Are we seeing Sam Darnold begin a slow descent down a cliff? The eight-year veteran is certainly not playing the way he was playing to start the season. In fact, he played quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks exceptionally for the first half of the season, never mind just the beginning.
That said, this is Darnold we’re discussing here, and while he deserves a ton of credit and respect for what he’s done this year overall, these last few weeks have not looked all that good for him. Some of Seattle’s offensive shakiness against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday could be due to Klint Kubiak calling a conservative game.
At the same time, Darnold’s numbers were not impressive, even if the point of the game plan was to run the ball and trust your field goal kicker. Nevertheless, Darnold’s fault or not, Seattle’s greatest offensive strength, their passing attack, was nonexistent, which led Darnold to heap praise on the side of the ball that did everything to win the game: the defense.
Sam Darnold acknowledges “unbelievable” Seahawks defense in Week 13 win
Let’s not get it twisted. Despite Darnold’s recent struggles and his heightened propensity to throw interceptions and fumble the ball (he had two fumbles against the Vikings), the Seahawks offense is still one of the NFL’s best and elite, especially in the passing game with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the receiving end.
All of that said, Seattle might not be 9-3 without its defense. A handful of games this season have resulted in wins for the Seahawks due to their defensive dominance, and that dominance was on full display against the Vikings.
DeMarcus Lawrence started it off with his forced fumble that led to an Ernest Jones IV interception to the house. Jones didn’t stop there, though. He led the team in tackles (12) and added another interception. Riq Woolen and Cobe Bryant also picked off Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer once each. It was a defensive clinic that led to the Seahawks shutting out the Vikings, 26-0.
What we also must credit Darnold with this season is his humility when it matters most, and that’s usually after he has a rough game. Darnold had a rough game against Minnesota, but he had the right attitude and proper respect for his defense after the game, whom he has credited more than a few times this season for keeping Seattle upright.
“As an offense, I don’t think we necessarily played our best football, but we were able to come out with a win, and that’s all that matter,” Darnold said, and then credited his defense. “It’s unbelievable to have a defense like this . . . I hate putting them in positions to where I’m getting a sack-fumble and the defenses are recovering it and all the sudden they’re down in the red zone and our defense is able to turn that somehow into six points. To be able to play with and for a defense like that is unbelievalbe and don’t take it for granted one day.”
Again, this isn’t the first time Darnold has come out praising his defense for having the offense’s back this season. Contrastingly, many times over, Seahawks defensive players have publicly had Darnold’s back in front of the media this season. It’s a valuable dynamic within Seattle’s locker room, and there appears to be no shortage of support and confidence among teammates.
Of course, Seattle’s defense stepping up at key times throughout the season can’t be what Darnold should be relying on. Seattle is fighting with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West, and playoff seeding is on the line. The Seahawks offense is in a rut, and it’s Darnold’s job to help course correct his side of the ball.