Sam Darnold Zeroes In on Efficiency as Seahawks Prep for Crucial Week 15 Clash with Colts
With just four games left in the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks are entering the stretch run with a clear sense of urgency-and quarterback Sam Darnold knows exactly what needs to improve if they want to keep climbing the NFC ladder.
Darnold, now in his eighth NFL season and first in Seattle, has been a steady hand under center, guiding the Seahawks to a 10-3 record and positioning them firmly in the playoff picture. But despite the success, he’s not sugarcoating what needs to be sharper heading into a pivotal Week 15 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
The keyword? Efficiency.
“We're going to continue to harp on the fact that if we can do it in a half, why can't we do it all game?” Darnold said this week, referencing Seattle’s rollercoaster performance in their recent win over Atlanta.
And he’s got a point. Against the Falcons, Seattle’s offense sputtered early-punt, field goal, interception, punt on their first four drives, totaling just 66 net yards.
Then the switch flipped. The Seahawks rattled off six straight scoring drives and dropped 31 second-half points, marking the sixth time this season they’ve scored 24 or more in a half.
That kind of explosive potential is what makes Seattle dangerous. But Darnold knows that playing catch-up or waiting until the second half to hit their stride won’t cut it in the postseason-or even this week against a Colts team that, despite recent struggles and the loss of quarterback Daniel Jones, still has enough talent to make things difficult.
The Seahawks will be back at home this Sunday, hosting Indianapolis in a late-afternoon kickoff that could have major playoff implications. While the Colts have hit a skid, this is no time for Seattle to take their foot off the gas. Darnold is clearly treating this like a must-win, and with good reason.
So far, he’s delivered in his new role. Through 13 games, Darnold has thrown for 3,162 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, completing 241 passes along the way. His connection with second-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been a revelation-Smith-Njigba has blossomed into one of the league’s most dynamic young receivers, and their chemistry has been a big part of Seattle’s offensive resurgence.
The Seahawks currently sit at second in the NFC West, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams, and they’re fifth overall in the NFC standings. That puts them ahead of division rival San Francisco and the surging Chicago Bears, while still chasing the likes of Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. Every win from here on out matters-not just for seeding, but for momentum.
Seattle’s defense has held up its end of the bargain, and special teams have been solid. But if this team wants to make noise in January, it’s going to come down to whether the offense can find that elusive consistency Darnold keeps talking about.
The pieces are there. The production is there-in stretches. Now it’s about putting it all together for four quarters.
The Seahawks will look to do just that on Dec. 14 at 4:25 p.m. ET, when they host the Colts in front of what should be a raucous home crowd. With Darnold leading the charge and the playoff picture coming into focus, Seattle knows the time to tighten things up is now.