Darnold Expected to Miss Week 2 After Hip Scare

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to miss Week 2 against Arizona with an unusual hip muscle strain, but he avoided a fracture or injured reserve.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to miss next week's game against the Arizona Cardinals with the hip injury he sustained on the opening drive of Wednesday's 13-10 win over the New England Patriots, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Testing revealed what Tom Pelissero of The Ringer described as an unusual muscle strain in his hip area, and the Seahawks are not considering a stint on injured reserve, meaning he should miss fewer than four games. Drew Lock, who completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in relief, is the likely starter for Week 2.

Seattle initially feared the worst: Pelissero reports the Seahawks believed Darnold may have suffered a fractured hip socket, which would have been a major injury. A CT scan at Harborview Medical Center came back inconclusive, and Darnold spent the night in a local hospital before an MRI. The results were encouraging, and one source told ESPN the Seahawks believe they "dodged a bullet." Coach Mike Macdonald said "the hip is intact and it's more of like a muscle thing... really, really good news."

Darnold was hurt when New England's Dre'Mont Jones sacked him for a five-yard loss on the fifth snap of the season opener. Lock took over down 10-0 in the third quarter and led three straight scoring drives, while the defense intercepted Drake Maye three times in the fourth quarter, including Josh Jobe's game-clincher. Jaxon Smith-Njigba added a 45-yard touchdown catch as Seattle beat the reigning AFC champions.

Darnold, 29, was exceptional in his first Seattle season, throwing for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 67.7% of his passes, earning a second straight Pro Bowl nod. He was even better in the postseason, throwing for 672 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions as the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. Any extended absence would be a major concern for a team defending its title, especially since Lock is just 10-18 in 28 career starts, according to Bleacher Report.

Lock will get the starting practice reps, with Jalen Milroe likely elevated to the active QB2 role. Macdonald said the team is still working out the best prognosis and a return date remains undetermined, but no injured reserve stint signals confidence in a short absence.

The opener doubled as a rematch of last season's Super Bowl, and Seattle showed it can win even when its quarterback exits after five snaps. Macdonald praised Lock, saying the team has "a ton of faith in Drew and the guys do too," pointing to the way he executed in relief. For fantasy managers and bettors tracking the story, the timeline is the key unknown: the strain is painful, per the coach, but the structure is sound.