Analyst indentifies intriguing 2022 NFL team as role model for Seahawks

The NFL is a copycat league, plain and simple. If one team finds success in a certain way, other teams will surely look to emulate it.

Normally, teams look to Super Bowl winners, or at least consistent contenders, when deciding who to emulate. However, one Seattle Seahawks analyst has a more unconventional idea.

According to Rob Staton of Seahawks Draft Blog, the Seahawks should take some cues from the 2022 Carolina Panthers, who went just 7-10 and missed the playoffs. Why? Well, it all has to do with their new quarterback, Sam Darnold.

Jan 8, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) scrambles out the pocket against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

"A struggling 3-8 team finished the season on a 4-2 run with Darnold under center," Staton wrote. "They were arguably the most physical team in the league during that period. Their running game was king, ably supported by a strong defense. Darnold just had to manage the game and he did it well."

In his first five games as the Panthers' starter that season, Darnold threw seven touchdowns to just one interception and had 10 "big-time throws" to three turnover-wrothy plays. He wasn't perfect during this stretch - as he completed just 61.5 percent of his passes over those five games and he was awful in the season finale against the New Orleans Saints - but it shows what happens when a team plays to his strengths.

If the Seahawks take the right lessons from Darnold's late run with the Panthers, then the results could be very fruitful.

"It’s not going to be about Darnold throwing it around the yard for massive yardage and loads of touchdowns," Staton wrote. "It’s going to be about putting him in a position to succeed. The running game will be critical, complementing Mike Macdonald’s defense. Then, Darnold’s just got to read his keys and execute. He’s got to get the job done in the red zone. I think he’s going to be more like a Shanahan quarterback this year, with a Seattle team far less dependant on their quarterback in a way they haven’t been since the 2014 season.

"If the Seahawks do play like the late-season 2022 Panthers, they’ll win a lot of games. I’d argue they have far better personnel on both sides of the ball — so if they just manage to emulate their physical style of play — and if they can run the ball — they’ll have a great chance to be a serious player in the NFC this year. Darnold will also have a good opportunity to play a solid brand of football — which might be all the Seahawks need."

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