The Seattle Seahawks snapped the San Francisco 49ers’ six-game winning streak with a dominant performance in the regular season finale. The Seahawks clinched the No. 1 seed and the NFC West title with their 13-3 victory in Week 18.
Sam Darnold was efficient on Saturday, going 20/26 for 198 scoreless yards. He didn’t turn the ball over and only took two sacks while the Seahawks’ running game and defense dominated the 49ers. Darnold joined exclusive company in Week 17. He became just the fifth QB with back-to-back 13-win seasons, joining Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers.
After Week 18’s victory over San Francisco, Darnold is in a club all his own. He became the first quarterback in NFL history “to win 14+ games and throw for 4000+ yards in back-to-back seasons,” per OptaStats’ Greg Harvey.
Sam Darnold leads Seahawks to 14-win season, No. 1 seed
Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks over the offseason. He joined Seattle after leading the Minnesota Vikings to their first 14-win season since 1998. A year later, he helped the Seahawks reach 14 wins for the first time in franchise history.
Darnold’s stats were a bit down from his breakout campaign in 2024. He topped 4,000 passing yards in both seasons but threw for 271 fewer yards with Seattle. He also had 10 fewer touchdowns this year (25 compared to 35). But he was more efficient with the Seahawks, averaging 8.5 yards per attempt, compared to 7.9 last season.
The veteran quarterback did throw two more interceptions this year on 68 fewer attempts. Darnold acknowledged that turnovers are an issue. The Seahawks have managed to overcome the problem as they’re one of just a handful of playoff teams with a negative turnover differential. But giveaways can lead to an early exit in the postseason.
Darnold played a clean game in a huge spot on Saturday. And Seattle clinched the NFC West with a road victory over San Francisco. Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet powered the offense in Week 18. The duo combined to rush for 171 yards against the 49ers. And Charbonnet had the game’s only touchdown.
