SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Drew Lock couldn’t have scripted a much better beginning to his first start for the Seattle Seahawks than capping his initial drive with a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf.

The rest of the game was more up and down for Lock, who gave the slumping Seahawks a little spark but couldn’t do enough to overcome the San Francisco 49ers in a 28-16 loss on Sunday that dealt another blow to Seattle’s playoff hopes.

“It was a blast being out there again,” Lock said. “I’m trying to balance the feeling of just finally playing again, and how good that feels and also not getting it done.”

Lock got his first start since the final game of the 2021 season when he was still in Denver when starter Geno Smith was unable to go because of a groin injury.

Lock had thrown only 12 passes in two seasons since being traded to Seattle, but knew he’d have a good shot to start Sunday after Smith injured his groin in practice on Thursday.

He was ready from the start, going 4 for 5 for 68 yards on the opening drive that ended with a well-placed deep strike to Metcalf for a 31-yard score.

Lock added a 25-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the third quarter, but also had two interceptions on the day. He finished 22 for 31 for 269 yards and his first multi-touchdown game since Week 17 of the 2020 season.

Lock’s last start came in Week 18 of the 2021 season for Denver, when he went 12 of 24 for 162 yards in a 28-24 loss to Kansas City. He has made 21 career starts with 25 TD passes, 21 interceptions and a 78.3 passer rating before the game against the Niners.

Smith had been listed as questionable after tweaking his groin in practice Thursday. He came out early to test the injury a few hours before kickoff, but was made inactive for the game.

The Seahawks have now lost four straight games for the first time in 14 seasons under coach Pete Carroll. That has erased a promising start to the season and has left Seattle with little time to turn it around and make a run at the playoffs.

The Seahawks currently are one of four teams in a 6-7 logjam in the NFC — a half-game behind Green Bay for the final playoff spot in the NFC.