In a challenging game for Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks, the quarterback’s performance raised questions about the team’s offensive strategy. Darnold was 18 of 27 and 147 yards with one touchdown pass, which was to tight end AJ Barner. Unfortunately, it was a game overshadowed by too many turnovers that looked to spoil the Seahawks’ playoff chances.
During that stretch, Darnold led all of the NFL in Total QBR, posting a 78.1 over those first nine contests. Now he leads the league with a head-turning 20 turnovers. This shocking statistic has blossomed into an obsession for analysts and fans both. As you can see, Darnold left a lot to be desired in this matchup. Along with having three throws deflected and almost picked off, that left him at a higher potential volatility for turnovers.
Just like that, in the second quarter, the game changed completely. First, Darnold absolutely got freakin’ mugged in this strip-sack that got overturned on review. This blunder added to the burden on Seattle’s sputtering offense, which has struggled in recent weeks. Under all of that pressure, he still managed to complete passes on third-and-4 to both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp for first downs. He delivered on a key third-and-9 completion to Barner.
“It was, I felt like, a slow start but a good win — a good team win,” – Sam Darnold
Darnold’s comments underscored a unique combination of his frustration and his optimism. Though the offense had some initial struggles out of the gate, he praised that unit for giving themselves opportunities to succeed in the second half.
“Again, not the way we wanted to start on offense, but I feel like our defense and our special teams kept us in the game. We did enough in the second half as an offense to win the game,” – Sam Darnold
For his part, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is most cognizant of the growing scrutiny over the issue of ball security. Ahead of Sunday’s game, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald noted that forcing turnovers has been a key focus for the team.
“It’s really just the ball being in jeopardy,” – Mike Macdonald
He touted the need to execute plays through the play and possess the football as they move into the meat of their schedule.
“It’s how you finish plays. We’ve got to double down on that. It’s critical this part of the year,” – Mike Macdonald
Even with these challenges, Darnold was able to make some important throws on the move. Macdonald admitted that although Darnold’s day was “underwhelming,” he showed toughness in key situations.
“I know it wasn’t Sam’s best game of all-time and the stats reflect that, but there are some big-time third-down throws with pressure in his face,” – Mike Macdonald
After fumbling two times against Carolina, one of which he lost, questions began backfilling into his game. Since Week 5, he has ranked 27th with 10 turnovers and questions over his capacity as the team’s long-term leader remain.
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