Drew Lock

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will start Sunday's NFC Championship Game, but he and Drew Lock split reps at practice last week due to Darnold's lingering oblique injury.

Lock is poised to remain the backup QB behind Sam Darnold (oblique) after the latter was deemed active for Saturday's divisional-round game against the 49ers, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.

Darnold is reportedly dealing with an oblique injury that has prevented him from throwing a single pass during the practice week. The quarterback had always said he was going to play, and it turns out that he will. It remains to be seen how impactful Darnold will be, but Drew Lock will be ready in case the Seahawks need to adjust. The Seahawks inactives are QB Jalen Milroe, LB Jared Ivey, OL Josh Jones, G Bryce Cabeldue, OL Mason Richman, and DE Rylie Mills.

Schefter says the Seahawks still believe Darnold will be OK for the Divisional Round matchup against the 49ers on Saturday. Seahawks coach Mike McDonald remained optimistic that Darnold would be able to play Friday, though he acknowledged the possibility of the injury limiting the 28-year-old quarterback and dodged questions about if Darnold actually threw the ball during the team's walkthrough. Picking up an oblique injury two days before the biggest game of the season is far from ideal, but Darnold is still expected to play. Seattle would prefer to lean on its defense and running game with Darnold at less than 100 percent, though.

The Seahawks expect that Sam Darnold (oblique) will start in Saturday's NFC divisional-round tilt against the 49ers, but Lock has been taking reps with the first-team offense the last two days and would be ready to play if the former were to be sidelined, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.