Seahawks QB Struggles in Big Moment Once Again
Sunday’s matchup between the Seahawks and the Buccaneers was a barn burner, where Tampa Bay narrowly edged out Seattle 38-35. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold dazzled throughout most of the game, completing 82 percent of his passes en route to 341 yards and four touchdowns. While Darnold put up numbers, his last pass sullied the entire performance. With 58 seconds left and the game tied 35-35, Darnold attempted to throw the ball away, but bounced it off the head of a defensive lineman and into the hands of Lavonte David. This interception allowed the Buccaneers to run the remaining time and kick a field goal as time expired.
Darnold has had a career resurgence in recent years, leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record in 2024. While his play has improved significantly, his reputation for crumbling under pressure has continued to follow him. Darnold performed very well for most of the season, but in the games that mattered most, he was a shadow of himself. He and the Vikings lost both games against the division-winning Detroit Lions, where Darnold struggled, putting up a 75.9 passer rating and throwing only one touchdown across both games. Darnold’s struggles continued in the playoffs, where he threw for one touchdown and one interception in a 27-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Darnold was sacked nine times in the loss, many of which were caused by him holding the ball too long.
In a new environment this year, Darnold has looked very similar to last year. He has looked solid through most of every game, but when the pressure is put on him, he flounders. Week One’s loss was another example of Darnold’s late-game issues, as he fumbled the ball while Seattle was in the red zone with a chance to take the lead. Darnold has done enough in the league now to shake his label of being a bust, but he needs to start responding to pressure better to help his team win games. Seattle is now 3-2 on the year and was in a position to possibly win in both of those losses before Darnold's costly mistakes.
