The Seattle Seahawks dominated their Week 4 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals for three quarters. Seattle went up 20-6 midway through the fourth quarter. But then the game nearly slipped away. The Cardinals mounted a late comeback, scoring back-to-back touchdowns and tying the game 20-20 with 28 seconds remaining in regulation.
But 28 seconds would be more than enough time for Sam Darnold to get the Seahawks into field goal range. Seattle advanced to the Cardinals’ 34-yard-line and Jason Myers calmly hit the 52-yard game winner.
The Seahawks improved to 3-1 in Darnold’s debut season with the team. And head coach Mike Macdonald is thrilled with his new quarterback. “Sam is playing out of his mind right now. … He’s doing a great job leading us,” Macdonald said after the Week 4 win, per FOX 13 Seattle’s Curtis Crabtree.
Seahawks find winning formula with Sam Darnold
The Seahawks took a big chance over the offseason. The team shipped long-time starter Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders and signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract. Seattle felt confident in making the deal after the veteran passer resuscitated his career with the Minnesota Vikings last season.
Darnold threw for 4,319 yards with 34 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024 as he led the Vikings to a 14-3 record. The performance earned Darnold his first Pro Bowl nod and a big payday in free agency. However, the Seahawks hedged their bet a bit with Darnold, guaranteeing only $55 million of his $100+ million deal.
So far, Darnold has played well with Seattle. The team is off to a strong 3-1 start. And on Thursday, the eighth-year veteran delivered on a game-winning drive with less than 30 seconds on the clock.
After tying the game 20-20, the Cardinals drew a penalty on their kickoff, giving Seattle the ball at the 40-yard-line. Darnold found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard gain, setting up Myer’s game-winning kick.
Darnold out-dueled Kyler Murray, throwing for 242 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers. He also added 24 yards on the ground. But Slinging Sammy has mostly reverted to a game manager with the Seahawks. He’s averaging less than 227 passing yards per game with five touchdown passes and two interceptions through four weeks.
Seattle boasts the league’s fourth-best scoring defense, allowing just 16.8 points per game. The running game is still a work in progress. But the Seahawks have a winning formula in mind. And a big part of the strategy is not asking Darnold to do too much. Through four weeks, the game plan has proved successful for Seattle.
