Sam Darnold drops 5 spots in NFL QB power rankings after Seahawks debut

Darnold only made one real mistake in his first game of the season, but it came at the worst possible moment.

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

All things considered, Sam Darnold had a pretty strong first game in a Seattle Seahawks uniform. The box score won't tell you that, as he only totaled 150 passing yards and no touchdowns. However, the tape will show that Darnold was accurate, made good decisions and only made one mistake.

That mistake happened to come on the very last meaningful play of the game - which ended in a lost fumble that the 49ers recovered to seal their win. It wouldn't be fair to judge Darnold based on that one play, though - especially going against what looks like an elite Niners defense once again.

Nevertheless, Darnold is getting the run-around from the national media. Some think the Seahawks should trade him for Tua Tagovailoa. Others see his debut as a big disappointment. In CBS Sports' weekly NFL quarterback power rankings, Darnold is down five spots to No. 24.

"He's bound to rise, because his Week 1 loss wasn't primarily on him, though a lost fumble didn't help. The question is whether Seattle can protect him well enough to let him properly laser the ball down the field."

The Seahawks actually protected Darnold pretty well - it's just that there was rarely anybody open except for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who totaled nine catches and 124 yards. Nobody else managed more than 15. It was also rough sledding on the ground, as the Seahawks averaged just 3.2 yards per carry as a team.

Things should get easier going forward for Darnold as he faces easier defenses and gets into a better rhythm with his other receivers.

As for Seattle's other recent starting quartebacks, Geno Smith had a pretty strong debut with Pete Carroll and the Raiders, albeit against a weak Patriots team. Smith is ranked 13th on CBS Sports' list. Russell Wilson did not fare as well with the Giants, though - and he is ranked 32nd going into Week 2.

Jun 17, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) and quarterback Russell Wilson (3) interact during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

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