What happened: Sam Darnold enters Thursday night after Dan Orlovsky pointed to drift in the pocket as a driver of recent sacks. The critique singles out pocket feel and timing as Seattle heads into a prime-time road date.

Why it matters: Seattle dropped a 32-29 decision to San Francisco on Sunday, tightening the early NFC West race. Sacks stall drives and flip field position, a costly pattern on a short week in Denver.

What to watch: Kickoff shows whether Seattle shortens drop depth and quickens release timing. The result sets the tone for the rest of the Week 6 slate.