Seattle Seahawks opened their 2026 NFL season with a 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots. However, the win came with concern over quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold suffered a hip injury during Seattle’s opening drive. He was sacked by Patriots defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones. The quarterback landed awkwardly and struggled to walk after the play. Darnold went to the medical tent for evaluation. He later headed to the locker room for further tests. The Seahawks first listed him as questionable to return. He was ruled out before halftime. The quarterback completed one of two passes for 13 yards. His only completion went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Drew Lock then took over the Seattle offense. The injury was a major concern for the Seahawks. Darnold played every game during Seattle’s championship season. He helped the team win Super Bowl LX against the Patriots. Last season, Darnold threw for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also recorded 14 interceptions during the regular season. Seattle won a franchise-record 14 games during that campaign. The Seahawks struggled offensively after Darnold left the game. Seattle entered the fourth quarter trailing New England 10-3. Lock eventually helped change the momentum.
Lock completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards. He also threw one touchdown during the comeback. His biggest play came on a 45-yard completion to Smith-Njigba. That completion helped Seattle tie the game. The Seahawks then relied heavily on their defense to finish the comeback. Seattle intercepted Patriots quarterback Drake Maye three times in the fourth quarter. Julian Love recorded one interception. Josh Jobe made the final pick in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining. The defensive performance helped Seattle overcome a 10-0 deficit. The Seahawks scored 13 unanswered points to secure the victory. Coach Mike Macdonald said initial testing showed no broken bones. However, the team planned additional testing to determine the injury’s severity. An MRI was scheduled for Thursday. The latest results will be important for Seattle’s title defense. The Seahawks next face the Arizona Cardinals on September 20. For now, the team can celebrate its opening-day victory. However, Sam Darnold’s health remains the biggest concern after the win. The Patriots also dealt with an injury during the game. Wide receiver A.J. Brown left with an ankle injury.
The 13-10 result gave Seattle an important start to the season. It also showed the team’s ability to win despite losing its starting quarterback early.
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