Drew Lock: Taking care of football key in Seahawks start

Drew Lock said taking care of the football is the key priority as he steps into a starting role for the Seahawks while Sam Darnold recovers from a glute injury. Seattle faces the Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.

Lock helped rally the Seahawks to a 13-10 win over the Patriots after Darnold was injured on the fifth play of Week 1. Lock completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown with zero turnovers, and his throws traveled an average of 6.0 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, which ranked 25th among 32 quarterbacks in Week 1 and was 2.0 yards shorter than Darnold's average attempt last season.

Lock's touchdown pass went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a short fourth-down throw that turned into a 45-yard score. Seattle's defense, which allowed a league-low 16.4 points per game during the 2025 regular season, intercepted Drake Maye three times in that game.

The Seahawks are 11-0 in the regular season when winning the turnover battle since Mike Macdonald became their coach in 2024, and they also won the turnover battle in all three of their playoff victories last season. Lock said turnover differential has been emphasized in every locker room he has been part of.

Lock, 29, has a 10-18 career record as a starter, going 1-1 for the Seahawks in 2023 and 1-4 for the Giants in 2024 before returning to Seattle last season to back up Darnold. Macdonald said the Seahawks do not anticipate placing Darnold on injured reserve, and Lock said Darnold has not practiced this week but has been in every meeting and has continued working with him on the job.

Seattle could have a full group of receivers available Sunday. Tory Horton, the team's No. 4 receiver who missed the opener with a hamstring injury, was a full practice participant for the second straight day Thursday, and Cooper Kupp went from limited Wednesday with a back issue to full participation Thursday. The Seahawks have won nine straight games against the Cardinals and are 11-1-1 at State Farm Stadium since 2013.