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Seattle Seahawks Division Odds Stay At +220 After Sam Darnold Injury

by Spencer Toth - 9/10/2026

Sam Darnold Injury

The Seattle Seahawks took down the New England Patriots 13-10 in a Super Bowl rematch to kick off the 2026 NFL season. However, it was not the celebration it could have been after Sam Darnold went down with a hip injury five snaps into the opening drive. Darnold's absence froze Seattle’s offense as they were still scoreless going into halftime, but their defense kept them in the game. A Jason Myers field goal late in the third cut the lead to 10-3, and a trio of interceptions at the expense of Drake Maye allowed Seattle to pull ahead late. A Week 1 victory is always a welcome sight, but what does this mean for Seattle’s season outlook? 

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How Did Seattle Win?

Their defense. Sam Darnold and the Seattle offense were very good last season, but they won the Super Bowl thanks in large part to their incredible defense. They allowed a league-low 17.2 PPG last season and kept their team in the game when all hope looked lost. The Seahawks bent but didn’t break in the first half, going into the break only trailing by a touchdown, then came up with three crucial interceptions down the stretch. The first two allowed Seattle to grab hold of the momentum, while the third was the nail in the coffin for an impressive Seattle win. The Patriots were in field goal range, down 13-10 with 30 seconds to go, when Drake Maye threw up a 50/50 ball in the end zone. Seattle cornerback Josh Jobe came up with a toe-tapping interception to seal the game, capping off an incredible performance by the Seattle defense. 

How Did Drew Lock Look? 

Drew Lock looked serviceable for a quarterback who didn’t take very many first-team snaps in training camp. It was clear he was uncomfortable early on, but he avoided turning the ball over and let the Seattle defense do its thing. While losing Sam Darnold for an extended period of time would be disastrous in the long run for Seattle’s season, Lock proved to be a very competent replacement. He made multiple accurate throws while on the move to move the chains in the third, with his highlight play coming early in the fourth. Seattle had the ball at the 45-yard line facing a fourth-and-one, and Lock made a nice throw over the middle to set up Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the first down, before the speedy receiver was able to take it to the house. The Seahawks are unlikely to make it back to the Super Bowl with Lock at the helm, but they are more than capable of winning games in the meantime. 

How Long is Sam Darnold Injured For?

Initial X-rays came back negative on Darnold’s hip, providing good news for Seattle. Darnold has managed to stay relatively healthy over the course of his career, but hip injuries can prove difficult to overcome. The best-case scenario is that Darnold is back next week and ready to go against the Cardinals, but he still has an MRI scheduled for Thursday before the coast is officially clear. When Darnold went down during the first drive of the game, it felt like a repeat of Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending injury with the Jets, but it looks like that will not be the case for Darnold. 

Seattle Seahawks Best Bets

How can we take advantage of Sam Darnold’s injury on the betting market? Despite taking down the AFC champions, the Seahawks' win total and NFC West odds did not move an inch. They are still +220 underdogs to win the division, trailing the Los Angeles Rams at -110, despite taking an early lead. If the Rams fail to beat the San Francisco 49ers in Australia tonight, this +220 price tag could age nicely. Seattle is not as flashy as the Rams are, but the reality is that they have already proven their defense is capable of single-handedly winning football games. Their win total is still sitting at 10.5, which makes this the perfect time to buy the dip on Seattle. 

The Seahawks to win the NFC West was my top pick for the team heading into the season, and now that they picked up a Week 1 win, the +220 odds are looking even better. It appears as though Sam Darnold escaped without a serious injury, and the upcoming schedule for Seattle means they could win without him. Drew Lock didn’t look great in the first half as he had not expected to play, but now Lock will have 11 days to prepare for a likely Week 2 start. Additionally, Seattle has the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders slated for their next two games, and they will be favorites in both matchups even if Lock is the starter. Darnold’s recovery timeline is still a bit murky, but this is the perfect time to scoop up at this price, as a soft schedule should allow the Seahawks to keep winning in the meantime. 

Best Bet: Seattle Seahawks to Win the NFC West +220 

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