Seahawks Get a Better Version of Sam Darnold vs. the Titans, Yet the Game Exposes a Ceiling He Still Hasn’t Broken. DH
Week 12 against the Titans was much better for Sam Darnold than Week 11
The Seattle Seahawks had to hear about the quick regression from quarterback Sam Darnold after throwing four interceptions in the 23-21 Week road loss to the Los Angeles Rams. After just one game, Darnold went from one of the top quarterbacks in the league to a mid-level positional player who can’t play in big games.
Darnold and the Seahawks needed to rebound in a big way in Week 12 on the road against the Tennessee Titans. While the Seahawks’ defense didn’t have its best game of the season, it was Darnold and the offense that led the team to a 30-24 win.
Darnold had an efficient game against one of the worst defenses in the league. He completed 16-of-26 of his passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Both of his touchdowns were to star wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who exploded on several deep routes for big plays.
Final line for Sam Darnold: 16 of 26, 244 yards, two TDs, one sack, no turnovers.
He wasn’t shy about letting it rip after his four-interception performance last week. A clean ledger this week, but he got away with a few risky throws.
While Darnold had a much-improved game against the Titans, it wasn’t perfect. There were still several passes thrown by Darnold that could have resulted in a potential interception by Tennessee, including some in the second half. Those potential turnovers could’ve been disastrous for Seattle, especially when the defense gave up first downs and allowed the Titans to drive down the field.
In Week 11 against the Rams, Darnold faced relentless pressure and often threw into coverage. Against the Titans, while their defense was different, he still contended with a skilled defensive line featuring Jeffrey Simmons and Arden Key. There were moments when Darnold made risky throws that could have been intercepted if read correctly.
Darnold still needs to cut down on risky passes, but the Seahawks avoided turnovers in this game.
The Seahawks entered Week 12 as the team that turned the ball over the most (20). Ten of those turnovers were due to Darnold’s interceptions. This is the second game this season where the Seahawks didn’t turn the ball over.
The main objective of the Seahawks should be to limit the turnovers as much as possible. This win over the Titans was a solid first step for Darnold, especially after the tough Rams loss.
