Drew Lock makes statement in QB2 battle with Jalen Milroe, helping Seahawks to win
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It would seem, based off Friday’s quarterback usage, that former Mizzou man Drew Lock has a firm leg up on Alabama rookie Jalen Milroe in the battle to be the Seattle Seahawks’ backup quarterback this season.
Sam Darnold handled the first series for the Seahawks offense Friday night in a win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He was flawless, completing all 4 of his passes for 34 yards while leading the Seahawks right down the field for an opening-drive score.
Milroe, the third-round pick earlier this spring, came on alongside Darnold for a third-and-short run on that opening possession. But he didn’t see the field again until the end of the third quarter.
Lock replaced Darnold at quarterback after the opening drive and didn’t give way until 3:30 remained on the game clock in the third. The sixth-year quarterback led the Seahawks to touchdowns on 3 of his 4 series.
“I thought Drew was real sharp,” head coach Mike Macdonald said after the game. “He was decisive. I felt his footwork and his timing (were good) — which was something we wanted to work coming off the first game. I gotta ask him why he slowed down on that scramble. That was pretty cool.”
The scramble came with just under 6 minutes to play in the second quarter. On a third-and-4 from the Kansas City 36, Lock squirted out of a collapsing pocket and took off up the middle toward the left pylon. He caught a block downfield and then lowered his shoulder into Kansas State’s Jaden Hicks for a 30-yard gain.
The wheels were nice, but Lock was dicing the K.C. secondary with his arm. In the second quarter alone, Lock completed 7 of his 9 passes for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had a 153.0 passer rating in the frame.
His best came in the final minute of the half, when he found wideout Jake Bobo along the right boundary in the endzone for 6.
Lock finished the game 10-for-12 through the air for 129 yards. He didn’t take a sack and didn’t turn the football over.
“Drew’s doing a great job. Really great quarterback,” Macdonald said. “We love his arm talent, but I just love having him around. He’s such a great guy and he’s so great for our football team.”
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Milroe got 4 series over the final 18 minutes of the game. Seattle punted on his opening drive, settled for a field goal from the K.C. 5 on his second, and ran out the clock with 3-run-and-punt sequences on his final two drives of the day.
The rookie quarterback ended 3-for-5 passing for 46 yards while adding 18 rushing yards on 5 carries. Macdonald said the early run with the first-team offense is something the team is “looking at,” signaling that even if Lock wins the QB2 job, Milroe could still have a role as a utility player in his first year. But the pecking order at quarterback seems to be set going into the preseason finale.
“I thought he did well,’’ Macdonald said. “There’s some things operationally we still want to improve on. A couple throws right there in the red zone could have been a little bit more on target. But (he) moved the chains.’’
Seattle closes out the preseason against Green Bay next Saturday, Aug. 23. The regular season begins at home against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 7.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
