Despite 4 interceptions, Sam Darnold still among NFL’s most efficient QBs

Analytics provide hope for quick bounceback for the Seahawks signal-caller.

Nov 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) runs away from Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Traditional stats certainly weren't very kind to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold on Sunday in the team's 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. There's simply no way to gloss over four interceptions, especially when two of them led directly to Rams touchdowns.

However, a quick look at the analytics tell a bit of a different story, and may serve as a silver lining for the Seahawks and their concerned fans.

And while the turnovers will dominate the conversation, a deeper look at the numbers highlights an area where Darnold has quietly excelled — and where Sunday’s loss may actually be the outlier.

As an example, let's look at Darnold's fourth and final pick. It was the ugliest and costliest of the bunch.

Trailing 21–12 with 10:05 remaining in the fourth quarter and facing 3rd-and-3 at the Rams’ 36, Darnold deftly avoided what looked to be a sure sack. But his attempted jump pass to rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo was intercepted by Darious Williams, ending the threat.

Had Darnold simply thrown the ball away, Seattle would have been in position to attempt a 53-yard field goal to pull within 6 points.

It's a moment that may be tough to watch for Seahawks fans today, but sack avoidance and performance under pressure is something Darnold has done well this season, and the numbers bear that out.

Despite Sunday's turnover-fest, Darnold is 2nd in the NFL in total EPA (expected points added) after avoiding a sack. As you can see from the chart (courtesy of FTN) he trails only Carolina's Bryce Young in that category.

Sam Darnold ranks 2nd in the NFL in QB Efficiency after avoiding a sack. — QB Efficiency after avoiding a sack | ftnfantasy.com

This tracks, as we've seen him make some of this biggest plays this season after avoiding pressure.

Overall, Darnold ranks fourth in the NFL in EPA per play at 0.237, trailing only Green Bay's Jordan Love, New England's Drake Maye and LA's Matthew Stafford.

So while there's no getting around how ugly his performance was against the Rams, the analytics indicate there's ample reason to believe Darnold will bounce back successfully, beginning this Sunday when they travel to Nashville, Tennessee to play the Titans.

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