Seahawks-Rams: Final

What happened in Seahawks-Rams and what do fans have to say about it?

The Seattle Seahawks play the Tennessee Titans next week. Just wanted to open this newsletter with a positive.

Sam Darnold had his worst game as a Seahawk and what I hate the most about the timing is that it happened the week that every skeptic predicted that it would happen. That and the fact that because Seattle’s defense was so good against the Rams that the Seahawks still almost won in spite of four turnovers!

We could make excuses for Darnold, but none of his four interceptions were accidents and doubts about his ability to rise up against Seattle’s biggest challenges won’t go away this week as the Seahawks lost 21-19 to the Rams and fell to 7-3.

Perhaps Darnold was so afraid of being sacked nine times, as he was in the wild card loss to L.A. last season, that he forced bad throws to avoid another faceplant. But just one fewer interception and who knows how this game ends.

What are your immediate thoughts on the Seahawks’ loss to the Rams and Darnold’s untimely implosion against a division rival? I’ll post as many of your comments as I can on Monday:

It’s not the worst thing in the world

When a quarterback throws 4 interceptions and none of them are unlucky it can be hard to see anything else besides that absurd number. But what should actually sting is the lack of big-time downfield throws by Darnold, as well as over-throwing Rashid Shaheed for what should have been an easy third quarter touchdown.

That score would have made a huge difference in how the fourth quarter played out.

Darnold had bad games with the Vikings last season and believe it not they didn’t all come against the Lions and Rams. In fact, Darnold was GOOD against the Lions and Rams in Weeks 7 and 8, it just happens that Minnesota lost those games.

He was much worse against the Jets, Colts, Jaguars, and Bears. It just so happens that the Vikings won those games in spite of him.

Quarterbacks have good days and bad days. Good quarterbacks have more good days than bad days. Darnold has had way more good days than bad days since the start of last season, so I’m not worried about him until he starts having as many bad days as good days.

This is one bad game. Any talk of making a change or panicking over the loss is not going to take us (the outside community who talks about football) very far.

Crazy good defense

You know what other quarterback had his worst game of the season? Matthew Stafford. The stat line almost seems good because of touchdowns and interceptions, but Stafford averaged a season worst 4.4 yards per pass attempt and 53.5% completion rate:

The touchdowns were practically gifts. Credit to Stafford for not making all the ill-advised throws that Darnold made and avoiding any sacks taken but overall Seattle’s defense rised to the occasion and then some.

Despite everything that happened the Seahawks had an opportunity to win the game if Jason Myers made a 61-yard field goal. That’s amazing.

Remember, the Rams had scored 35, 34, and 42 points in their previous three games. They managed 21 today and that’s only because of Seattle’s turnovers.

Coby Bryant

I highlighted Bryant in Saturday’s 5 most important players article and he proved that to be true. Bryant kept the Seahawks in the game by forcing a fumble by Puka Nacua (the first of his career) and he’s the biggest reason why Seattle got a final drive to try and win the game.

If you really think about it, the Seahawks may have only lost this game because Rams punter Ethan Evans had the kick of his life and pinned Seattle at their own half-yard line. If the ball touches the pileon and starts at the 20, the Seahawks probably do get into reasonable field goal range.

Grey Zabel injury

Seattle’s top pick suffered a knee injury and it didn’t look good but it’s somewhat encouraging that he wasn’t carted off.

Christian Haynes was active for the first time this season. It’s even worse timing for a Zabel injury given how many times Anthony Bradford’s name came up for bad reasons again.

Klint Kubiak won’t abandon the run

Personally, I admire that Kubiak is so gung-ho about a philosophy. The Seahawks struggled throughout the game but he didn’t change game plans, running the ball 36 times compared to 44 passes. It would have been more runs than passes if not for the final drive where Seattle had no other choice.

Kenneth Walker had 16 carries for 67 yards. Zach Charbonnet had 11 carries for 37 yards.

I don’t know if this is going to continue to work as it has in the past and maybe Kubiak will rue these decisions. He might. But maybe what the Seahawks need is another big receiving threat and perhaps that’s why they traded for Shaheed when adding a receiver wasn’t really expected. Given another week or two with Darnold, that element of the passing game could start to show itself as a major threat going into the playoffs.

The running backs did an admirable job. But Cooper Kupp was nonexistent until the end of the game. Elijah Arroyo had no catches. A.J. Barner had 10 catches and gained 70 yards. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had nine catches for 105 yards.

Should the Seahawks feel good about this one in spite of the loss and the interceptions? Better days ahead? Started next week against the Titans? Let me know what you think:

Seaside Joe 2449