How the Seahawks won an unlikely game and Sam Darnold destroyed a stubborn narrative

The 12s - and the nemesis Los Angeles Rams - were treated to the full Sam Darnold experience Thursday night. The Seattle Seahawks fueled the negative narrative that he makes big mistakes in big games, and then wiped that slate clean and silenced his critics by making even bigger plays in the biggest moments.

Darnold had an amazing regular season for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, but then dramatically flopped in the playoff game. Against the Rams in L.A, he was sacked nine times and threw a costly interception in the shocking 27-9 loss.

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In Week 11 against the Rams for the Seahawks, Darnold had one of the worst games of his career in throwing four interceptions in a 21-19 loss. Welcome Thursday night in Seattle's biggest game of the season against ... you guessed it.

The four throws Sam Darnold made in overtime that changed everything. Dude completely transcended the narrative against the one defense that had given him fits, and he did it after that defense gave him fits again. This is a confidence-shifter in the building. pic.twitter.com/avCzhUMTMW
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 19, 2025

He threw two interceptions - one to a defensive lineman near the goal line - to help the Rams build a 30-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. The 12s had seen enough, booing him off the field. But as the pundits begin crafting their "same old Sam" angles, Darnold wrote another chapter to his story.

He lofted a touchdown to AJ Barner, fired a laser to Cooper Kupp for a two-point conversion. He got lucky with the wackiest two-point conversion in NFL history, and then was perfect in overtime.

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After the Rams scored to take a 37-30 lead, Seattle's hopes of winning the NFC West and Darnold's reputation were on the line with every snap. But Darnold went 4 for 4, with two zingers to the sideline with toe-tap catches by Kupp and Jaxson Smith-Njigba. He found JSN for the touchdown, then calmly hit Eric Saubert for the game-winning two-pointer.

Darnold still needs to win a playoff game. But at a time when everyone was about to write him off, he injected a new narrative.

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