The Seattle Seahawks moved to 3-1 on the season after their last-second win over the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. It's a victory that should open the eyes over every other team in the NFC competing for a playoff spot.
In the win, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold completed 18-of-26 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown. He managed to avoid mistakes and was locked in down the stretch, leading Seattle to a 23-20 victory.
The Seahawks got plenty of flack when they signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract. Ultimately, he'll need to prove he is worth that price over the full course of the season. But at least through four games, Seattle's gamble has paid off.
Sam Darnold four-game review
Through his first four games in Seattle, Darnold is completing 70 percent of his passes for 905 yards and two touchdowns. He has had an extra game than every other quarterback, except Kyler Murray, but Darnold is still leading the NFL in passing yards.
The quarterback has really found his stride over his last two games. Seattle dropped his debut to the San Francisco 49ers, 17-13 with Darnold throwing for 150 scoreless yards. In Week 2, he threw both of his interceptions, although he also threw for a season-high 295 yards in a 31-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints allowed Darnold to fully recalibrate. He led the Seahawks to a 44-13 victory by throwing for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Coupled with his Week 4 performance, it's clear Darnold is starting to get more acclimated in the offense.
While his numbers may look strong now, Darnold doesn't need to be Superman for the Seahawks to win games. If he can limit the mistakes and move the changes when needed, the team's defense is strong enough to help carry them.
Still, if Darnold is throwing for numerous touchdown passes and 200+ yards every week, the Seahawks will become an even tougher team to beat. How he fares against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 will be extremely telling of the quarterback's long-term legitimacy.
Seahawks lock in
Beyond the passing yards, perhaps Darnold's most impressive trait from the Week 4 win was how he controlled the team in chaos. The Cardinals had battled back from down 20-6 to tie the game with 28 seconds remaining. However, Arizona then didn't send the ball far enough on the kickoff, resulting in a penalty and Seattle getting the ball at their own four-yard line.
Darnold found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a crucial 22-yard pass as time winded down. After a four-yard run, Jason Meyers kicked home a 52-yard game-winning field goal. What's important to note there is that he missed a 53-yarder with 3:21 remaining that would've put his team up 10.
The Cardinals had all the momentum, going on back-to-back touchdown drives. Furthermore, the game was being played in Arizona, meaning the stadium was jumping. But Darnold was able to find his composure. Given great starting field position, he did what any strong quarterback would do. That's the type of big play Seattle is paying him for.
Through their first four weeks of play, the Seahawks haven't allowed more than 20 points in a game. That gives Darnold quite the cushion to work with. If they continue firing on all cylinders, and if Darnold can continue orchestrating the offense to perfection, Seattle is going to be a tough out every time they hit the field.
