Heâs not Patrick Mahomes. Heâs not Josh Allen. And he doesnât play for a nationally-recognized powerhouse like the Patriots or Cowboys.
But as Seattle Times columnist Matt Calkins argued recently, Sam Darnold is quietly playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL â and itâs time he entered the MVP conversation.
Through seven games, Darnold has powered the Seattle Seahawks to a 5-2 record and a share of the NFC West lead. Heâs done it not with flash, but with surgical precision â and the stats back it up.
Sam Darnoldâs Efficiency Has Been Elite
According to Calkinsâ October 27 column, Pro Football Focus has graded Darnold as the No. 1 quarterback in the NFL through Week 8. The veteran ranks seventh in passer rating (109.2) and sixth in QBR among players with at least five games played.
Darnold has taken only nine sacks, one of the lowest totals among NFL starters, and his 9.1 yards per attempt lead the league. Those numbers arenât just solid â theyâre elite.
âWhat the Seahawks quarterback has accomplished this season is a case of understated artistry,â Calkins wrote. âDarnold hasnât simply been a game manager â heâs been a game changer.â
Helping Power a Record-Breaking Offense
Of course, Darnold isnât doing it alone. Heâs throwing to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who currently leads the NFL in receiving yards despite the Seahawks having already been on a bye week. As Calkins noted, JSN is âon pace to break Calvin Johnsonâs season receiving-yards record,â making him a legitimate candidate for Offensive Player of the Year â much like Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp was during the Ramsâ 2021 Super Bowl run.
That chemistry has transformed Seattleâs offense into one of the NFLâs most balanced attacks.
National Doubt Still Lingers
Despite Darnoldâs production, he remains tied for 11th in MVP odds (50-to-1), according to major sportsbooks cited by Calkins. National media outlets have largely ignored his name in early MVP discussions â a sign that perception hasnât caught up with performance.
Part of that skepticism stems from last season, when Darnold shined with Minnesota before struggling late. As Calkins recounted, ESPNâs Stephen A. Smith recently revisited those questions on First Take:
âI saw the season finale of the regular season game after you were 14-2 last year. I ainât letting that go,â Smith said. âI need to see what [Darnold] is going to do as the season wanes.â
Fair criticism, perhaps. But Darnoldâs response so far in Seattle has been consistency â and winning. In Seattle’s two losses, too, the Seahawks fell by only a combined seven points to a then-healthy and competitive 49ers team, and a Buccaneers team that is been considered a Super Bowl contender by many.Â
Seattleâs Identity Has Shifted
Under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks have leaned on Darnoldâs poise and decision-making. The result is a team that thrives on timing, discipline, and quick reads â the exact strengths that once made Darnold the No. 3 overall pick in 2018.
Heâs finally delivering on that potential, and in Seattle, the results speak for themselves.
If Darnold continues at this pace over the next 10 games, he wonât just deserve MVP consideration â heâll demand it.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Seahawks Star Vaults into MVP Conversation appeared first on Heavy Sports.