Seattle, Washington: Seahawks Rule Sam Darnold Out Against Cardinals, Drew Lock to Start

Seattle will play its biggest division game of the month without its starting quarterback. Head coach Mike Macdonald announced on Wednesday, Nov. 4, that Sam Darnold will miss Sunday's Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field with a quadriceps injury, USA TODAY reported. Drew Lock is expected to start, with Jalen Milroe prepared to play as well.

Hurt twice in one game

Macdonald said Darnold injured his quad late in Monday night's 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears, FOX 13 Seattle reported. That was not the only injury he carried through the game. Darnold cracked a rib on the second play of the game, when Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon hit him as he threw a pass toward Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and he played the rest of the night without telling the staff.

"Sam injured his quad at the end of the game, so Sam is going to be out this week," Macdonald said, according to FOX 13 Seattle. "It will be week to week for Sam. He's not going to go on injured reserve." Macdonald called Darnold "tough as nails" for finishing the Chicago game on a cracked rib, NBC Sports reported.

Lock steps in, hurt himself

The replacement is not at full strength either. Lock has been inactive as the team's third quarterback for the last two weeks with an injury to his right elbow, and Milroe has served as the backup in his place, FOX 13 Seattle reported. Macdonald said Lock is able to throw and will throw through the week, but the team will manage his workload. Lock and Milroe are set to split practice reps early in the week, and Macdonald said the team may add another quarterback to the roster this week, NBC Sports reported.

Lock has already won in this exact spot this season. He finished the Week 1 win over New England after Darnold hurt a glute muscle in the opener, then started the Week 2 game against Arizona, a 31-7 Seattle win in which he completed 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, FOX 13 Seattle reported. For the season, Lock has completed 35 of 48 passes for 422 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, NBC Sports reported.

What Seattle loses

Darnold has completed 60.2 percent of his passes this season for 1,478 yards with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions, NBC Sports reported. Monday's loss to Chicago dropped Seattle further back in a crowded NFC West race, and the Cardinals game is the first of two meetings with Arizona that will shape the division standings.

Seattle's first injury report of the week was due later on Wednesday. For now, the plan is set: Lock starts on Sunday, Milroe backs him up, and Darnold works back week to week without a trip to injured reserve.