One experienced NFL coach feels the Seattle Seahawks’ 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams was a firm reminder of the limitations for quarterback Sam Darnold.
“Sam is just going to have that in him for life,” the coach said to The Athletic’s Mike Sando. “He will play great. He will play good. Then he is going to have those plays. The problem is, when you get established as a playoff team, everyone is scared to death that is going to happen.”
Darnold went 29-of-44 for 279 yards and four interceptions in a performance that was reminiscent of the Minnesota Vikings’ defeats to the Detroit Lions and Rams to close out the 2024 season.
The last of his four turnovers was especially bad. Darnold moved up in the pocket to avoid the pressure and attempted an ill-fated jump throw to Elijah Arroyo.
“Just complete panic. No reason to throw this,” a different coach said to Sando. “We are jumping like Roger Staubach throwing to Golden Richards.”
On the whole, Darnold has put together a good year for Seattle. Through 10 games, he has thrown for 2,541 yards and 17 touchdowns, and his interception total (10) is a little skewed by what unfolded Sunday.
The problem for the Seahawks is that good defenses are devising ways to exploit the 28-year-old’s habits.
“The rush contains him, and he wants to get rid of the ball and he’s flinching up,” Rams safety Kam Kinchens told reporters after the game. “He don’t want to get sacked. He’s just trying to get the ball out of his hands, so that’s when I knew there was an opportunity.”
Despite Darnold’s four picks, Seattle nearly came out on top. Jason Myers pushed his 61-yard field goal attempt to the right as time expired. That can provide some encouragement.
Falling just short will be equally frustrating because the Seahawks may have won if Darnold hadn’t made a handful of bad decisions.
They can only hope history doesn’t repeat itself in the postseason.
