Overview
- The Seahawks confirmed they will start Sam Darnold in Week 7 after Thursday’s 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, rejecting calls to turn to backup Drew Lock for now.
- Darnold leads the league in interceptions with seven and has been part of a team total tied for third-most turnovers, with Seattle recording roughly 12 giveaways through six games.
- Game and advanced metrics show Darnold has faced extreme pressure recently, including 27 pressures, 17 hits and five sacks in the Denver game, and the club says protection breakdowns are a core problem.
- Seattle points to injuries and lineup turnover as drivers of the slide, citing missing running backs and right-guard snaps and saying the run game and offensive-line continuity must improve.
- NFL evaluators and former players have publicly questioned Darnold’s reliability in late-game situations, so the Chiefs game is being treated as a near-term test of whether coaching fixes can stabilize the offense.