Sam Darnold Sends Brutal Message After 4-INT Seahawks Loss to Rams

Sam Darnold didn’t sugarcoat his worst outing as the Seattle Seahawks’ starter. After throwing four interceptions in a 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, the Pro Bowl quarterback called his mistakes “self-inflicted wounds” and said he simply “has to be better” for a Seahawks team that still sits at 7-3.

Sam Darnold Calls Turnovers ‘Self-Inflicted Wounds’ After 4-INT Loss

The box score tells the story. Darnold finished 29-of-44 for 279 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions, tying a career high in picks. Seattle actually outgained Los Angeles 414–249 and held the Rams to just 101 yards on their final 29 offensive plays, but still left SoFi Stadium with a divisional loss.

“Tough one today,” Darnold said after the game. “I felt like despite the turnovers, we moved the ball, we just couldn’t finish in the red zone. I can’t turn the ball over as much as I did today.”

Red-zone execution was a killer. Seattle went just 1-for-4 inside the 20, settling for four Jason Myers field goals before finally punching in a late Kenneth Walker III touchdown. The Seahawks still had a chance to steal it at the end, but Myers’ 61-yard try came up short as time expired.

Darnold repeatedly turned the focus back on his own decisions.

“Those are self-inflicted wounds,” he said of the giveaways. “Sometimes it’s better to just throw the ball away or just take a sack.” He also praised a Rams defense that disguised coverages and tightened in the red zone, saying their pass rush, linebackers and safeties “are all on the same page” and “really smart players.”

Despite leading what has largely been one of the NFL’s most efficient passing attacks this year, Darnold now has 14 total turnovers on the season, tied for the most in the league.

GettySam Darnold’s four interceptions were a huge part of why the Seahawks fell to the Rams 21-19.

What Darnold’s Turnover-Filled Day Means for the Seahawks

The loss drops Seattle to 7-3 and moves the Rams to 8-2, giving Los Angeles the inside track in the NFC West while snapping the Seahawks’ 10-game road winning streak.

Big picture, though, Darnold’s message was that the Seahawks are still very much in the mix, if he cleans up the mistakes.

“I’m confident in that whole operation. They’ve been doing a great job all year,” he said of Seattle’s offense. “Let’s go play ball. We’re still in this despite the turnovers and all the things prior to that. That’s a huge credit to our defense. I wish I could have played better for our defense and everybody on the team. It stings and it sucks.”

Seattle’s defense did more than enough to win, holding Matthew Stafford to just 130 passing yards as the Rams leaned on field position and short fields created by the interceptions.

For now, there’s no indication of any quarterback drama. And Darnold’s teammates came to his defense, loudly. Darnold has already helped push the Seahawks firmly into the NFC playoff picture after arriving in March and is still on pace for one of the most productive seasons of his career, even with the turnover spikes.

Stats, Schedule & Context for Seahawks After Rams Loss

• Final score: Rams 21, Seahawks 19 (Seattle falls to 7–3, Rams move to 8–2 and first place in the NFC West).
• Darnold’s line vs. Rams: 29-of-44, 279 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INTs; four total turnovers by Seattle, all from the quarterback.
• Key plays: Jason Myers misses a 61-yard field goal as time expires after making four earlier attempts; Grey Zabel exits game with an injury.
• Offensive bright spot: Jaxon Smith-Njigba catches nine passes for 105 yards, continuing his breakout season.
• What’s next: Seahawks travel to face the Tennessee Titans on November 23, while the Rams host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the same day.

If Darnold can turn Sunday’s “self-inflicted wounds” into a one-off, Seattle still has plenty of time to flip this loss into a turning point — not a trend — in the NFC West race.

Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Sam Darnold Sends Brutal Message After 4-INT Seahawks Loss to Rams appeared first on Heavy Sports.