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# Rapid Reaction: Sam Darnold Implodes in Interception Fest as Seahawks Fall 21-19 to Rams
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-seahawks-sam-darnold-interception-fest-los-angeles-rams/
- Published: 2025-11-16T23:25:45.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T06:17:16.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Game Day, Analysis, Seahawks, Sam Darnold, Ken Walker III, Demarcus Lawrence, Byron Murphy II, Jason Myers, Coby Bryant

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Nearly pulling off a stunning comeback, Jason Myers’ 61-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds fell well short of the crossbar and the Seattle Seahawks couldn’t overcome four turnovers in a 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Staying locked on receivers far too often, Sam Darnold threw a season-high four interceptions as the Seahawks finished 1-for-4 in the red zone with one touchdown and three field goals. Ken Walker III paced the run game with 67 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Coby Bryant forced a fumble on defense.

Here are five takeaways from Seattle’s hard-fought defeat at SoFi Stadium:

**1\. Darnold endures arguably the worst game of his NFL career at the worst time.**

Prior to Sunday, in the midst of a standout season, Darnold had thrown six interceptions in the first nine games total. By the time the lights went out at SoFi, however, he had nearly matched that number in an afternoon, struggling with poor decision making from the pocket to throw four interceptions in a game for the third time as a pro. Things started rocky from the outset, as he followed up a goal line stand by Seattle’s defense by getting baited by safety Kamren Kinchens, who undercut a crossing route to Cooper Kupp and returned the interception to the Seattle three-yard line, setting up a Kyren Williams touchdown run to open the scoring. He bounced back from that mistake to an extent, leading three straight drives that resulted in a field goal to help the Seahawks claw back within five at the half.

But after the half, just as he did to open the game, Darnold decided to be generous at the wrong time again. Facing 3rd and 9, he tried to squeeze in a throw to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a curl route on the sideline, only for Cobie Durant to jump it for a pick. Safety Coby Bryant punched the ball out of Puka Nacua’s hands two plays later, making that pick a mum point. However, after leading another field goal drive and punting on the next possession, his next forced throw into double coverage to tight end Elijah Arroyo ended up stinging a lot more, as Kinchens picked his pocket again to lead to a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to ex-Seahawk Colby Parkinson. Trying to escape multiple rushers on the ensuing drive with Seattle already in field goal range, he unloaded a pressured throw to the middle to Arroyo that got picked by Darious Williams, continuing a nightmare of an afternoon that will undoubtedly re-awaken critics.

**2\. Persistent red zone struggles erase points off the board in bunches.**

While one could easily point to turnovers as the biggest difference maker on the scoreboard, even with Darnold’s quartet of interceptions, the Seahawks could have still stolen this one if they could have turned just one of three unfinished red zone visits into six points. Trailing by 11 after a stalled field goal drive and a Stafford to Davante Adams touchdown late in the first quarter, a promising possession sputtered in the red zone with back-to-back incompletions by the quarterback, including throwing the third down pass out of the back of the end zone with nobody open. The same result happened at the end of the half with Darnold again having to throw the ball away on third and goal from the four-yard line. Myers converted from 30 yards and 22 yards out on both drives to cut the lead to 14-9, but it was two missed chances to draw closer before receiving after the half.

Out of halftime, following Darnold’s interception on Seattle’s first second half possession, the offense again sputtered in field goal range, this time missing out on a touchdown opportunity when cornerback Emmanuel Forbes broke up a deep ball to Rashid Shaheed in the end zone. Myers followed up with another chip shot field goal, bringing the deficit to two points midway through the third quarter. Even though that drive didn’t advance quite to the red zone, it still was another possession where the offense drove deep into opposing territory and couldn’t make it into the end zone, and three or four extra points would have been lovely to have when Myers’ 61-yard kick didn’t land anywhere near going over the crossbar as time expired.

**3\. Run defense shows significant cracks for first time in 2025.**

After the first nine games, Seattle sat in the top five in rushing yards allowed per game and yards per attempt on the ground. But those numbers will take a big hit after Los Angeles set the tone at the line of scrimmage early, consistently winning at the point of attack and getting blockers to the second level on linebackers Ernest Jones and Drake Thomas. On the first drive from scrimmage, Williams ripped off a 30-yard run that quickly moved the Rams deep into Seahawks’ territory, shooting through a big gap with nobody home to slow him down. With the Rams again having 4th and 1 two drives later, Sean McVay dialed up a zone run that the offensive line blocked perfectly, sealing Jones with the defensive line getting blown up on combo blocks, allowing Williams to race 34 yards before safety Nick Emmanwori dragged him down at the one-yard line.

To the credit of Seattle’s defense, after allowing 85 rushing yards on just 11 carries in the first half, the front seven buttoned things up quite a bit in the second half. Los Angeles only ran for 44 yards in the last two quarters, with much of that production coming on an 18-yard end around by Puka Nacua late in regulation, only for Macdonald’s squad to force a punt three plays later with a timeout still in the bag. Williams largely was shut down in the last 30 minutes, relegated to a non-factor. Nonetheless, even with that improvement, allowing 119 yards and 5.4 yards per carry on the ground ended up being a major problem on a day where points wound up being at a premium.

**4\. Pass rush, coverage on back end kept Seattle in it throughout.**

Winning the chess match out of the gate, McVay seemed to be a step ahead of Macdonald in the first quarter, calling two excellent tight end screens to Higbee and Colby Parkinson against pressure packages by the Seahawks, netting 30 yards on the two receptions. This seemed to loosen up the middle of Seattle’s defense and put defenders on their heels, eliminating pressure on Stafford off play action plays and allowing Williams to run wild with big gaps in front of him. At that point, the visitors seemed to be in a tough pickle with the Rams clearly in their bag running their stuff with great execution.

But after getting gashed on two of the first three drives, the Seahawks evened the score. On the next series, Demarcus Lawrence blew up Stafford on a screen play to Williams, who got dragged down five yards in the backfield by Byron Murphy II for a huge loss. Two plays later, the quarterback got flushed from the pocket by multiple rushers and uncorked an ugly downfield incompletion, leading to the Rams first punt of the game after a three-and-out. In the second half, Stafford couldn’t get much going through the air with pressure moving the pocket frequently and strong coverage on the back end, including a critical pass breakup on the final series, limiting the quarterback to just 130 passing yards on the afternoon.

**5\. Loss comes at an even bigger cost than the scoreboard for ‘Hawks offensive line.**

For the most part, Seattle has been able to avoid significant injuries on the offensive line. But after center Jalen Sundell landed on injured reserve on Saturday, the team took an even bigger hit during their torrid comeback late, as prized rookie guard Grey Zabel got his leg twisted underneath a teammate on Walker’s touchdown run. Down on the turf for several minutes, he eventually was helped off the field by trainers and taken to the blue injury tent.

Christian Haynes, who came off injured reserve this weekend, replaced Zabel on Seattle’s final drive. While it remains to be seen on the severity of the injury, Macdonald confirmed he would have scans on his knee, and if he misses any extended amount of time, it would be a massive blow for a line that has looked much improved with the rookie anchoring the middle.