Seahawks start Super Bowl title defense with rally over Patriots after early Darnold injury

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On a night where the Seahawks were honored for their Super Bowl LX victory , the celebrations felt short lived as starting quarterback Sam Darnold left the game with an injury in the team’s 13-10 win over the New England Patriots at Lumen Field on Wednesday night in Seattle.

As fans settled in under sunny skies in The Emerald City and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready blared the national anthem with his guitar, the stage was set for a celebratory kickoff, a marquee rematch against the team Seattle defeated for its second Lombardi Trophy.

With the “12’s” bringing deafening noise at kickoff, Seattle opened on offense. However, the initial drive ended with concern when Darnold was sacked by Patriots defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones.

The 29-year-old Darnold walked off the field with a noticeable limp.

After initially waving off any medical attention, the ninth-year signal caller went into the injury tent and then eventually walked towards the tunnel to the locker room accompanied by team staff.

Darnold was later ruled out for the remainder of the game with a hip injury and was reportedly getting X-rays, according to the NBC broadcast.

With Darnold sidelined, it was up to backup Drew Lock to keep the reigning champs in the game but the 29-year-old was not able to produce any momentum for Seattle as the Patriots struck first. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye connected with tight end Eli Raridon for a two-yard touchdown pass to give New England a 7-0 lead at halftime.

The Patriots quickly added a field goal to extend the lead as the second half got underway.

But the injury concerns extended to the other sideline as newly acquired Patriots wide receiver AJ Brown left the game with an ankle injury early in the third quarter and was later ruled out for the rest of the contest.

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Needing a score, the Seahawks finally found some life later in the third quarter with Lock leading the offense down the field after wide receiver Cooper Kupp reeled in a 24-yard catch.

Just as it seemed the Seattle fans had something to celebrate as Lock went right back to Kupp for a seven-yard score, the play was then nullified due to a penalty for illegal motion.

The Seahawks would eventually settle for a field goal to cut the lead to a single possession 10-3.

Seattle’s defense came into Wednesday’s game down two starting safeties in Nick Emmanwori and Ty Okada but the unit was the catalyst for getting the team’s first touchdown.

Early in the fourth quarter, cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett intercepted Maye on a deep throw to wide receiver Romeo Doubs.

On the Seahawks’ ensuing offensive drive, Lock finally unlocked his connection with star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on fourth-and-one for a 45-yard touchdown, tying the game at 10-10 with just over 11 minutes to go.

Seattle had all the momentum and forced Maye to throw a second consecutive interception, this time safety Julian Love corralling it in to give the Seahawks the ball back.

Lock and the offense were again driving down the field while taking time off the clock but two penalties in the red zone stalled the drive, leading to a Jason Myers 26-yard field goal to give the Seahawks a 13-10 lead with just under six minutes to go.

Maye and the Patriots were running out of chances to stop the bleeding and secure a season-opening win.

New England drive seemed to have stalled a multitude of time before converting on fourth down twice to keep moving down the field.

But to add to Maye’s disaster of a second half, the 24-year-old threw his third interception of the game in the end zone with cornerback Josh Jobe securing the victory for Seattle.

Lock played hero in relief of Darnold, finishing with 187 yards through the air and a touchdown while Maye had 178 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

Lock said the one thought he had was “take care of the football” after coming in for Darnold.

“I know what kind of defense we have,” Lock told the NBC broadcast after the game. “I know the playmakers we have on this side of the ball – on the offensive side of the ball. But take care of the football, get it in their hands, don’t turn it over, win the turnover battle by the end of the game.

“I’d like to think we’d have a pretty good shot of winning and sure enough, 13-10.”

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the team got “great news back” on Darnold’s injury.

“I’d say its good news right now, so our thoughts and prayers are with Sam,” Macdonald told reporters. “We love him and the guys really pulled through for him.”

Macdonald added that they were able to rule out a fracture for Darnold but he will get more tests done.

Both teams will get extended time off before returning to action on September 20. Seattle will hit the road to face the Arizona Cardinals, while New England will head home to host the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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在西雅图海鹰队因赢得第 69 届超级碗而受到表彰的当晚，庆祝活动似乎很短暂，因为首发四分卫萨姆·达诺德在周三晚上西雅图卢门球场举行的比赛中受伤离场，最终球队以 13-10 战胜了新英格兰爱国者队。

在翡翠城阳光明媚的天空下，球迷们安顿下来，珍珠果酱乐队吉他手迈克·麦克雷迪用吉他演奏着国歌，一场庆祝性的开球仪式即将开始，这是一场与西雅图队之间的焦点复赛，西雅图队曾击败西雅图队，夺得了他们的第二个隆巴迪杯。

开球时，西雅图海鹰队的球迷们发出震耳欲聋的欢呼声，球队随即展开进攻。然而，首轮进攻以令人担忧的局面告终：四分卫达诺德被新英格兰爱国者队的防守截锋德雷蒙特·琼斯擒杀。

29岁的达诺德一瘸一拐地走下了球场。

这位效力九年的四分卫最初拒绝接受任何医疗救治，随后进入了伤病帐篷，最终在球队工作人员的陪同下走向通往更衣室的通道。

据 NBC 转播报道，达诺德因髋部受伤被宣布无法继续比赛，并接受了 X 光检查。

由于达诺德缺阵，卫冕冠军西雅图海鹰队只能依靠替补四分卫德鲁·洛克来力挽狂澜，但这位29岁的球员未能为海鹰队扭转颓势，爱国者队率先得分。爱国者队四分卫德雷克·梅耶与近端锋伊莱·拉里顿连线，完成了一记两码的达阵传球，帮助新英格兰队在上半场结束时以7-0领先。

下半场比赛开始后，爱国者队迅速再添一记任意球，扩大了领先优势。

但伤病问题也蔓延到了另一边，新加盟的爱国者队外接手 AJ Brown 在第三节初因脚踝受伤离场，之后被宣布无法参加剩余的比赛。

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急需得分的海鹰队终于在第三节后半段找到了一些生机，洛克带领进攻组在接球手库珀·库普接住24码的传球后推进到对方半场。

眼看西雅图球迷就要庆祝了，洛克再次传球给库普，完成了一次七码达阵，但这次进攻却因为非法移动而被取消了。

海鹰队最终只能以一记任意球将比分追至 10-3，仅落后一球。

西雅图防守组在周三的比赛中缺少了两名首发安全卫尼克·埃曼沃里和泰·冈田，但防守组却是球队取得第一个达阵的关键。

第四节比赛开始不久，角卫尼希米·普里切特拦截了梅耶传给外接手罗密欧·杜布斯的长传。

在海鹰队接下来的进攻中，洛克终于在第四档一码时与明星外接手贾克森·史密斯-恩吉巴建立了联系，完成了一次45码的达阵，将比分扳成10-10平，此时距离比赛结束还有11分钟多一点。

西雅图气势如虹，迫使梅耶连续第二次被拦截，这次安全卫朱利安·洛夫将球截获，让海鹰队重新获得球权。

洛克和进攻组再次推进到对方半场，同时消耗比赛时间，但两次在红区内的犯规阻碍了进攻，导致杰森·迈尔斯踢进一记 26 码的任意球，使海鹰队在比赛还剩不到 6 分钟时以 13-10 领先。

梅耶和爱国者队已经没有多少机会止住颓势，赢得赛季揭幕战了。

新英格兰队的进攻似乎多次受阻，但在第四档进攻中两次成功转换，继续向前推进。

但雪上加霜的是，梅耶在下半场表现糟糕，这位 24 岁的球员在端区内第三次被拦截，角卫乔什·乔布为西雅图锁定了胜局。

洛克替补达诺德上场，表现出色，传球推进 187 码并达阵一次；而梅耶传球推进 178 码，达阵一次，但被拦截三次。

洛克说，他替补达诺德上场后，脑子里只有一个念头，那就是“保护好球”。

“我知道我们拥有什么样的防守，”洛克赛后在接受NBC采访时说道。“我也知道我们进攻端有哪些关键球员。但要保护好球权，把球交到他们手中，不要失误，在比赛结束前赢得控球权。”

“我当时觉得我们很有可能赢球，结果不出所料，比分是 13-10。”

海鹰队主教练迈克·麦克唐纳表示，球队收到了关于达诺德伤情的“好消息”。

“我觉得现在是个好消息，我们都为萨姆祈祷，”麦克唐纳告诉记者。“我们爱他，兄弟们也真的尽力帮助他。”

麦克唐纳补充说，他们已经排除了达诺德骨折的可能性，但他还需要接受更多检查。

两队都将获得较长的休息时间，之后将于9月20日重返赛场。西雅图将客场挑战亚利桑那红雀队，而新英格兰将回到主场迎战匹兹堡钢人队。