The Cinderella run might finally be coming to an end for Sam Darnold. Following a career renaissance in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, doubts still lingered about his effectiveness as a starting quarterback without the optimal conditions of the Kevin O’Connell-led offense.
However, through the first 10 weeks of the 2025 season, he had proved all the naysayers wrong. As the Seattle Seahawks emerged as a true juggernaut in the NFC, he was a major reason for their success. Unfortunately, in the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Rams, he regressed to his worst tendencies again.
What Happened to Sam Darnold?
Ranked second on PFSN’s QB Impact, Darnold had been far better than anyone could have anticipated with the Seahawks. Thanks to his brilliance, Jaxon Smith-Njigba had emerged as the best wide receiver in the league.
Smith-Njigba has been flirting with “Megatron” Calvin Johnson’s record, and the Seahawks’ offense has been lightning fast throughout the year. Which is what made the game against Los Angeles all the more important for the new quarterback in Seattle.
Last year, after all the success with Minnesota, it was a playoff game against these Rams that drained all the season’s goodwill for Darnold. As a result, the emphasis on this game was critical for the man under center.
However, the first half wasn’t the grand redemption he may have been hoping for. As LA led 14-9 at the break, Darnold had completed 10 of his 16 passing attempts for 92 yards. However, he had thrown a critical interception, allowing the Rams to take control of the encounter.
The second half, unfortunately, was just as bad for Darnold. Opening the period with another interception, he would rack up a jaw-dropping number of turnovers that ultimately ended up deciding the game.
Even though he had a strong showing for most of the night, four interceptions ruined his overall stat line, as the Rams were able to capitalize on his mistakes. Still, he set up a difficult 61-yard field goal at the buzzer.
Unsurprisingly, the Seahawks weren’t able to connect, paving the way for a 21-19 victory in LA’s favor. On the night, Darnold ended up with 279 passing yards while completing 29 of his 44 attempts.
However, the story of the game was the four turnovers, which allowed the Rams to take the victory, as well as the lead in the division.