The Seattle Seahawks are one win away from securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. After a slow start in Charlotte, the Seahawks offense was able to find their footing while cruising to a 27-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Sam Darnold threw for 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception while completing 66.7% of his passes. Darnold once again struggled with turnovers as the Seahawks quarterback not only threw an interception but had a fumble.
It was not all bad news for Darnold, who was able to respond after a slow start. Darnold’s performance, particularly on third down, drew praise from Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald.
“I know it wasn’t Sam’s best game of all-time, and the stats reflect that but like (those are) some big-time third-down throws with pressure in his face,” Macdonald told reporters on December 28, 2025, following the Seahawks’ win over the Panthers.
“He threw the one to Jax (Jaxon Smith-Njigba). That route to Cooper (Kupp). Those are some big-time throws in the face of pressure that we need to be able to make, and they’re not easy to make. That was a big-time catch by Coop (late in fourth quarter). That was awesome.”
Here’s the latest news on the Seahawks with the NFL playoffs just weeks away.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Has Thrown 13 Interceptions This Season
Darnold deserves credit for notching his second consecutive Pro Bowl season. Yet, Darnold’s turnovers continue to be concerning, particularly as the postseason nears.
Darnold has thrown 13 interceptions this season heading into Week 18, including three picks in the last two games. The Seahawks’ stellar defense has largely allowed Darnold to overcome these turnovers, but it is worth monitoring ahead of the NFL playoffs where there is less of a margin for error.
The Seahawks Hold the NFC’s No. 1 Seed Ahead of Week 18 Showdown vs. 49ers
Seattle holds the No. 1 seed in the NFC with one game remaining. The simplest way for the Seahawks to win the NFC West and secure the top seed is to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.
This scenario would give the Seahawks some extra rest with a first-round bye. Just as crucial would be the Seahawks’ ability to play all their playoff games at Lumen Field in front of the 12s in Seattle.
A loss to the Niners would likely mean Seattle would fall from the top seed and potentially be playing on the road in the Wild Card round.
Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald Is Not Concerned by Sam Darnold’s Poor Play for the Vikings During the 2025 NFL Playoffs
Throughout the season, Macdonald has been effusive in his praise for Darnold. The Seahawks coach previously took aim at the narrative that emerged around Darnold following the quarterback’s poor play for the Minnesota Vikings last postseason.
“It’s a little narrow-minded,” Macdonald previously said of the narrative around Darnold, per The Athletic. “You’re just going to go off a two-game sample? When we were looking into possibly trying to get Sam, to a person, the type of player and teammate he was on a daily basis was really cool.
“Then you watch the totality of the tape — there’s a lot of great things going on in the red zone, on third down, two-minute, on the move; we know he’s a great thrower on the move. All those things shined through.”
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