Darnold’s Struggles in Seattle Continue

The Seahawks might want to chalk up Sam Darnold’s recent performance to a seasonal haunt—one that brings back memories of his time with the Jets. Just one year after guiding Seattle to a Super Bowl victory, Darnold’s play has taken a disappointing turn. In their latest game, a 17-14 overtime loss to the Broncos, he threw two interceptions and failed to score a touchdown, leaving the defending champs with a disheartening record of 1-3 since his return from injury.

During overtime, Darnold tossed his second interception on the first possession, allowing Denver to set up a game-winning field goal. This year seems particularly tough for Darnold, who was expected to build on a strong previous season. The former first-round pick now stands with seven interceptions alongside seven touchdown passes, a sharp decline from his earlier success.

After the game, he expressed frustration, saying, “I think it’s BS for me to keep turning the ball over. It’s not fair to our defense, not fair to our special teams group, not fair really to our entire team. I got to be better that way.” It’s clear that the Seahawks entered this season with hopes of repeating as champions, especially after Darnold’s success last year seemed to pave the way for a bright future.

He’s had a rough patch lately, as all his interceptions have occurred in just four games, including a missed game due to injury early in the season. In fact, Thursday’s game marked his third outing with multiple interceptions, which is tough to swallow, especially considering the defense held the Broncos to just 168 total yards.

With under two minutes left in regulation and the Seahawks trailing 14-11, Darnold’s first interception put his team in a tough spot. Luckily, the defense managed a three-and-out, giving him another opportunity. He rallied them to a tying field goal, but then, in overtime, he made a risky throw that he later called “greedy,” resulting in the critical interception that sealed the loss.

Darnold completed 27 of 51 passes for 278 yards, but he knows there’s no sugarcoating the situation. “That one sucked,” he admitted. “Can’t turn the ball over, that’s obviously at the forefront of my mind, but there’s just a lot that we can do better.” He acknowledged the need for the offense to reevaluate what’s working and what isn’t.

The pressure is mounting as he faces the reality that his mistakes are becoming a liability for the team. After successful seasons with 60 touchdowns against 25 interceptions over the past two years, he now feels like the weak point in the Seahawks’ operation. He’s turned the ball over in each of his last four games that weren’t impacted by injuries.

“When you have a defense and special teams group playing the way that they are for us, I just gotta protect the football,” he said. Despite some good moments, he recognizes that anything short of improvement could hinder Seattle’s playoff chances, especially with the 49ers leading the division and the Rams posing a constant threat.

Coach Mike Macdonald has been clear about the situation, emphasizing the need to protect the ball. He even noted that Darnold has shared his accountability with the team. With the stakes rising, only time will tell if Darnold can turn things around and regain his footing as the Seahawks battle to stay relevant in a competitive division.