Seahawks Rule Out Sam Darnold, Plan to Start Drew Lock vs. Raiders Despite Oblique Injury
Mike Macdonald says tests on Lock's oblique were good, so he'll make a third straight start while Darnold gets more time to heal before the bye
Sam Darnold will miss a second straight game, and Drew Lock will keep the job for at least one more week. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Monday on Seattle Sports 710 that Darnold is out for Sunday's game against the Raiders, but tests on Lock's oblique came back good and the team believes he can start in Las Vegas, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald told @BrockHuard and @TheMikeSalk on Seattle Sports 710 ESPN that he is ruling out Sam Darnold for this week’s game vs the Raiders. But tests on Drew Lock’s oblique injury were “good”, and they believe he can start vs. the Raiders.View on X →
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald told @BrockHuard and @TheMikeSalk on Seattle Sports 710 ESPN that he is ruling out Sam Darnold for this week’s game vs the Raiders. But tests on Drew Lock’s oblique injury were “good”, and they believe he can start vs. the Raiders.
Schefter had reported over the weekend that Darnold was in jeopardy of missing this game. Darnold cracked a rib on the second play of the Week 8 loss to the Bears and hurt his quad late in that game. Seattle has its bye in Week 11, so sitting him in Las Vegas gives him three weeks to heal before the Week 12 trip to San Francisco.
The new question was Lock. He hurt his oblique in Sunday's 17-3 win over the Cardinals, and Macdonald said after the game that his status was up in the air. Monday's news was better, as Macdonald told the station, per ESPN's Brady Henderson:
"Good exam for Drew. He's dealing with an oblique. I think it's something we can manage and [have] him play in the game. Sam will be another week. So it'll be a similar plan to last week."
Lock went 19 of 28 for 175 yards and a touchdown with no sacks against Arizona. Across two starts and most of a third game this season, all Seattle wins, he has five touchdown passes, no turnovers and a 71.1% completion rate. He was also managing a right elbow injury that had him inactive for two games before he replaced Darnold, and he has been limited on every Seahawks injury report since Week 6. Jalen Milroe is the fallback if the oblique flares up.
The win moved Seattle to 5-4. The Raiders are 4-5 after a 38-17 loss in San Francisco, and the teams kick off Sunday, Nov. 15, at 1:05 PM PT at Allegiant Stadium.