One thing Drew Lock did after coming in for Sam Darnold to guide the Seattle Seahawks to their first win of the season over the New England Patriots last week was play turnover-free football. Had he played another kind of way, the outcome might have played out a different way.
At the end of the day, the Seahawks claimed the win, picking up right where they left off last season, but the injury to Darnold was a wound they sustained in the process. How long Seattle will have to endure that wound is uncertain, but what is certain is that the Seahawks' coaching staff has more than enough faith in Lock.
As Lock prepares to start in the Seahawks' second game of the season against the Arizona Cardinals, many believe it should be a no-brainer win and that the Cardinals' opening win against the Los Angeles Chargers was a fluke. Either way, the Seahawks can't overlook their lesser division rival, and neither can Lock, who must do two things to come away with another win.
Seattle Seahawks' Drew Lock can be Brett Favre or Josh Allen, but should he?
There is an argument that no matter how Lock plays, good or bad, the Seahawks will win regardless. Why? Defense. Seattle's defense is so good—and possibly even better than last season—that a bad game from Lock could be covered by a relentless defense that suffocates the 'Cardinals' offense from the first snap to the last.
Realistically, this is entirely realistic—again, the Seahawks defense is simply that good. There's no reason not to trust Mike Macdonald's instincts and defensive game plan to overcome a potential Lock dud if it happens. Like the Seahawks defense, Macdonald is that good.
All of that being said, Lock has to play his part and step up as he did against the Patriots. One key to Lock succeeding against the Cardinals is what he did well in Week 1: no turnovers.
Lock was very efficient, going 16-for-22 against the Patriots' defense with a 113.3 over-the-air rating. Although he fell short of 200 yards passing and threw for just one touchdown, Lock was locked in, especially in the second half.
The best part about his performance was that he protected the football: zero interceptions and zero fumbles. With the game decided by three points, a turnover at the wrong time could have changed the result. Fortunately, Lock was careful and concise, and it's how he needs to play from here on out.
The other key to Lock's success against the Cardinals is not forcing the football. While he's not Brett Favre or Josh Allen, Lock does possess gunslinger DNA. If the deep pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn't there, Lock can't hesitate to check down. He also can't hesitate when holding the ball.
Not getting rid of it before it's too late can lead to fumbles or sacks. Lock must play smart and know when to act, and when not to act too drastically. What he needs to remember most is that the Seahawks don't require him to be phenomenal. They need him to be smart with the football and let his supporting cast on offense make the bigger plays.
That said, if Lock has the itch to heave the football downfield Favre- or Allen-style, Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, or Rashid Shaheed can make their quarterback look good. As long as Lock protects the football, the Seahawks' defense won't have to be the only reason they win games while Darnold returns.
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