Following a season that saw them earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks are set for their first postseason matchup, one that could come without starting quarterback Sam Darnold. During a Thursday practice, Seattle’s QB1 left with an apparent oblique injury.
With his status officially listed as questionable, what are the chances the 28-year-old is ready for action on Saturday?
Sam Darnold Discusses State of Mind Ahead of Saturday Tilt
Despite the scary news, the Seahawks’ gunslinger seems unconcerned regarding his ability to suit up for Saturday’s 8 p.m. tilt with San Francisco. Seattle reporter John Boyle echoed Darnold’s words in a recent article.
“I feel good,” Darnold said. “In routes on air, I just felt a little something in my oblique. I just didn’t want to push it. It wasn’t the day to push it, so that was it. I came inside, got some rehab, and I feel like I’ll be ready to go for Saturday.”
A season ago, Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings went on an unprecedented regular-season run, finishing 14-3 in the 2024 NFL Season. All was for naught whenever the Wild Card round rolled up, and the Vikings got trampled 27-9 by Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
With the sour taste of this experience still in his mouth, Darnold claims there is next to no chance he is not on the field come Saturday. “It’s a very low percentage, probably closer to zero,” Darnold said when asked about the chances of him not playing.
However, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Darnold has not thrown a football since he suffered the injury. “The Seahawks believe, but don’t know, that he [Darnold] will be OK to start tonight’s game vs. the 49ers,” he wrote on X. “Backup QB Drew Lock took the reps the past two days and is ready if needed.”
It is a concerning update for the Seahawks, as Darnold’s limited status will allow 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to expose Seattle’s offense.
Analyst Skeptical Regarding Darnold’s Sudden Oblique Injury
With all eyes on Darnold and his ability to outperform San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, ESPN’s Ryan Clark views the unexpected injury as a prepped excuse if the USC product is to underperform.
During a segment of “First Take,” the longtime Pittsburgh Steeler fires off on Darnold, saying, “It sounds like the setup for an excuse.”
Clark continued, “It sounds like the things you say before a game you don’t play well, when the throws aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Everybody can point back ‘but you have to remember he didn’t get those first team reps in and his oblique was tight on Thursday.'”
The former hard-hitting safety goes on to discuss the magnitude of this game for Darnold and why it is paramount that he has his A-game.
“This is the biggest game in Sam Darnold’s career,” said Clark. “This is another opportunity to exorcise some of those demons that finished the season along with him when Minnesota lost to Detroit and when Minnesota lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs.”
At the conclusion of his rant, Clark says Seattle must be aware not only of Darnold’s physical status but also of his mental status.
Taking a look at the PFSN QB Impact metrics, the 6’3″ veteran has performed well all season, landing 13th overall amongst statistic-eligible ball throwers. Darnold finished the season fifth in passing yards (4,048), which contributes strongly to his C+ grade and 78.7 impact score.
Unfortunately for Darnold and the Seahawks, they will take on PFSN’s No. 1-ranked QB from 2025 this Saturday. Although he only started nine contests, Purdy sits atop the mountain of quarterbacks because of his clutch throws in crucial moments.
Sitting above 57% on both third and fourth down conversion rates, the Iowa State alumni got the 49ers out of some sticky situations more than a few times. As both teams continue to prepare for two strong quarterbacks, is there any chance Darnold is unable to go?
Seattle Seahawks’ Stats and Insights for Divisional Round
Playoff:Â Mike Macdonald is one of four head coaches making their playoff debuts, along with Liam Coen, Ben Johnson, and Dave Canales. They went 2-2 last week.
Team:Â Seattle lost three games by a total of nine points, marking the third-fewest combined points by a team with three losses. The 2000 Titans (7 points) and 2022 Bills (8 points) rank ahead of the Seahawks.
QB: In his lone career playoff appearance during last season’s Wild Card round, Sam Darnold posted a QBi of 69.3 (D+), finishing 25-of-40 for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 27-9 loss to the Rams.
OFF: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s yards per reception jumped to 15.1 from 11.3 last season, and he also recorded the league’s second-best PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact (WRi) score of 94.4 (A) this season, up from 85.0 (B) last season.
DEF: The Seahawks finished third in DEFi this season, behind the Broncos and Houston Texans. Notably, each defense has achieved a high overall ranking since 2000: the Broncos ranked 8th in DEFi season score, the Texans 10th, and the Seahawks 19th.
