Can Seahawks beat 49ers if Drew Lock is QB for Sam Darnold?

Two days before the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks play their first playoff game under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald came a bombshell of bad news.

Sam Darnold, the Pro Bowler who started all 17 games at quarterback for Seattle this season, suddenly has an oblique injury and is questionable for the Saturday night NFC Divisional Round showdown against the San Francisco 49ers.

Related: Darnold questionable | Full Seahawks-49ers injury reports

That’ll shake the confidence of fans of the top-seeded Seahawks, who otherwise seemed in great position to repeat their win over the sixth-seeded 49ers from just two weeks ago.

“I’m scared. Oh man, I hope it’s just a little tweak,” said Seattle Sports’ Michael Bumpus, a Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver, as he reacted to the Darnold news on Thursday’s edition of Bump and Stacy. “… If he isn’t able to play, this changes everything.”

The No. 1 change would be that backup QB Drew Lock would be pressed into duty.

The 29-year-old Lock appeared in five games for Seattle this season, completing 2 of 3 passes for 15 yards. Lock has significant NFL experience, with 41 career games including 28 starts under his belt in seven seasons. That includes a memorable last-minute Seahawks win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football when he stepped in for an injured Geno Smith in 2023.

“I know Drew Lock is a solid backup,” Bumpus said. “We’ve seen him come in and play on Monday Night Football and do his thing. We know that this defense is depleted when you talk about the 49ers. But, you know, Drew hasn’t gotten the reps.”

Can the Seahawks beat the Niners if they have to play their backup QB?

“I think he’s capable,” Bumpus said of Lock. “I think that the way that this offense is built or the way that they’ve been playing, relying on the run and tossing it here or there, I think Drew can do it. But because you haven’t gotten any reps, it’s just different at quarterback.

“We’ve seen guys come off the street at wide receiver and catch a few footballs and make a few plays. We’ve seen guys do it at running back. We’ve seen guys do it on defense. But at the quarterback spot, there’s so much to handle, to prepare for, to decipher. It’s a rhythm-type thing, man. So Drew Lock, if it’s you, let’s get it done. I still think the Hawks can win this game, but I’m definitely not as confident.”

All that being said, it seems like Darnold remains the likely QB for Saturday, especially based on what he said to reporters Thursday about his injury.

Bumpus’ co-host, Stacy Rost, said the simple fact that Darnold talked to reporters should instill optimism about his availability for the big game.

“I personally feel that it’s a good sign if Sam Darnold talks to reporters,” Rost said. “Not every single time, but the team typically will not allow media availability or send guys to the podium who aren’t going to be playing – just kind of a general rule. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but I see it as an encouraging sign.”

Watch Bump and Stacy’s reaction to the Sam Darnold news in the video at the top of this post. Catch Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Uchenna Nwosu on Seahawks’ rivalry with 49ers: ‘None of us like them’
• ‘Dark Side’ adds to Seattle Seahawks’ legacy of stellar defenses
• Can NFL fans identify Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald? Apparently not
• Bump: How Seahawks could put 49ers’ defense in catch-22
• The future is bright, but Seattle Seahawks need to capitalize now

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