Sam Darnold Has a Big Opportunity This Week vs 49ers

Sam Darnold is a few months away from the biggest offseason of his life, and what he does this week will be significant in determining how it goes.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Seattle Seahawks have a pretty clear Plan A on offense. They want to run the ball, get into favorable third downs, and have Sam Darnold hit throws off play action. It’s a formula that won them a lot of games last season, including the super bowl. But right now, they need to find a Plan B, because I doubt that formula is going to produce success.

Suboptimal Circumstances

We all know how bad things are in the backfield for the Seahawks right now. At the moment, you have Emanuel Wilson starting, a limited back who doesn’t fit the offensive scheme. Behind him is George Holani, similarly limited and clearly playing injured. Then, Velus Jones Jr, who isn’t really a running back. Robert Henry Jr, who just got here a few days ago.

Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson (23) runs for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On top of that dismal lineup, the run blocking hasn’t been particularly strong so far this season. We saw some improvements against the Chargers, but there’s not much for these backs to work with. Anthony Bradford is missed, and the lack of a true fullback is a problem. So being run-first right now is a recipe for running into a brick wall and ending up in third and long.

Sam Darnold’s Opportunity

So, what do the Seahawks do? You get aggressive, let Sam Darnold sling it, and try to hit bigger plays. This week’s opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, can be had through the air. They have one of the worst pass rushes in football with Nick Bosa on the sideline, and are down at least one defensive back starter. The opportunity will be there.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Furthermore, so far this year, opposing defenses have been mostly happy to stack the box and play the run aggressively, believing that the quarterback (be it Drew Lock or Sam Darnold) won’t be able to punish it. I believe the 49ers will probably do it as well. At some point, you have to punish it. They did last season. We need more of that.

The Stakes For Sam

If (when) Sam Darnold pushes for a contract extension this offseason in the range of $55 to $60 million a year, I’m going to think about games like this one. A divisional game, with first place at stake, where Sam can’t just game-manage his way to a victory. A game where his ability to hit big plays and make crucial throws to put points up will likely determine the result.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes the ball against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I can pay $30 to $35 million a year to a solid quarterback who needs a clean process and structure to win games. But to climb up to the top of the market? I want to see you win when you need to put the team on your back. And this weekend feels like a ‘put the team on your back’ opportunity for Sam Darnold. Succeed with a high volume of pass attempts.

He’d done it before. Last year’s NFC Championship Game is the most obvious example, a game where most of the team didn’t perform up to standard but Darnold did. But we need to see it more, especially against division rivals. If turnovers happen, then so be it. I want to see a confident quarterback this weekend, willing to make big throws.

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