an often-maligned quarterback, forced to prove he could win important games simply because other people had said he couldn't. He dispelled that myth last year when he led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win.
That won't be the last likely false theory that Darnold needs to disprove, though; unintentionally, Drew Lock is going to either help those who admire Darnold be happy or have Darnold's detractors claim their truth to be the correct vision. The bottom line is that despite what Darnold did last season, some still see him as a product of his team overall, and not that he solely changes the franchise's fortunes.
Seattle won the title last year because it had an elite defense and special teams, and a very good and efficient offense. The difference was that when Darnold needed to be great, such as in the NFC Championship Game, he was. The Los Angeles Rams would have been in the Super Bowl if not for Darnold's electric performance in the game.
Drew Lock will prove doubters right or wrong about Seattle Seahawks QB1 Sam Darnold
Many overlook that last part and instead claim Darnold's success was because of the team, and the team wasn't successful because of its quarterback play. The truth is that both parts were equally important.
Yet, after Darnold was injured on the first drive of Week 1, the Seahawks were still able to defeat the New England Patriots, last year's AFC representative in the title game, without QB1. Drew Lock came in, took a bit of time to get up to speed in the game, but was better in the second half and was good overall.
If Seattle's elite defense and coaching can keep winning with Drew Lock, then how much does Sam Darnold really matter? That shouldn't be a real question, but many will ask that if Lock is forced to be QB1 for several games.
Or, with another team scheming to play Lock, Seattle's offense could falter, and the team could lose a few games unexpectedly. Certainly, no Seattle Seahawks fans want that to happen, but the possibility still exists. If the unfortunate happens, Darnold would be viewed in a better light by some who doubted him.
It's a terrible Catch-22, and none of it really helps the team win games. Still, people will speculate about anything, and Lock versus Darnold could be a topic, especially if Lock does well. Will fans of the team care as long as the team wins? Probably not, but the national media will.
To be sure, Darnold might not miss a game, or he could miss multiple games. At least the Seahawks' next game is against the Arizona Cardinals. Jadarian Price could take direct snaps all game, and Seattle should win that one.
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