Sam Darnold talked about the five key throws that won the Seattle Seahawks’ crazy 39-38 overtime game against the Rams. The game had huge stakes for the NFC West standings and showed how tough you need to be to win in this division.
After the wild night at Lumen Field, Darnold was happy to talk about what the win meant. According to Sports Illustrated, he told reporters he really enjoyed the victory because wins are hard to get in the NFL. He said you have to celebrate every win you get, or there’s no point playing the game he’s loved since he was five years old.
The win felt even better because Seattle had to fight through tough times. The Seahawks gave up 581 yards to Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense. Stafford threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns, with Puka Nacua catching 12 passes for 225 yards. Seattle also turned the ball over three times, including two picks from Darnold.
The Seahawks found ways to win when it mattered most
Even though the Rams looked better in the stats, Coach Mike Macdonald’s team stuck to their training camp motto of “Chasing Edges.” They found ways to win in small moments across all parts of the game. This performance validated Seattle’s decision to start Darnold over other quarterback options.
The defense made big stops late in the game. After giving up 409 yards in the first 47 minutes, they forced three straight three-and-outs in the fourth quarter. The first stop came right after Darnold’s second interception, forcing the Rams to punt from their own end zone. Then Rashid Shaheed ran the punt back 58 yards for a touchdown.
Darnold then had to forget his mistakes and make huge plays. His first big throw came with 6:30 left when he faked a handoff, rolled left, and threw across the field to AJ Barner. Barner slipped out to the backside because the Rams chased the run too hard.
The second key throw happened on the second play of overtime. Rams defender Kobie Turner got in Darnold’s face, but he scrambled right and found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 17 yards.
“That’s a play that we practice a lot: we’ve been practicing it since OTAs,” he said. “And then, obviously, when a play breaks down, you’ve got to make something happen. I’d trust Jax with my life, to be honest. And it doesn’t just have to be Jax in that situation, whenever we have anyone in that situation, I’m going to trust that they’re going to go make that play.”
Three plays later, Darnold made a tough throw to Cooper Kupp while getting hit hard by Jared Verse. Kupp made an amazing catch for 21 yards. The final game-winner was a two-point pass to Eric Saubert. The Rams covered the main targets, leaving Saubert open in the middle.
Rams coach Sean McVay later criticized the officiating in this game, demanding clarity from the NFL. Darnold praised the coaches for practicing end-of-game situations more than any team he’s played for, which prepared them for this moment.
Published: Dec 20, 2025 10:30 am