Sam Darnold’s Late-Game Heroics Give Seahawks a Glimpse of What’s Possible
For three quarters in Week 16, it looked like the same old story for Sam Darnold - flashes of talent buried under costly mistakes. Two second-half interceptions against the Rams had the Seattle sideline - and likely the front office - wondering just how much trust they could place in their new quarterback. But then, something shifted.
In the fourth quarter and overtime, Darnold didn’t just bounce back - he took over.
Let’s be clear: for most of the game, the Seahawks were in trouble. The defense struggled to contain the Rams’ offense, and Darnold’s turnovers weren’t doing the team any favors.
The rhythm was off, the momentum was gone, and the scoreboard wasn’t kind. But when the game hit its most critical moments, Darnold delivered.
And that’s not something Seahawks fans have been able to count on from the quarterback position in recent years.
Darnold’s contract runs through 2027, and while that might have once looked like a gamble, Sunday’s finish gave the Seahawks a real reason to believe they might have made the right call. After years of inconsistency in high-pressure situations, Seattle finally saw a quarterback who rose to the moment - not one who shrank from it.
Down late in the fourth, Darnold engineered a drive that included a clutch 26-yard touchdown strike to tight end AJ Barner. The throw itself?
On the money. The moment?
Massive. Seattle followed it up with a successful two-point conversion to tie the game at 30.
Suddenly, the Seahawks were alive.
Then came overtime. After the Rams found the end zone to take the lead, Darnold had to respond - and he did.
He made a pair of pinpoint throws to move the offense downfield, showing poise, confidence, and command. And when it came time to go for the win, he stood tall in the pocket, worked through his reads, and fired a strike for the game-winning two-point conversion.
That final play didn’t just seal the victory - it might’ve been the most important moment of Darnold’s season. Maybe even his career.
It’s not just that he made the throw. It’s how he made it.
Calm. Composed.
Decisive. Traits that haven’t always been associated with Darnold in key moments.
But on this night, with the game - and maybe the Seahawks’ season - hanging in the balance, he delivered.
Now, let’s not pretend the earlier turnovers didn’t happen. They did, and they were brutal.
But what matters here is what followed. Darnold didn’t unravel.
He didn’t let the game slip away. He responded like a quarterback who believes he belongs - and made his teammates believe it, too.
That’s the kind of resilience that separates quarterbacks who flash from those who lead.
Seattle’s decision to move on from Geno Smith was never going to be universally popular. Smith had his moments, but too often, those moments came in the first half of games that ended in disappointment.
The Seahawks needed someone who could finish. Someone who could take the hits, shake off the mistakes, and still find a way to win.
In Week 16, Sam Darnold showed he might be that guy.
For a franchise and a fanbase hungry for consistent, high-level quarterback play in big moments, this wasn’t just a comeback win - it was a potential turning point. If Darnold can build on this performance, the Seahawks might have more than just a stopgap under center. They might have a leader.
And for now, that’s more than enough to believe in.