Having your quarterback at less than 100% ahead of the game has always been a less-than-ideal scenario, but when it comes to the playoffs, it can be downright catastrophic. Unfortunately, for the Seattle Seahawks, that’s the exact situation in which they found themselves ahead of their Divisional Round match-up against the San Francisco 49ers.
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The team’s QB1 and former Minnesota Viking, Sam Darnold, was struck with an oblique injury on Thursday afternoon before the contest. Many were fearful that he would miss the contest, but Darnold was able to persevere through the pain and guide his team towards their first NFC Championship since January of 2015.
Unfortunately, even if you were to ask the G.O.A.T. himself, Tom Brady, about the injury, he’d tell you that there’s only so much you can do during a time like this. In fact, the former Patriots’ advice essentially boiled down to “put a heat pack on as much as he can” and “try to stay really loose throughout the day.”
Prior to the start of the game, Brady’s main concern resided in the fact that “one of [Darnold’s] strengths is actually getting out of the pocket and throwing on the run,” and that the oblique injury could seriously hinder that aspect of his game. But of course, everything’s a bit easier when your special teams unit is able to give you an immediate lead.
The former New Orleans Saint, Rashid Shaheed, was able to return the opening kickoff for 95 yards and a touchdown. Thanks to a subsequent turnover on downs from San Francisco, the Seahawks were able to claim a 10-point lead by the 5:06 mark of the very first quarter.
From there, Seattle simply rolled ’em, racking up a total of 31 points throughout the rest of the afternoon. The final scoreboard read 41-6, solidifying one of the most lopsided playoff losses in NFL history.
Darnold only needed to complete 12 of his 17 pass attempts to produce a total of 124 passing yards, one touchdown, and a passer rating of 110.9, and he will now have an additional week to rest before he has to take on the winner of the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams.
Although seeing as Los Angeles was able to record 47 sacks this season, the eighth most of any team in the league, it’s safe to say that Seattle will be cheering for the Bears on Monday night.
After his 2024 showing with the Vikings, many had grown to fear that the playoff lights were simply too bright for Darnold, but he now has the first playoff win of his career. The only issue is that personal achievements don’t mean much for a team that is actively trying to win the Super Bowl.
So while today’s win will serve as a monumental feather in the veteran quarterback’s cap, there’s still plenty of football that needs to be played before the celebrations can truly begin to start.
