The Seattle Seahawks are right where they want to be - at home, preparing for the NFC Championship Game as the top seed in the conference. After outlasting both the Rams and 49ers in a tightly contested NFC West race, Seattle now stands one win away from the Super Bowl, with a familiar foe coming to town: the Los Angeles Rams.
This matchup is the rubber match between two division rivals who split their regular-season meetings in dramatic fashion. The Rams edged Seattle 21-19 in Week 11, a game where the Seahawks offense sputtered and Sam Darnold threw four interceptions.
But the rematch? That was an instant classic.
Seattle stormed back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit, forced overtime with a pair of gutsy two-point conversions, and ultimately pulled out a 38-37 win thanks to a clutch drive capped by a Darnold-to-Jaxon Smith-Njigba touchdown and a game-winning conversion to tight end Eric Saubert.
That comeback win didn’t just show Seattle’s resilience - it showed how dangerous this team can be when the passing game clicks. And that’s exactly where this NFC title game will likely be decided.
Let’s start with Darnold. After bouncing around the league, the former first-round pick has found a home in Seattle.
He’s not just managing games - he’s leading them. In his first year under head coach Mike Macdonald, Darnold threw for over 4,000 yards, with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
He’s built strong chemistry with his receivers, especially Smith-Njigba, who has emerged as one of the league’s elite wideouts.
Smith-Njigba put together a monster season: 119 catches, 1,793 yards, and 10 touchdowns. That’s not just WR1 production - that’s All-Pro territory.
And while Cooper Kupp’s numbers don’t leap off the page (47 receptions, 593 yards, 2 TDs), his experience and knack for coming up big in clutch moments make him a valuable weapon in this offense. Kupp, of course, knows the Rams well - he spent years as their go-to guy before making the switch to Seattle.
Tight end A.J. Barner has also become a reliable option for Darnold, especially in the red zone. His 26-yard touchdown in the comeback win over L.A. was a big-time play in a high-pressure moment.
But here’s the thing: Darnold still has something to prove against this Rams defense. That four-interception outing in their first meeting wasn’t just a bad day - it was a reminder that L.A. knows how to rattle him.
The Rams defense may not be playing at the same level it was during their midseason six-game win streak, but they’re still opportunistic. And they’ve made life difficult for Darnold before - both this season and last year when he was with the Vikings.
That’s why his decision-making will be under the microscope. Darnold doesn’t need to throw for 400 yards or light up the scoreboard.
What he does need to do is protect the football, especially early. If he can find a rhythm with short and intermediate throws - particularly to Smith-Njigba and Kupp - and avoid the kind of risky passes that invite turnovers, the Seahawks will be in good shape.
Seattle doesn’t need Darnold to be Superman. They’ve got one of the league’s most consistent defenses, and their special teams have been a difference-maker all year. Rashid Shaheed’s 58-yard punt return touchdown in that comeback win over the Rams was a perfect example of how this team can flip momentum in a flash.
So what’s the formula for Sunday? Efficiency, not explosiveness.
Think 19-of-27 passing, around 250 yards, a couple of touchdowns, and - most importantly - no more than one interception. That last stat might be the most important of all.
If Darnold can keep the ball out of harm’s way, Seattle’s defense and special teams can do the rest.
The Seahawks have shown they can win ugly, win pretty, and win under pressure. Now, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, it’s about execution. And for Sam Darnold, it’s about showing that he’s not just a good story - he’s a quarterback capable of leading a team to the biggest stage in football.