Sam Darnold Ravaged by an Old Demon
Sam Darnold did it again. He played against Sean McVay’s defense, and the Los Angeles Rams absolutely embarrassed him. The high-flying Seattle Seahawks lost accordingly, and it’s back to square one for Darnold.
Sam Darnold couldn’t escape his old demon in Week 11, as a familiar challenge resurfaced and once again exposed some issues. Back to the drawing board.
The former Minnesota Vikings passer had played quite well until last weekend, giving Seahawks faithful a little taste of what Minnesotans experienced last year and perhaps a preview of what’s to come.
Sam Darnold Collapses — Again — Versus Rams
It’s a familiar song and dance for Darnold.
4 INTs and a Loss for Darnold
The Seahawks had a reasonable chance to snatch the NFC West and make it their own on Sunday — until Darnold happened. He delivered zero touchdown passes and 4 interceptions in his team’s 21-19 loss to Los Angeles. The game was there for the taking if not for Darnold morphing into Sam Darnold.
Seattle Times‘ Matt Caklins remarked, “There is little doubt that the Seahawks QB1 had been playing at an MVP level heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Rams. Darnold had the top grade among quarterbacks on analytics site Pro Football Focus, was first in QBR as well, and had the NFL’s No. 2 passer rating — thanks largely in part to his league-best 9.9 yards per attempt.”
“But he also had a reputation — fair or not — that he stumbles in the biggest moments. Sunday only amplified that perception.”
So, yes, a vintage Darnold turd.
Big-Game Struggles Persist
Darnold’s major malfunction last season in Minnesota — aside from a midseason downturn that nobody remembers or cares about — involved big games.
In Week 18, Minnesota could secure homefield advantage throughout the postseason with a win at Ford Field over the Detroit Lions. Darnold faceplanted. So did his team.
Had to be an outlier, right? Wrong. The following week, in a game dripping with even more importance, Darnold played even worse, causing Minnesota to lose in Round 1 of the postseason — to the Rams.
Two months prior, Darnold also lost to the Rams in a Thursday Night Football game.
Until he starts doing it, the guy cannot win big games.
Just the Rams?
Maybe it’s just the Rams?
Los Angeles has abused and spanked Darnold in the last three games. Los Angeles doesn’t fear Darnold or buy his career reclamation story; the Rams just flog him every time they see him.
It’s beginning to seem like the Rams are Darnold’s personal kryptonite — a dire circumstance because the Seahawks probably cannot do much of anything until Darnold exorcises his Rams-fueled demons. The Seahawks and Rams are division mates in the NFC West.
It would be like Justin Jefferson or J.J. McCarthy routinely playing like total garbage against the Green Bay Packers.
A Playoff Verdict
At 7-3, Seattle will visit the playoffs, almost no matter what, barring a bizarre midseason downturn.
When that first game arrives, all eyes will be laser-focused on Darnold. He proved he can win big games in December — he ironically helped Minnesota defeat Seattle in a clutch moment last year — but the other grand stages have given Darnold heartburn.
His fancy redemption arc won’t much matter in the minds of NFL fans and pundits if the dude crumbles when it matters the most … every time.
Seahawks-Themed Media on Darnold
12thManRising.com‘s Jacob Harrison wrote this week, “Whether or not it’s specific to the Rams is a question that remains unanswered. Darnold has had a few stinkers over the past seasons, but they aren’t exclusive to Los Angeles either. There’s an old saying that ‘once is random, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a trend’. Darnold is facing quite a daunting coincidence, at the very least.”
“The larger concern is that if Los Angeles does have Darnold’s number, then Seattle has much bigger issues this season and for the years to come. The Rams are going to be on the schedule twice every season for a lot longer than Darnold is going to be the starter in Seattle.”
Darnold will have a get-right game this weekend, taking on the Tennessee Titans on the road.
Harrison continued, “But, while he is, Seahawks fans need to know he can stand up to one of the toughest teams in the league, let alone their own division, especially if he’s going to have the team looking like a Super Bowl contender the other 15 weeks out of the season. And to Rex Ryan’s point, Seattle could see L.A. another two times this season, the next one at home and the other in the postseason.”
“If the Rams truly are Darnold’s kryptonite, Seahawks fans might learn it as an unwanted Christmas gift two days before the holiday. And that could set up a very sour start to the new year, with the postseason on the horizon, and all the momentum backing the Rams.”
If the playoffs started today, Darnold would hope to fix his big-game glitch at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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