The Seattle Seahawks are winning games this season when Sam Darnold doesn't play. Drew Lock has played turnover-free football in place of the team's QB1, and his somewhat conservative approach has translated into success.
That includes a 17-3 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9. Was it always pretty? Not really, and Lock should have thrown one interception, but he still played within himself, and that is a valuable thing.
He might need to start in Week 10, too. Darnold didn't play because he has a cracked rib and a quad injury. Seattle has a bye week in Week 11, so keeping Darnold out for two more weeks might make sense. That said, the next game could be the biggest challenge of the season for Drew Lock.
Day-after takeaways for the Seattle Seahawks' Drew Lock in Week 9
Drew Lock gave the Seattle Seahawks what they needed and nothing more
The key to Lock's success is that he isn't trying to force the ball, but that's obvious. The other part of that is that offensive coordinator Brian Fleury isn't calling the same kind of plays that he does with Darnold. Missing are the higher-risk throws down the field and the force-feeding of Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Is the relative success of Lock (and he is among the league leaders in EPA in his three games) due to the quarterback's brilliance? Or is Seattle struggling with Darnold because Fleury is trusting him to do too much? Running the ball and not having as many risky plays is working. Fleury needs to call the game the same way when Darnold returns.
Drew Lock has matured as a player
Early in his career with the Denver Broncos, Lock was restricted by a horrible offensive direction from coaches who no longer work in Denver. That meant pushing Lock to throw more into traffic.
Part of the problem is that, like Darnold, Lock can be a bit of a gunslinger, but he has repressed that urge in 2026. Most of his throws are safe, but not only around the line of scrimmage. If Lock throws into coverage, he does so intelligently, where his receiver has a chance to either get the catch or no one does.
Drew Lock isn't replacing Sam Darnold
No matter how much fans might want a move to be made, Lock isn't going to replace Darnold long-term. For one, Darnold's ability offers more potential for explosive plays than Lock's ability. That matters in tight games late in the season, as proven by Darnold's performance in the NFC Championship Game last season against the Los Angeles Rams.
Lock is a good backup who deserves another chance to be a starter somewhere. That isn't going to happen with the Seattle Seahawks, though, and it shouldn't.
The biggest test in 2026 for Lock happens in Week 10
While Lock has thrown five touchdown passes and no interceptions this season while completing 71.1 percent of his passes, he has only played against two teams in three games. He entered Week 1 against the New England Patriots and was fine. The other two games have been against the Arizona Cardinals, one of the worst teams in the NFL.
The assumption is that Lock, despite an oblique injury he suffered in Week 9, will start Week 10 while Darnold sits out another game with multiple injuries.
The next game is against the improved Las Vegas Raiders, a team that is eighth in the league in interceptions (seven) and fifth in quarterback pressure (26.0 percent). If Lock succeeds against Vegas, a real quarterback controversy might be present.
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