Drew Lock Revelas He’d Never Rehearsed the Play That Sealed Seattle’s Opener Win

Pressed into service after Sam Darnold left Wednesday night’s season opener with an injury, Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Drew Lock guided his team to a 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots — and afterward revealed that the game’s pivotal touchdown came on a play he had never actually practiced.

The Turning Point

With just under 12 minutes remaining and Seattle facing fourth-and-1 near midfield at the Patriots’ 45-yard line, the Seahawks called a play-action pass targeting wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba not only moved the chains but broke free for a touchdown, evening the score at 10. Seattle then moved in front on its next drive with a field goal and never relinquished the lead.

“Never Ran It”

Speaking to reporters after the game, Lock acknowledged the strike to Smith-Njigba wasn’t part of his practice repetitions. He described it as a familiar, old-school football concept that he had simply never executed in Seattle’s system, admitting the pre-snap look felt unfamiliar. He noted that Smith-Njigba was actually the third option on the design, but once the receiver found himself uncovered, the decision to throw became easy.

Lock, who started slowly in relief, credited Seattle’s defense for keeping the game within reach and said his approach was to avoid forcing throws downfield and instead distribute the ball to playmakers in space — a mindset he said fits with what he considers one of the league’s best defensive units.

Media Angle

The nationally televised opener ran on NBC and Peacock, properties of Comcast Corporation (CMCSA). Comcast shares were trading at $24.59 on Thursday, down 0.24% from the previous close of $24.65, with the telecom-and-media conglomerate holding a market capitalization of roughly $92.5 billion. Prime-time NFL windows remain a key programming asset for the company’s Media segment, and an unexpected backup-quarterback storyline delivered added drama to the broadcast schedule’s opening week.

What to watch

• An update on Sam Darnold’s injury status and whether Lock would draw a start in Week 2.
• Seattle’s upcoming injury report and any adjustments to the quarterback depth chart.
• Nielsen viewership data for the Peacock-streamed opener, relevant to Comcast’s Media segment results.

Source: original release