Sam Darnold is not expected to play Sunday at Arizona. The Seahawks quarterback was hurt on the fifth play of the season opener when his right leg hit the turf on a sack, and while an MRI showed a muscle injury in the hip area rather than a fracture, multiple reports say he will miss Week 2. Drew Lock, who led the comeback win over New England in relief, is the expected starter, with Jalen Milroe as the backup.
The Status
| Player | Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks |
| Injury | Right hip (muscle, no fracture per MRI) |
| Week 2 | Expected out; Drew Lock starts |
| Timeline | Could return Week 3 at Washington; some reports say a couple of games |
| Game | Sunday, Sept. 20 at Arizona, 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox |
What It Means
Seattle was a 10 point favorite on the lookahead line before the injury; with Lock starting and Arizona coming off an outright upset of the Chargers, the Seahawks are now laying 4.5. Lock went 16 of 22 for 187 yards and a 45 yard touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba against the Patriots and is 10-18 as a career starter. Coach Mike Macdonald has not put Darnold on injured reserve, which would cost him four games, so the club expects him back sooner than that.
Related
Week 2 starting quarterbacks · Seahawks vs. Cardinals · Week 2 odds · Week 2 injury report
The Bottom Line
Darnold is expected to sit Sunday with Lock starting at Arizona. The injury is muscular, not structural, and Week 3 at Washington is the earliest realistic return.