Is Seahawks' Drew Lock 'NFL's Best Backup QB?' Sam Darnold Injury Offers Opportunity

I often refer to the NFL backup quarterback as "The 12th Starter.'' (As opposed to the Seattle Seahawks' concept of "The 12th Man.'')

If a guard or a safety goes down? Maybe a team absorbs the blow.

But if a starting QB goes down? There are only so many guys on the planet who can play the position, adding value to a QB2 who can actually play.

And the Seahawks believe they are in the midst of proving that Drew Lock can actually play.

He did just enough on Wednesday to sub for Sam Darnold - who went down very early in the game - to outduel Drake Maye to guide the Seahawks against the Patriots, helping to register a 13-10 Week 1 win.

The defending Super Bowl champs not only think of Lock as capable; the 2019 second-round NFL Draft pick, now 29, has just enough skins on the wall to have Seattle believing he's the best backup QB in the NFL.

“He did a phenomenal job,'' said veteran receiver Cooper Kupp. "He took basically no reps with any of the guys that were out there all week, and you see the onus that he puts on himself to be ready when the time comes.

Lock, who was 16 for 22 for 187 yards and a touchdown for the game, got hot late when it mattered. In the second half, he connected on 10 of 14 passes for 136 yards, punctuated by a 45-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth down.

Darnold has a hip injury, and the team hopes it's not a long-term problem.

But if it is? Lock shares the confident view offers up by his teammates; he sounds ready.

“I’ve definitely grown,'' he said of his development during years of ups and downs in the league. "I’ve learned a lot about football, but having an opportunity on a team like this can shift your mindset,” Lock said.

I refer to what needs to happen now as "bus-driving.'' Lock doesn't need to lift his teammates up; he simply needs to avoid mistakes, make the routine play, and let the "Dark Side'' defense carry the load.

Right, Drew?

“The mindset (is) taking care of the football, getting it in our guys’ hands, knowing that we have the best defense in the world, in my opinion, let’s keep moving the ball forward and seeing what the score looks like at the end of this,” Lock said.