The Seattle Seahawks still have the same problem against the Los Angeles Rams that the team has had for a decade: They can't beat the team to the south when it matters. Just like in Week 9 of 2024, Seattle couldn't create an opportunity for itself later in the season by beating LA earlier in the year.
And just like the loss in last season's first meeting, quarterback play was a real problem for the Seahawks. Last year, Geno Smith tossed three interceptions that led to an overtime loss. This year, [Sam Darnold did him](https://12thmanrising.com/seattle-seahawks-officially-have-massive-sam-darnold-problem-no-one-talking-about) one better. Seattle's QB1 threw four interceptions.
Mike Macdonald's defense did nearly everything it could to win. It limited the Rams' powerful offense to fewer yards and fewer first downs, and Seattle dominated time of possession, but Darnold's terrible mistakes kept setting the Rams up in great field position.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold cannot stop throwing the ball to the Los Angeles Rams
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Still, the defense kept Seattle in the game, and Darnold kept taking away any opportunity for a comeback. The Seahawks ran well enough and only had a couple of awful penalties (one on a would-be Kenneth Walker III touchdown run). The loss is firmly on Darnold.
On one interception, he was under duress and tossed the ball over the middle, which was easily undercut by a Rams defender. The issue was that it was the same kind of pick that Darnold had several times during the game. Los Angeles appeared to understand where Darnold would make errors before he threw the ball.
[Sam Darnold proved](https://12thmanrising.com/sam-darnold-honeymoon-phase-seahawks-comes-quick-close) in Seattle's most important game of the season so far that he might be everything national pundits have thought about for years: He is incapable of winning important games, and worse, he wilts in big moments.
Can Darnold lead the Seattle Seahawks to high-level success? Truly high-level success? He has never shown he can do that anywhere. This isn't about winning 14 regular season games. This is about winning the late-season games and season-altering contests.
The quarterback failed in that aspect for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, which was by far his best season in the NFL. His last two games were brutal, however. Week 11's loss to the Rams was an extension of those games. When the Seahawks needed Sam Darnold the most, he let the team down.
Many will now wonder how Seahawks general manager John Schneider will view Darnold now. While the quarterback signed a three-year deal worth a maximum of $100.5 million, if Seattle truly doesn't believe in Darnold, the team could let him go and have paid him just $37.5 million for one season. It's a question that needs a real answer.
The Seahawks did come back to make the game close, and Darnold led a nice drive with a bit over two minutes left, but the damage was done. He finished 29 of 44 passing for 279 yards, but zero touchdowns. He was also taking far too long to snap the ball with under two minutes left, but Seattle's 21-19 loss was doomed by the quarterback's picks.